Our Collective Voice Matters: Advocating for a Greener Southside
by Kami Blatt, Southside ReLeaf Policy Support Specialist
Protecting and restoring our environment is essential to building healthy, resilient communities. Each year, Southside ReLeaf advocates for policies that promote environmental justice, tree equity, and sustainable infrastructure to ensure a better quality of life for all. The 2025 legislative session, which began on January 8 and adjourned on February 22, brought important progress, reinforcing the power of community advocacy and collaboration. We are excited to share updates on key legislative efforts and ways you can join us in advancing our mission for a greener and more just Southside Richmond.
Legislative Session Recap: Advocating for Green Policy
This year’s General Assembly session was a significant one for environmental justice and tree equity. Southside ReLeaf advocated for and testified on several key bills that aim to protect our communities and green spaces.
Virginia continues to lose tree canopy at an alarming rate due to development, road expansion, energy infrastructure, and other causes. To address this urgent issue, Delegate Willett introduced HB2630, a bill that will strengthen tree replacement policies during the development process and establish a local tree canopy fund. It also enables developers to pay into a tree fund if they cannot meet canopy replacement requirements on-site. This will provide local governments with additional funds to plant and maintain more trees on public and private property within their communities.
One of the most inspiring moments of the legislative session was when Liam, a third grader, testified in support of HB2630. Liam’s heartfelt testimony underscored the power of community voices—no matter their age—in shaping policy. HB2630 has successfully passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the Governor’s approval or veto.
We also supported Delegate Hope’s HB2638, which grants localities greater authority to require developers to replace cleared trees at higher percentages. This bill will support local governments’ efforts to cost-effectively mitigate climate change, manage stormwater, and reduce urban heat island effects. HB2638 has successfully passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the Governor’s decision.
We hope to see the Governor sign these critical pieces of legislation. Both bills received bipartisan support, which should encourage the Governor to enact them. Bipartisan cooperation on environmental issues is key to ensuring long-term sustainability, and these bills represent an important step forward in protecting our urban forests and green spaces.
Additionally, key budget wins will create investments in environmental education, flood preparedness, and the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF), which provides matching grants to localities for projects that reduce polluted runoff and improve water quality. These funding commitments are essential for building resilient communities and ensuring cleaner waterways.
This legislative session reaffirmed an important truth: speaking up matters. Whether through written testimony, public hearings, or direct engagement with legislators, we saw firsthand how community voices influence policy.
Introducing Southside ReLeaf’s New Policy Agenda
Southside Richmond has been shaped by decades of redlining, disinvestment, and environmental racism, resulting in poorer health outcomes, shorter life expectancy, and a lack of green infrastructure compared to other parts of the city. Southside has some of the hottest areas in the city due to extreme tree canopy loss and excessive pavement, creating dangerous urban heat islands that increase energy costs, worsen air quality, and put vulnerable residents at risk.
Our Policy Agenda is designed to address these systemic injustices and build a more resilient and equitable future. We recognize that environmental justice intersects with health, transportation, housing, racial, and economic justice, and we advocate for policies that create long-term solutions for our communities.
You can explore our full agenda and ongoing campaigns on our website. Our key priorities include:
Addressing Urban Heat Islands & Expanding Tree Canopy
Communities impacted by redlining have fewer trees, leading to dangerously high temperatures, poor air quality, and increased public health risks. We advocate for policies that expand and protect tree canopy to create cooler, healthier communities.
Investing in Flood Resilience & Stormwater Management
Impacted communities experience disproportionate flooding due to aging infrastructure and historic neglect. We push for funding to improve stormwater solutions, mitigate flood risks, and protect homes and businesses.
Ensuring Equitable Access to Parks & Green Spaces
Everyone deserves safe and accessible parks. We work to secure investments in park creation and maintenance in historically underserved areas to promote community well-being and recreation so every resident lives within a 10-minute walk of a public green space.
Advancing Clean Energy & Pollution Reduction
Low-income and Black and Brown communities bear the brunt of pollution, which is exacerbated by climate change. We support policies that promote renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and reduce harmful emissions.
Strengthening Environmental Education & Green Workforce Development
Expanding access to environmental education and green job opportunities empowers residents to build a sustainable and just future for Southside Richmond.
Looking Ahead: Unified Advocacy for a Just City
Community members, including Southside Releaf volunteers, protesting at City Hall to oppose the now-defeated burn tower that was proposed to replace green space at Hickory Hill Community Center.
Southside ReLeaf is proud to be part of a city-wide environmental justice coalition working on a unified policy agenda. As we prepare for advocacy around the Mayor’s upcoming budget proposal, we will push for investments that advance climate resilience and environmental justice in Richmond with a focus on historically marginalized communities. We are excited to continue this work alongside our incredible coalition partners and look forward to the collective efforts ahead.
With uncertainty at the federal level and increasing threats to environmental protections, our local and state advocacy is more critical than ever. We must remain steadfast in our values, hold decision-makers accountable, and advocate for policies that prioritize people and our environment.
We invite you to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media (@southsidereleaf) to stay updated on our advocacy work and to receive action alerts that allow you to raise your voice with your elected officials in defense of environmentally-just policies. Our power is rooted in the collective, and the more voices that join us, the more effective our advocacy will be.