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Virginia joins brief supporting challenge of vehicle emissions rule
Virginia joined in on a brief in support of a multi-state lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over a proposed new rule for greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles. The brief, led by West Virginia, states the new rule is an “overbroad, top-down regulatory scheme that tries to force people into electric vehicles while disregarding […]
Virginia tightens landfill rules
Following three years of public input, Virginia is tightening its regulations for landfills. This October, the state’s Waste Management Board voted to require greater setbacks for landfills from the surrounding community, more frequent covering of waste at active landfills, regular capacity studies, notification of excess gas emissions and additional groundwater monitoring. Kathryn Perszyk, a division […]
Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe to begin air quality monitoring
Virginia’s Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe is receiving some help from the federal government to assess air quality. Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe $449,988 to conduct community air pollution monitoring. The tribe will train tribal citizens in air quality knowledge and skills, develop a community advisory board […]
Gov. Youngkin wants a small modular reactor. What exactly is that?
Within the span of two months, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin made it clear he wants Virginia to be a leader in the use of nuclear technology, specifically by having a small modular reactor operational in Southwest Virginia within the next decade. He first announced the new focus at the unveiling of his statewide energy plan, […]
Report: Agricultural investments for Bay cleanup spur economy
Investments in agricultural best management practices have positive returns for the economy, according to a report released by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on Wednesday. The report found that for every dollar spent on farmers’ best management practices within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, $1.75 is returned through higher sales of goods and services as well as […]
Dominion, ratepayer advocates propose settlement over potential wind project costs
Dominion Energy and groups advocating for ratepayers announced a settlement agreement Friday on who will bear responsibility for any increased costs associated with the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. The agreement, which was reached between Dominion Energy, the Office of the Attorney General, Walmart, the Sierra Club and environmental nonprofit Appalachian Voices, protects ratepayers from […]
Elk hunt lottery draws over 30,000 applications
Over 30,000 applications were submitted for Virginia’s first elk hunt lottery, generating more than half a million dollars, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Gray Anderson, director of the agency’s Wildlife Resources Division, said the department received 31,951 applications to participate in the inaugural Elk Management Zone hunt between Oct. 8 and 14. […]
Sportfishing group presents petition to move Omega Protein out of Chesapeake Bay
The Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association is calling on the governor and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to halt menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, this time with the backing of a petition with 11,000 signatures. Association president Stephen Atkinson presented the petition to the office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin Monday before presenting it to the […]
Power supplier for Virginia electric co-ops building five new solar projects
In its effort to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative is constructing five new solar projects, four of which will be in Virginia, that will generate 22.5 megawatts of power. ODEC, a nonprofit power generation and transmission provider for nine electric cooperatives in Virginia, one in Maryland and one in Delaware, […]
Mountain Valley Pipeline halts eminent domain actions for Southgate extension
Mountain Valley Pipeline has decided to withdraw eminent domain actions against land in North Carolina the company sought for its Southgate extension, a 75-mile offshoot of the main pipeline that would carry gas from Pittsylvania south to Rockingham and Alamance counties. “As the timing, design, and scope of this project continue to be evaluated, MVP […]
Virginia joins multistate investigation into major banks’ net-zero commitments
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is joining 18 other states in an investigation of six major American banks over their environmental, social and governance, or ESG, investing, citing harms to Virginia farmers and companies. ESG is an umbrella term used to describe companies’ consideration of environmental, social and governance factors such as climate change and […]
Amid climate change pressures, Virginia reexamines septic regulations
A photograph shows a stretch of residential properties at Windmill Point in Lancaster County that are completely flooded to the point of appearing to be marshlands. In the middle of one is a red circle. “I think it pretty succinctly sums up the issue,” Lance Gregory, director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of […]