(Illustration by States Newsroom)
The latest appointments to the state’s Council on Environmental justice include Hope Cupit, a former Air Pollution Control Board member who has consistently raised awareness on the topic, and Eureka Tyree, vice chair of the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors. Two seats on the air board, one of which was Cupit’s, have also been filled by former federal government workers associated with the Republican party, with appointments by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Cupit, CEO of SERCAP, a group advocating on behalf of low-income communities in Southwest Virginia, ended her term on the Air Pollution Control Board on June 30, before she and Tyree were appointed to the EJ council by Youngkin on Aug. 16.
Aimed at raising awareness of minority, low-income, tribal and other communities often overlooked during development of energy projects, the EJ council was created by executive order under the administration of former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and codified by the legislature during the era of Democratic trifecta control of state government, amid the Northam administration.
Attempts to reach Cupit and EJ council chair Karen Camplin for comment were unsuccessful, but Tyree said her relevant experience for her role includes her being a county supervisor, and “the mere fact of standing on the principle of ‘treating people the way I would like to be treated.’” She also views her role as “being a voice for those that are not able to speak for themselves.”
“I’m committed to addressing the systemic inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities and am eager to bring that focus to the Council,” Tyree said, adding that she plans to foster, “transparency and inclusivity throughout our processes.”
One of the two seats on the air board that opened up with the expiration of Cupit and Lornel Tompkins’ terms was filled by Emily Domenech, a senior vice president at the policy consultancy Boundary Stone Partners. The other seat was filled by Daniel Jorjani, chief operating officer and principal deputy general counsel for Citizens United, a conservative advocacy group. Citizens United in 2010 won a landmark court case against the Federal Election Commission that ”tilted political influence toward wealthy donors and corporations,” according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
The air board is charged with overseeing air quality protection regulations, while permit approvals lie with the Department of Environmental Quality.
Domenech joined Boundary Stone Partners in March and was previously a senior policy advisor for Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. Jorjani previously worked as solicitor general — the lead lawyer for cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — for the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees federal lands, and was a member of former President Donald Trump’s transition team in 2016.
James Patrick Guy II, chairman of the air board, said in an interview he didn’t know the two new appointees personally but said that they have “relevant experience” and are “imminently qualified,” after working in the energy and environment sphere for “quite a while.”
As for their commitment to environmental justice while serving on the air board, Guy said, generally, “there’s probably room to bring environmental justice into consideration in any matter,” adding that developers and utilities “have learned they’re going to have to do that.” Still, Guy noted that the board is only tasked with approving regulations, which sometimes come with stipulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that are beyond their control.
Youngkin’s past appointments to the EJ council raised questions about their commitment to looking out for burdened communities. On Aug. 28,, Youngkin press secretary Christian Martinez said the latest appointments to both the EJ Council and the air board, “reflect a variety of communities and stakeholders across Virginia who are dedicated to furthering our shared commitment to protect our natural resources and vulnerable communities throughout the Commonwealth.”
A bill this past session would’ve forced Youngkin to make appointments to the EJ Council, had he not vetoed it the day prior to making his previous additions. After enough members were added to attain a quorum to vote on items, the council approved its 2023 report earlier this year, which provided an update on environmental justice initiatives for the state to take up as mostly incomplete.
Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles recently presented to the board in person on the state’s efforts to fund flood resiliency projects, which members of the Hobson Village in the Hampton Roads area have consistently called for at EJ council meetings. A representative for VDOT also discussed public engagement opportunities for roadway projects.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX