Virginia Voters Need to Hear How Candidates for Governor Will Address Flooding, Climate Change

(Washington, D.C., June 1, 2021) EDF Action, the advocacy partner of the Environmental Defense Fund, is calling for the moderators to ask a question on resilience and the flood risks facing Virginians at the final debate before the primary.

“Tonight is the last opportunity for voters to hear directly from the candidates on the critical issues impacting the Commonwealth, including climate change and flooding,” said EDF Action President Joe Bonfiglio. “That’s why we’re urging all the candidates to talk about climate change and resilience at tonight’s debate — to let voters know how as Governor they would tackle these challenges head on.”

EDF Action released a poll and blog that showed just how concerned Virginians are about the risk of flooding and the need for their leaders to address it. In fact, more than 77% of voters, throughout the Commonwealth, want the next governor to address the state’s flood risk, and 81% of voters support a science-based plan that is regularly updated. Climate change poses a significant threat to Virginia’s coastal communities, infrastructure and economy. The state has the highest rates of sea level rise of the entire Atlantic seaboard, putting more than 34,000 buildings and 534 square miles of land at risk of flooding by 2060.