David Toscano

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David Toscano
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Are Renewables Our Next Moon Shot?

July 19, 2019 by David Toscano

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”

— President John F. Kennedy, Sept. 26, 1962
Rice University, Houston, Texas.

There is a great scene in the recent movie, First Man, where NASA technicians admit the mathematical formulas necessary to get us to the moon had not yet been developed. But they (including the Virginia women at Langley described in the film, Hidden Figures) nonetheless pressed ahead, and this weekend, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the dramatic landing and Neil Armstrong’s “giant leap for mankind.” In the 1960s, our scientists were propelled by a goal, and in a race against time. Some say we are now in a similar place in the energy field.

Independent of Trumpian tweets and conspiracy theories to the contrary, there is broad scientific agreement that climate change is happening rapidly, and most of its origins can be traced to human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels. Wildfires, alterations in traditional weather patterns, the strength of hurricanes, ice pack melting, and coastal flooding are transforming public awareness. The imperative is clear; we must now confront the problem or it will overwhelm future generations. While the federal government, largely paralyzed by Trump climate deniers, sits idly by, good news is coming from various sources. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Environmental Protection, Renewable Energy

Doing the People’s Business During a Challenging Time

February 5, 2019 by David Toscano

We are now in the busiest week of the legislative year. On Sunday, the House and Senate budgets were unveiled. Today, February 5, is “crossover,” the day on which all bills must be passed in one legislative body to cross over to the other side of the Capitol for consideration. We debate the budget this Thursday. All of this work is, of course, going forward in the shadow of the turmoil surrounding the Governor. I posted my thoughts (you can read it here) about this still-unfolding situation as of Saturday morning on social media, and will probably have more to say later. For now, however, we legislators are focused on doing the job our constituents elected us to do.

STATUS OF MY BILLS

Eight of my bills have passed the House and will now be considered by the Senate. Four initiatives address rising health insurance premiums and health care costs, and are directly related to the spike in insurance premiums that occurred in Charlottesville in late 2017 during the ACA Marketplace open season to purchase 2018 health care insurance. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Affordable Health Care, Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Financial exploitation of elderly, health care costs, Renewable Energy, Virginia General Assembly Process, Virginia Health Insurance Marketplace

You Win Some and Lose Some: But You Never Stop Trying

January 25, 2019 by David Toscano

When I first arrived in the House of Delegates in 2006, a friend of mine counseled me not to get too personally attached to any proposed legislation.  “Bills are like goldfish,” he said.  “You love and care for them when they are alive, but when they die, you go out and get another fish.”

There is some common sense in this attitude, especially when you can bring bills back in the next session to try again, but I have to admit it’s a severe disappointment when very important efforts are defeated, especially when they could make a big difference.  In the last week, I have watched this happen to measures like the ERA ratification resolution, which was defeated in the House Privileges & Elections Committee after a herculean lobbying effort.  It is not totally dead, and we are working on another strategy to push for a vote on the House floor, but we have some major hurdles to overcome.

There are a few of my bills which have not yet been placed on a subcommittee agenda (as of Friday afternoon, at least), including HB 2377 to grant localities the authority to decide what to do with Confederate statues in public spaces and HB 1959 to allow any voter to vote absentee without having to provide a reason or fit into a special category. For these, the fight to win them is still ahead, and I appreciate all the work being done to help that happen. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Affordable Health Care, Environmental Protection, Gun Safety, Renewable Energy, Virginia General Assembly Process, Virginia Health Insurance Marketplace

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline–Living On Borrowed Time?

January 2, 2019 by David Toscano

Forgive the imagery (and the irony), but the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) is increasingly looking like an old automobile in need of a valve job – it is leaking serious oil, suffers by comparison to newer, more advanced models, and even if it can be made roadworthy, you and I will pay the bill for decades.

Several years ago, when this massive pipeline was proposed, I was skeptical but willing to listen. I recognized that our state legislature had no vote on the pipeline, but I nonetheless brought my serious concerns to the attention of Dominion, state agencies, and my constituents.  I worked with Nelson County homeowners in and around Wintergreen to ask Dominion to move the pipeline route, but we were rebuffed. We suggested many possible alternative routes, each of which would limit the environmental impact, but all of these were rejected. I formally asked that the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) adopt more stringent review of stream crossings, an approach that was only marginally accepted. I advanced a set of criteria that would allow the pipeline to gain my support, most of which have not been met. The proposed siting of the gas compression station at Union Hill is increasingly problematic. And my initial concern about the cost of the pipeline, much of which will be borne by the ratepayers, has only intensified.

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW

In short, what I heard when this was first presented about future energy needs requiring the building of this massive new pipeline has been undercut by developments over and over again. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Environmental Protection, Renewable Energy

Six Highlights from the 2018 Session

June 28, 2018 by David Toscano

My constituents continue to ask me if the House of Delegates is different in light of the dramatic change in composition brought on by the Blue Wave Democratic victories last fall. The answer is both a resounding “yes” and a more complicated “no.” Six highlights from this session (including the special session) help explain why this is so [Read more…]

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Filed Under: General Assembly 2018 Tagged With: 2017 Virginia election, Affordable Health Care, Anti-Discrimination, Climate Change, Environmental Protection, Gun Safety, Immigration, Medicaid expansion, Renewable Energy, Voting Access

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