House committee votes to send Virginia Clean Economy Act forward

A Virginia House committee voted Thursday to send the Virginia Clean Economy Act to the House floor.

The legislation, introduced in December by Sen. Jennifer McClellan, Del. Rip Sullivan, Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Del. Alfonso Lopez, sets a 2050 deadline for Virginia to get 100 percent of power from clean sources and eliminate utility pollution.

“The House Labor and Commerce Committee just took a monumental step towards real climate action tonight,” Harrison Wallace, Virginia director of CCAN Action Fund, said Thursday. “The Virginia Clean Economy Act will responsibly put Virginia on the path to climate stability while protecting our most vulnerable residents. We now look forward to seeing this historic legislation on the House floor and passing it as quickly as possible.”

A broad coalition of environmental groups, clean energy organizations, and businesses support the VCEA and have been working tirelessly with the bill’s patrons and the Northam administration to ensure its passage.