Lead sponsor of Greener Government Buildings Act
Only councilmember to co-sponsor both environmental justice bills scored
One of two councilmembers to vote against the RFK deal
Clean Energy
✅ Clean Energy DC Building Code Act of 2021
- Requires newly constructed buildings to meet net zero energy standards and not burn fossil fuels
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
✅ Climate Commitment Act of 2021
- Codifies DC’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2045 and requires DC government operations to be carbon neutral by 2040
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 2 points
✅ Greener Government Buildings Act of 2022
- Requires newly constructed DC government buildings to meet net zero energy standards and not burn fossil fuels
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White was the lead sponsor and was awarded 4 points (including 2 bonus points)
❌ Local Solar Expansion Act of 2022
- Significantly increases subsidies for existing solar panels, raising utility bills
- Sierra Club opposed
- R. White voted "yes" and was awarded no points
✅ Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Amendment Act of 2024
- Creates a program to give low and moderate income DC families electrification and energy upgrades at no cost
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 3 points
✅ 2023 Construction Codes Coordinating Board (CCCB) letter on all-electric commercial code
- Reminded body setting DC building code that current law requires all newly constructed buildings to be net zero by 2027
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-signed and was awarded 1 point
✅ 2024 Public Service Commission (PSC) letter on Project Pipes Phase 3
- Asked utility regulators to oppose Washington Gas proposal to charge DC residents $700 million for wasteful fossil fuel pipelines
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-signed and was awarded 1 point
✅ 2025 Public Service Commission (PSC) letter on District Safe
- Asked utility regulators to oppose new Washington Gas proposal to charge DC residents hundreds of millions of dollars for wasteful fossil fuel pipelines
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-signed and was awarded 1 point
- Would prohibit the sale of fluorescent lights, which contain the neurotoxin mercury, in favor LED lights, which use up to half as much electricity
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
❌ Sensible Pool Building Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025
- Would have allowed Ward 8 rec centers with pools to burn fossil fuels despite the health impacts of indoor fossil fuel combustion
- Sierra Club opposed
- R. White voted "no" and was awarded 1 point
Zero Waste
✅ Zero Waste Omnibus Amendment Act of 2019
- Expanded recycling and composting programs and standardized recycling labeling
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
✅ Bottle bill (Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025)
- Puts a refundable 10¢ deposit on beverage containers to boost recycling and reduce litter
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 3 points
Sustainable Transportation
✅ Electric Bicycle Rebate Program Amendment Act of 2023
- Created an e-bike rebate program providing up to $1,500 for a standard e-bike, depending on income
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 1 point
✅ Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (“STEER”) Act of 2023
- Empowers DC to sue out-of-state drivers with repeated safety violations that endangered people
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
✅ Public Life and Activity Zones Act (“PLAZA”) Act of 2023
- Creates pedestrian-priority street corridors by closing selected streets to car traffic for set time periods
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
Clean Water
✅ Accelerating a Lead-Free DC Amendment Act of 2025
- Creates a program for DC Water and the Department of Energy and Environment replace all lead water service lines by 2030
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 1 point
✅ Lead-Free DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2025
- Establishes workforce training, funding, and implementation policies to speed the replacement of lead pipes
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 1 point
✅ District Waterways Management Authority Establishment Act of 2022
- Creates a District Waterways Management Authority and Commission to improve public access to DC's rivers
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White did not co-sponsor and was awarded no points
Environmental Justice
✅ Environmental Justice Cumulative Impact Bill
- Establishes a compounding health impact review for environmentally harmful projects in overburdened communities
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 1 point
✅ Ivy City Resilience Hub Eminent Domain Authority Act of 2025
- Authorizes eminent domain to buy a toxic chemical plant in Ivy City and build a resilience hub on the site instead
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White co-sponsored and was awarded 1 point
Democracy
✅ FY 2026 Local Budget Act - Henderson and Nadeau amendment to fund Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)
- Provided funding to implement ranked choice voting, which voters approved by ballot initiative in 2024
- Sierra Club supported
- R. White voted "yes" and was awarded 1 point
❌ Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Implementation Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025
- Would have prevented implementation of ranked choice voting for 2026 election (Councilmember Bonds' legislation to delay RCV)
- Sierra Club opposed
- R. White voted "no" and was awarded 1 point
RFK Stadium
- Provides subsidy over $1 billion to billionaire NFL team owners to build a stadium without adequate environmental protections in law
- Sierra Club opposed
- R. White voted "no" and was awarded 2 points
Scorecard – Environmental Champions & Opponent – Methodology – Legislation Scored