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Health department urges preparedness ahead of peak storm season
September is National Preparedness Month and the Virginia Department of Health is encouraging residents to get ready as the state enters into peak storm season. “Be prepared,” said Bob Mauskapf, VDH director of the office of emergency preparedness, “for anything that you can think of that you would be without.” The Virginia Department of Health […]
In Va., electric vehicle infrastructure development is underway. Incentives could spur growth.
This is part three of a five-part series about Virginia’s transition to electric vehicles that examines the government’s role in the process, the private industry’s status, the development of charging infrastructure in the state, EVs’ impact on the electric grid, and how the commonwealth’s workforce may be influenced by the growing industry. Searching for a […]
Virginia rolls out results driven pollution reduction program
A new program that scientists have sought to make Chesapeake Bay clean up more effective is now underway in Virginia, following a budget allocation from the legislature this year. Known as the Pay-for-Outcomes grant program, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting applications until Feb. 3 for the $20 million that is available. “We’re […]
Youngkin joins “energy choice” coalition with other Republican governors
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has joined a group of nine other Republican governors who are advocating for “energy choice,” intending to “minimize permitting and other regulatory barriers” and “limit expensive energy mandates,” among other goals. Some clean energy advocates said the term is a euphemism for the continued use of natural gas that pollutes the planet […]
Recreational fishers call on legislators for action on menhaden management
Recreational fishers in Virginia are asking legislators to take action on managing menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay, as the only reduction fishing company catching the tiny nutrient fish continues to refute allegations it’s harming the species. In a Sept. 3 letter, the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association sent the request to all 100 members of the […]
Virginia’s largest natural gas producer moves regional headquarters in Tazewell County
Virginia’s largest producer of natural gas is expanding its regional headquarters in the Southwest region of the state. Natural gas can be derived from coal bed methane, a potent greenhouse gas driving climate change which, in Virginia, is emitted through mining in the state’s coalfields. On Friday, CNX Resources held a ribbon cutting to celebrate […]
Virginia businesses weigh benefits of electrification as leaders review policies
This is part two of a five-part series about Virginia’s transition to electric vehicles that examines the government’s role in the process, the private industry’s status, the development of charging infrastructure in the state, EVs’ impact on the electric grid, and how the commonwealth’s workforce may be influenced by the growing industry. Amid the commonwealth’s […]
Appalachian Power Company requests reduction to pay rate for net-metering solar customers
The state’s second largest utility serving a majority of Southwest Virginia is asking state regulators for a 70% reduction in the pay rate for customers who generate their own electricity and sell excess amounts back to the company. The request could stifle residential customers’ adoption of solar in the region, proponents of the zero-carbon energy […]
National group finds low-income residents in Richmond are severely energy burdened
A report from a national energy efficiency research group found that one of every four low-income residents in Virginia’s capital city are severely energy burdened, spending more than 17.5% of their income on electricity, and heating and cooling costs. Published Wednesday, the report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that nationally, 25% […]
James Madison University professor links pollution with lightning strikes
James Madison University professor Mace Bentley had a friend living on the Eastside of Atlanta who noticed his VCRs and TVs going on the fritz after several lightning strikes during thunderstorms that would move west across the sprawling Southeast city. It was a comparatively minor issue. A fire chief of a nearby station told Bentley […]
Virginia’s future concerning vehicle electrification is bright, but costs are a challenge
This is part two of a five-part series about Virginia’s transition to electric vehicles that examines the government’s role in the process, the private industry’s status, the development of charging infrastructure in the state, EVs’ impact on the electric grid, and how the commonwealth’s workforce may be influenced by the growing industry. In one sense, […]
Where do Virginia congressional candidates in key districts stand on top policy issues?
As Election Day draws closer, The Mercury asked candidates in four key Virginia congressional races — Districts 2, 7, 9 and 10 — to share their views and policy plans on the issues that most impact the commonwealth, and reviewed their positions on their campaign websites, social media pages, and in other media. Read their […]