An Alexandria delegate says he’s “angry” and “disappointed” that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have let local jurisdictions ban the sale of English ivy, an invasive plant.
“He just unilaterally, which is his prerogative, vetoed it and did it quite early in veto session,” says Del. Paul Krizek, a Democrat who represents Fairfax County, south of Alexandria.
“This is the first round of vetoes and that means he only had less than a week to read all of these bills, and for him to decide that this is one of the ones that deserved an early veto — this is super disappointing.”
Youngkin vetoed the English ivy bill and 19 others on Thursday.
Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 1167, which states: “Any locality may by ordinance prohibit the sale of English ivy within its jurisdiction. The locality may authorize a civil penalty for violations in an amount to be set out in accordance with this section. A violation of an ordinance authorized by this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, not to exceed $50 for the first violation or violations arising from the same set of operative facts. The civil penalty for subsequent violations not arising from the same set of operative facts within 12 months of the first violation shall not exceed $200. Each business day during which the same violation is found to have existed shall constitute a separate offense. In no event shall a series of specified violations arising from the same set of operative facts result in civil penalties that exceed a total of $3,000 in a 12-month period.“
Krizek said the governor could have suggested making the measure a pilot program for Northern Virginia or delayed its enactment.
“If I was really a conspiracy theorist,” Krizek laughs. “I could say that maybe he’s punishing me for voting against his arena field, not once but twice.” (Krizek says should the governor put the Potomac Yard stadium funding back in the budget, he will vote against it.)
Why English Ivy Is Problematic
Over the last couple of years, constituents who garden brought concerns about the plant to Krizek, a fellow gardener.
English ivy, a popular woody ground cover, can grow from cut or broken pieces, and birds further disperse its seeds when they fly, according to Loudoun County Master Gardeners. It’s known to choke out other plants and grow 90 feet up tree trunks, according to Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia.
The ivy, which is prominent along the George Washington Parkway, can kill trees by denying them sunlight. Krizek says the weight of the ivy can strangle trees, with snow and rain adding additional weight that brings the trees down.
“The fact that it’s still sold in some stores, garden centers and such, is really amazing. It’s hard to believe. It’s like selling trash. I mean really, it’s the worst thing. It’s such an invasive. It’s deadly to trees. It hides all kinds of animals like rodents, like rats. There’s nothing really beneficial about it,” Krizek says.
“I think a lot of times even greenhouses or the places are selling this don’t realize just how bad it is,” he says. “There are better options.”
Krizek says his bill did not amount to a sweeping statewide ordinance that would have eradicated English ivy. Instead, he says it would have helped to educate people about invasive versus native plants. He plans to reintroduce the measure in the next legislative session, possibly as a statewide ban.
He says there’s “no doubt” that sellers of English ivy lobbied the governor to veto the bill. The Virginia Agribusiness Council and Virginia Nursery and Landscaping Association both opposed the bill.
Feature image, agneskantaruk/stock.adobe.com
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