Virginia Council on Environmental Justice

History and Evolution

The Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VACEJ), formerly known as the Governor's Environmental Justice Advisory Council, was born out of sustained grassroots advocacy for environmental justice. In 2015, a coalition of frontline organizations that included the Southeast CARE Coalition, New Virginia Majority, Appalachian Voices, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, Mothers Out Front, Moms Clean Air Force, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia Organizing, and employees at the University of Richmond formed the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative (VEJC). In 2017, the VEJC submitted a formal proposal for an environmental justice advisory council during the public comment period for Executive Order (EO) 57, an EO focused on carbon mitigation from electricity generation. Reverend Dr. Faith Harris and Dr. Mary Finley-Brook played a key role in advancing the VEJC proposal, which led to the creation of the Governor's Virginia Advisory Council on Environmental Justice through EO 73 in 2017 under Governor Terry McAuliffe.

The VEJC proposal highlighted the work of the Southeast CARE Coalition and the issue of coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News specifically.

Governor Terry McAuliffe (2014–2018): Governor McAuliffe announced the formation of the Governor's Environmental Justice Advisory Council with a commitment to ensuring "that every Virginian has a voice in protecting the quality of our air and water." The Council's mandate emphasized inclusive, action-oriented advice on how environmental burdens are distributed across the state. Members were selected from the six districts defined by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ), with representation from grassroots organizations, faith communities, business, and academia. Original members of the Council included individuals engaged in activism around coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News such as Ms. Angela Harris of the Southeast CARE Coalition. The Council held its first meeting in December 2017, with support from the University of Virginia's Institute for Environmental Negotiation.

Governor Ralph Northam (2018–2022): Governor Northam affirmed the Council's continued relevance upon taking office, issuing EO 29 to establish the now-named Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VCEJ) on January 22, 2019. The Virginia General Assembly voted to make the VCEJ permanent by passing House Bill (HB) 1042 and Senate Bill (SB) 883.

HB 1042 and SB 883: "Establishes the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, consisting of 27 members, to advise the Governor and provide recommendations intended to protect vulnerable communities from disproportionate impacts of pollution and provide such communities meaningful involvement in the decision-making process. The bill provides that 21 members of the Council are appointed by the Governor and six are specified Cabinet Secretaries."

Governor Glenn Youngkin (2022–2026): Governor Youngkin appointed eight members to the VACEJ, disregarding requirements that at least 21 of the 27 VACEJ members represent American Indian tribes, community, nongovernmental, or civil right organizations, public health or higher education employees, or residents from impacted communities.

In 2024, Governor Youngkin vetoed HB 333, which would have provided additional authority to the VACEJ and increased travel funds from $1,500 to $10,000 per year. In March of 2024, over two dozen environmental organizations and individuals signed a letter criticizing Governor Youngkin’s view of environmental justice saying he "mischaracterized the role of the [VACEJ] as a body that is 'obstructing local projects.'" The letter urged the Virginia General Assembly to reject Governor Youngkin's recent appointments to the VACEJ and to instead reappoint members whose terms expired.

Relevance to Coal Dust Pollution

The VACEJ is one of the few formal state bodies to publicly recognize coal dust as an environmental justice issue. In its 2020 Annual Report, the VACEJ highlighted Lambert's Point, Norfolk as a site of cumulative environmental burdens and recommended expanded ambient air monitoring, stronger dust suppression requirements, and more comprehensive public health data collection. In VACEJ meetings, members questioned VA DEQ officials about the lack of data and regulation on railcar fugitive dust emissions.

However, coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point has not been mentioned in VACEJ Annual Reports since. In 2021, the VACEJ recommended the creation of an Office of Just Energy Transition to increase the capacity of the state government to "steward an equitable and just transition in communities negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal economy." The Office of Just Energy Transition would focus on supporting workers as they transfer to non-coal related jobs and help coalfield communities to attract diverse businesses and repair the environmental damage caused by mining.

Engagement

For concerned residents and environmental justice activists, the VACEJ is an important—though limited—tool in the broader struggle for environmental justice. Engaging with the VACEJ can take several forms:

Public Comment: Residents can submit written or verbal testimony during VACEJ meetings, which are typically open to the public and sometimes hosted in impacted communities.

Data and Story Sharing: Community members can contribute health data, environmental monitoring, personal testimony, or visual documentation of environmental issues, which can inform the VACEJ's reports and recommendations.

Partnerships: Environmental justice groups can collaborate with VACEJ members or staff on research, site visits, or working groups related to air quality, transportation justice, or cumulative environmental impacts.

Expectations

It is important to temper expectations. The VACEJ does not have regulatory authority and cannot enforce policy or regulatory changes on its own. The VACEJ relies on the voluntary engagement of state agencies such as the VA DEQ to act on its recommendations. The VACEJ also operates with limited funding and administrative support, which can restrict the frequency and depth of its interventions.

While the VACEJ cannot enforce regulations or compel agency action, it plays a critical agenda-setting and accountability role. It elevates community concerns to the highest levels of state government, helps document environmental justice issues, and builds pressure on agencies and the Virginia General Assembly action for responsiveness and action. The VACEJ can amplify resident voices, legitimize grassroots knowledge of environmental issues, and push state agencies toward more transparent, accountable, and equitable action—especially when public engagement is coordinated and sustained. Finally, the VACEJ has supported legislative and policy efforts, including the Virginia Environmental Justice Act.

Documents

Annual Reports

• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2025 Annual Report
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2024 Annual Report
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2023 Annual Report
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2022 Annual Report
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2021 Annual Report, January 13, 2022
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2020 Annual Report

Other

• Establishment of an Advisory Council on Environmental Justice, Virginia Governor's Office, Executive Order 73, 2017
• Carbon Reduction Strategies and Environmental Justice in Virginia, Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative, EO 57 Working Group Meeting, February 28, 2017
• Statement Opposing Governor Youngkin's Actions to Undermine the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, March 27, 2024