Energy + Environment
Virginia environmental regulators make info on data center operations more publicly accessible
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality published a new webpage listing data centers’ air permits, the approvals needed for the facilities to run diesel generators as a source of backup power in the event of any power grid outages, statewide. “Since DEQ’s permits are not filed by industry type (i.e., factory or data center), it […]
VDOT awards $22 million in federal funding for EV chargers along Virginia interstates and highways
The Virginia Department of Transportation announced the next round of recipients to receive federal funding to build electric vehicle charging stations along interstates and state highways. The awardings, presented by VDOT to the Commonwealth Transportation Board at its Oct. 22 meeting, total about $22 million for chargers at 35 different locations from 19 different applicants, […]
The clean energy revolution will continue
Eight years ago this week, I wrote a column titled, “Why Trump won’t stop the clean energy revolution.” Calling global warming a hoax, businessman and reality TV star Donald J. Trump had just been elected with a promise to save coal jobs and pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord. Climate activists were […]
Sen. Marsden to host summit on Virginia Clean Economy Act next week
The landmark law Virginia passed in 2020 to decarbonize the electric grid is being tested, as energy demand from data centers surges, prompting discussions about how to meet the law’s goal. On Monday, Nov. 18, Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, is hosting a summit in Richmond to talk about that law, the Virginia Clean Economy Act, […]
Hurricane Helene flooded the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, releasing chemicals into the New River
On Friday, Sept. 27, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the Southwest Virginia region, including flooding the Radford Army Ammunition Plant and causing the release of chemicals in the New River, according to the plant and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. According to a spokesperson for the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, the facility “experienced significant […]
Va.’s congressional delegation calls for reauthorization of Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act
Members of the congressional delegation from Virginia would like to see the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, reauthorized when it ends in less than two years. The BIL has fueled internet access expansion and funded several transportation and environmental projects in Virginia, including financially supporting the Long Bridge Project’s expansion and […]
Inaction on climate change costs Va.’s agriculture industry hundreds of millions of dollars yearly
More than $125 million. That’s the preliminary estimate of damage to farmers in Southwest Virginia after Hurricane Helene brought damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding to the region. We were lucky the storm didn’t impact more of our state, but for those farmers who are today facing crop losses, property and equipment damage, and other […]
Chesterfield community convenes ‘People’s Hearing’ absent a county-held one
CHESTERFIELD – About 150 Chesterfield County residents showed up Tuesday to again oppose Dominion Energy Virginia’s proposed gas plant that the utility says is needed to meet rising energy demand in the state. The Friends of the Chesterfield, a group formed to push back against the plant, held their own “People’s Hearing” in lieu of […]
Solar developers seeking changes to local siting process, again
A coalition that represents solar developers in Virginia plans to ask the legislature to change how solar projects are approved at the local level, arguing that municipal bans are hurting efforts to meet the requirements of the state’s 2020 Clean Economy Act. In the past 18 months, 33 large utility-scale solar projects — representing 3,236 […]
Norfolk officials signal changes are necessary for floodwall to move forward
Norfolk officials sat down for an interview last week to discuss a sensitive subject: a request by Virginia Beach developer Bruce Thompson to alter the proposed alignment of a floodwall so his firm could move forward with a “transformative” waterfront development of hotels, residences, restaurants and an innovation corridor in concert with Sentara and the […]
Menhaden fishing company requests increased buffer for future offshore wind projects
Omega Protein, the menhaden fishing operator in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean east of Virginia, is asking for a 15-mile buffer from the coast wherein future offshore wind projects can’t be built, to avoid conflicts with their operations. The company submitted the Oct. 16 request to the federal government’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management […]
Once again, Dominion’s energy plan falls short. This time, the SCC isn’t having it.
On October 15, Dominion Energy Virginia filed its 2024 integrated resource plan (IRP), and just as in 2023, the company shows no inclination to meet the carbon-cutting requirements of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). Blaming soaring load growth from data centers, Dominion models only scenarios with increasing amounts of fossil fuel generation to supplement […]