Author
Natural gas projects accelerate as Virginia’s energy needs soar
Virginia’s booming data center industry is driving unprecedented energy demands, straining the state’s natural gas infrastructure and prompting calls for new pipelines. A Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) report warns that expanding pipeline capacity may be necessary to meet the surge, bringing with it additional logistical and environmental challenges. Some efforts to expand […]
Youngkin touts ‘tailwinds’ from Washington, sparks debate on state impact
With a new presidential administration taking office in January, Gov. Glenn Youngkin expressed optimism about potential fiscal benefits for Virginia, even as Democratic lawmakers voiced concerns about looming challenges. “I am so looking forward to having a period of tailwinds that will come out of Washington,” Youngkin said Wednesday following his budget proposal presentation in […]
Youngkin unveils ambitious budget proposal for his final year as governor
On the cusp of his last full year in office, Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping budget proposal that he hopes will define his legacy as Virginia’s 74th governor. Focused on tax cuts, infrastructure, education, and public health, the plan sets the stage for what could be a high-stakes 2025 legislative session as […]
Virginia to host world’s first fusion power plant
Virginia could soon make history as the home of the world’s first nuclear fusion power plant, state officials and private sector leaders announced Tuesday. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a fusion power company founded in 2018 in Cambridge, Mass., unveiled plans to build the groundbreaking facility on a 100-acre site at James River Industrial Park in […]
Rules for solar on Virginia prime agricultural, forest land being considered
New rules for building solar energy projects on prime Virginia farmland and forested areas are part of the ongoing solar siting discussion in the state and are drawing ire from solar developers but support from the farmers and the forestry industry. The rules, known as House Bill 206 regulations, stem from legislation passed in the […]
Legislative report: Development of data centers could triple energy demands if unconstrained
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released its long awaited report on data centers Monday, detailing the expected soaring energy demands and large economic benefits of the industry ahead of the 2025 General Assembly session. Residents and activists have been clamoring throughout the past year over projections that energy demands could triple by 2040, […]
Virginia, regional governors to discuss Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals
After decades of work to clean up the polluted Chesapeake Bay, the federal, state and local partners within the 64,000-mile watershed have acknowledged they won’t reach their 2025 goals. But neither are they giving up. Representatives of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, the regional partnership of states within the watershed, will gather Tuesday in Annapolis […]
Feds propose parts of Bath, Highland counties as critical habitat for rusty patched bumblebee
The little bumblebee, considered a keystone species because of how it benefits the environment through pollination, could be getting some buzzworthy survival assistance along the Virginia and West Virginia state border. On Nov. 25, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating about 1.6 million acres of land across the country as a critical habitat […]
Va. Dept. of Transportation estimates Hurricane Helene debris cleanup will take 3 to 6 months
The Virginia Department of Transportation estimates that it will take about three to six months to collect debris from Hurricane Helene, the storm that took the lives of three Virginians and damaged swaths of Appalachia in the southwest region of the state, leaving behind over $4 billion in damages. The debris removal timeline is expected […]
Solar co-op running campaign in Richmond, Hampton Roads region
An opportunity for residents who want solar on their property is expanding to the Richmond and Hampton Roads area amid potential changes to how much savings Virginia’s two largest utilities will offer to customers who install panels. Solar United Neighbors says participation in its co-op program to install solar panels on residential properties can be […]
Virginia’s turkeys will soon grace tables in India
As Virginians gather around the table for some Thanksgiving turkey, the state’s first shipment of turkey products are headed to India, thanks in part to the work of the state’s two U.S. senators. Earlier this month, Sen. Mark Warner announced that India will receive the frozen birds after reduced tariffs facilitated the first shipment “Obviously […]
Rural Virginia co-ops, developer granted $1.1 million to build electric vehicle charging stations
Rural electric cooperatives are joining in on the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations statewide, after Virginia Energy announced $1.1 million in awards to two co-ops last week, as well as an EV charger developer. A&N Electric Cooperative, which serves the Eastern Shore, will receive $274,290 for two charging stations in New Church and Capeville. […]