Virginia Council on Environmental Justice

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Why this Information Is Important: The Virginia Council on Environmental Justice (VACEJ) was born out of sustained grassroots advocacy for environmental justice and is one of the few state bodies to publicly recognize coal dust as an environmental justice issue. Limitations on the VACEJ are that it does not have regulatory authority, relies on voluntary engagement by state agencies, and operates with limited funding and administrative support. Residents can submit testimony during VACEJ meetings. This information covers the VACEJ's history, meeting details, past actions, and key documents that people can use to understand state‑level decision‑making, track recommendations, and support advocacy for stronger protections.

Attention: Residents, activists and advocates, researchers, policymakers

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Listen to Faith Harris, interviewed by Adrian Wood

History and Evolution

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[1] 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.[1]

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."[2] 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.[3]

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.[4] 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.'"[5] 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."[6] 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.

In April 2026, at the invitation of VACEJ member Karen Campblin, Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association gave a presentation to the VACEJ on the community impacts of coal dust in Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point, organizing and advocacy efforts of Coal Dust Kills, and the range of solutions being advanced at the local, state, and federal levels.

  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
  • Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.
    Photograph: Lathaniel Kirts and Grace Wynn of the East End Civic Association present at a VACEJ meeting on April 2026. Photograph uncredited.

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.

Resources and Materials: See for Yourself and Dig Deeper

Annual Reports

Meeting Minutes

Other Resources

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You can also email the Repair Lab at editor@voicesinthedust.org or call, text, or send a voice memo to (757) 317-0356. If you prefer, a Repair Lab team member can record your story in person or collect physical materials to digitize and then return them to you.

Engagement with the VACEJ

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.

Make Some Noise and Be Heard

Here is a sample script you can use to express your concerns and demands:

Dear Members of the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice,

My name is [Your name], and I am a [Newport News / Norfolk] resident and supporter of families impacted by coal dust pollution in Hampton Roads.

Residents here have lived for years with coal dust settling on their homes, vehicles, and community spaces. The financial and quality-of-life impacts are real and ongoing. While the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice has previously recognized Lambert's Point as a community facing cumulative environmental burdens, it is time to move beyond acknowledgment and reports.

We are asking the Council to do everything within its purview to support residents' demand for stronger physical controls at coal facilities, including wind fences, covered storage, and/or domes.

We urge the Council to elevate coal dust pollution issues in Virginia back onto its formal agenda and facilitate meetings between impacted residents, state agencies, and elected officials. Additionally, the Council can draft or recommend legislation that would require stronger dust suppression approaches and actively identify legislative champions and funding pathways to implement meaningful solutions.

We understand the Council does not have regulatory authority. But, it does have influence, visibility, and the ability to convene decision-makers and elevate the urgency of issues. Communities should not have to wait for another report while harmful exposures continue.

It is time for action with tangible, measurable steps that reduce coal dust pollution at its source.

I respectfully ask the Council to use its platform, authority, and partnerships to help deliver real protections for residents of Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your community]

[Your contact information]

About the Audio on this Page

You are listening to Faith Harris, a member of the VACEJ and Executive Director of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, discuss the history of the VACEJ and her view that coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point is a spiritual concern. The interviewer is Adrian Wood of the Repair Lab on October 1, 2023. The Audio and Transcript are available. So are many more interviews:

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Carbon Reduction Strategies and Environmental Justice in Virginia, Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative, EO 57 Working Group Meeting, February 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ Welcoming Virginia’s New Environmental Justice Council, Appalachian Voices, December 5, 2017.
  3. ↑ Newman, UVA Will Facilitate Governor’s New Environmental Justice Advisory Council, UVA Today, December 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ Pipkin, Groups criticize environmental justice approach in Virginia, Bay Journal, May 29, 2024.
  5. ↑ Statement Opposing Governor Youngkin's Actions to Undermine the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice, March 27, 2024.
  6. ↑ Virginia Council on Environmental Justice 2021 Annual Report, January 13, 2022.
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