ENERGY + ENVIRONMENT
Little appetite for Manchin permitting bill in congressional lame-duck session
Among the items on Congress’ lengthy to-do list by the end of the year is U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s proposal to speed up the federal government’s permitting process that certifies energy projects do not harm the environment. But the bill, which was a condition of the centrist West Virginia Democrat’s support for his party’s larger […]
Dominion wants Wise County coal plant to stay as is
A report by Dominion Energy finds the company’s largely coal-fired Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center in Wise County is economically viable, but critics say it lacks substantial, in-depth analysis to support its claims that the plant’s economic and environmental benefits justify continuing its current operations. Dominion filed the 28-page report as part of a deal […]
Tribes awarded state grants for the first time to conserve Va. forestland
In a mission to gain back lands lost since Capt. John Smith’s first expeditions throughout the Chesapeake Bay in 1608, state and federally recognized Indigenous tribes are tapping into state funds. Last week, two tribes were awarded grants directly from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund (VLCF) to acquire and preserve forestlands for the first time. […]
State Corporation Commission weighs new offshore wind settlement
Virginia’s State Corporation Commission is weighing whether a proposed new agreement between Dominion Energy and consumer and environmental advocates over the utility’s massive offshore wind project is more favorable to ratepayers than a prior plan that required a performance guarantee. “Do you see this being more or less favorable to customers than the final order, […]
Jagdmann to resign, leaving State Corporation Commission with only one seat filled
The State Corporation Commission will be down to one permanent judge in the new year with the resignation of Judith W. Jagdmann effective Dec. 31, which was announced Friday afternoon. Jagdmann has been serving since February 2006 on the three-member commission, one of the state’s most powerful regulatory bodies overseeing utilities, business, insurance and more, […]
Environmental groups using digital tech to bolster data collection
Digital technology has become an integral part of everyday life, whether through the use of phones, smart watches, drones or more obscure apps found in the depths of the internet. And while some movements are pushing for decreased screen time, environmental groups are increasingly tapping into technology to collect data on issues important to them. […]
Climate change ‘serious issue’ for Hampton Roads, but not in recent election
By Adrianna Lawrence / Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. – Sea level rise will continue to impact the Hampton Roads area, scientists warn, but climate change was not necessarily an issue that pulled 2nd District voters to the polls — and it was not a part of the candidates’ platforms either. The tight race ended […]
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 […]
Lawmakers propose creating Chesapeake National Recreation Area
Maryland lawmakers on Monday announced draft legislation to create a unified Chesapeake National Recreation Area. The proposal would unite a series of park areas and visitor centers owned and operated by the National Park Service as well as privately owned properties along the Bay on a voluntary basis to deliver more federal resources to the […]
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 […]
Amid major federal investment in electric cars, it’s time for states to step up, advocates say
For years, electric vehicles posed something of a chicken-and-egg problem. Mass adoption, seen as critical to cutting the largest single source of U.S. carbon emissions, couldn’t happen until the infrastructure to allow drivers to recharge wherever they were heading was in place. And those charging stations weren’t coming until more drivers switched to plug-in electric […]