Author: caaver

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide environmental news roundup: 2023 General Assembly recap

A contributed perspectives piece by the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV)

Editor’s Note: This is a special edition of a regular series of contributed news roundups about statewide environmental and energy news. This piece highlights, with links to further coverage in various media outlets, some of the energy, transportation, and utility bills introduced during the recently-ended 2023 General Assembly (GA) session. Not all-inclusive, the bills noted include actions by area legislators (Delegates Avoli, Runion, Wilt; State Senators Hanger, Obenshain). This GA session saw many bills introduced in these categories. CAAV selected those we consider most noteworthy. At this writing, some (perhaps most) of the following bills are awaiting the Governor’s action. There will be a special session soon to finalize the budget; there could be more surprises in the offing. In addition to the links below, here are some additional items about the GA session, developed by various bloggers and organizations: CCAN, Ivy Main, VPAP, Utility Dive, VPM, Washington Post, Steve Haner of Bacon’s Rebellion, and Associated Press.  

Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA)

The VCEA (HB 1526 and SB 851) passed in 2020, establishing requirements for clean energy to reduce Virginia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions very significantly by 2050. There were a number of bills introduced in 2023 targeting one or more of the VCEA provisions for repeal or to lessen requirements. Results were mixed; while the VCEA was perhaps somewhat weakened, overall it remained intact.

• HB 1430 would have exempted some large energy buyers and manufacturers from paying their proportionate costs of VCEA’s costs. Area delegates voted in favor; the bill passed the House of Delegates but was later pulled by its patron, because of the expectation of failure in the State Senate.
• HB 2130 would have authorized the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to weaken utilities’ Renewable Performance Standards (RPS) obligations. Area delegates voted in favor; the bill passed the House of Delegates but failed in the Senate.

Other bills would have expanded the statutory definition of renewable energy (RE) to include coal mine methane (HB 1643/SB 1121 and HB 2178), biomass (HB 2026 and SB 1231), nuclear and hydrogen (HB 2311 and HB 2197).

• HB 1643/SB 1121 were amended to encourage a policy “to encourage capture & beneficial use” of methane; they passed both House and Senate and area delegates and senators voted in favor. HB 2178 added methane to the definition of “green jobs”, thereby making tax credits available for methane extraction jobs. It pass both House and Senate and all five area legislators voted in favor.
• HB 2026/SB 1231, as amended, will allow Dominion’s “biomass-fired facilities to qualify as RE standard eligible sources” and thus continue in operation past the VCEA deadline of December 31, 2028. The bills passed both House and Senate; area legislators voted in favor.
• HB 2311/HB 2197 would have added both nuclear and hydrogen to the RE definition. HB 2311 failed in the House while HB 2197 passed, with support from area delegates. It failed in a Senate committee; Senator Obenshain voted against “killing” the bill.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

SB 1001 would have repealed the law authorizing Virginia’s participation in RGGI. It was voted down in committee; Senator Hanger abstained and Senator Obenshain opposed killing it. The Governor’s attempt to withdraw Virginia through regulatory action continues, however. Public comment on the regulation is possible through March 31 at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?stageid=9879. CAAV opposes the regulatory action and will submit comments before the deadline.

Transportation

There were numerous bills to repeal Virginia’s Clean Car Standards, passed during special GA session 1 in 2021. At that time, all area delegates and senators voted against establishing the standards, which tie “the state to emissions standards set by California that will ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035.” The standards require that “the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.”

• HB 1378, which Delegate Wilt sponsored in 2023, was one of many bills to repeal the standards. All repeal attempts failed, including HB 1378, which passed the House, with all area delegates supporting the repeal. It was voted down in a Senate committee; both area senators opposed killing it.
• HB 1588/SB 1466 would have authorized a grant program for electric vehicle (EV) chargers in rural areas. Both area senators supported SB 1466 when it passed the Senate. Delegates Runion and Wilt supported HB 1588/SB1466 in committee, but it died in another committee.
• SB 1312 would have allowed localities to require EV chargers in certain circumstances, through their zoning authority. SB 1312 passed the Senate over the opposition of both area Senators, but failed in the House; area delegates voted against the bill.

Energy Efficiency

SB 1323 requires the SCC “to establish for Dominion Energy Virginia annual energy efficiency savings targets for customers who are low-income, elderly, disabled, or veterans of military service. The bill requires the Commission, in establishing such targets, to seek to optimize energy efficiency and the health and safety benefits of utility energy efficiency programs.” There is already a requirement that 15% of program investment be directed to low-income customers. The bill passed both chambers with broad, bipartisan support, including from area legislators.

Solar

Solar bills, in contrast, didn’t fare as well and generally didn’t receive bipartisan support.

• SB 848 was looking to help make school buildings cheaper by deploying more solar panels to power them. It would have led to standards for local school systems to follow. It passed unanimously in the Senate but failed in a House committee, reportedly because of concerns over the respective roles of local versus state government.
• HJ545, a resolution, sought to request a VA Department of Energy study of ways local governments could overcome barriers to purchasing solar for themselves and their constituents. It failed in a House committee; Delegate Wilt voted to “kill” it.
• SB 1333 proposed to create a “Commonwealth Solar and Economic Development Program for low-income and moderate-income Virginians [, expanding] the Low to Moderate Income Solar Loan and Rebate Fund to extend grants in addition to loans or paying rebates to electric customers who complete solar installations or energy efficiency improvements subject to certain requirements….” It passed the Senate, with Senator Hanger supporting and Senator Obenshain opposing. It passed in one House committee, with Delegate Wilt supporting and Delegate Runion opposing; it later failed in another House committee.
• Resolution HJ487 sought a study and report on solar panel installation and use in divided highways’ medians. Assigned to the House Rules committee of which Delegate Wilt was a member, it wasn’t acted upon.
• SB 2355 wanted to establish “a stakeholder work group to develop recommendations [in its report] for consumer protection regulations regarding the sale or lease of solar energy generation facilities … under 25 kilowatts in capacity.” It failed in a House subcommittee.
• SB984 would have clarified “the legality of solar leases; although it passed the Senate unanimously, and in one House subcommittee, with Delegate Wilt supporting, it was not acted upon by the house committee.
• SB949 proposed to extend C-PACE (Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy) loans to residences including condominiums. C-PACE is “a voluntary special assessment lien that secures a loan for the initial acquisition and installation of clean energy, resiliency, or stormwater management improvement.” A Senate committee decided to “kill” the bill, with Senator Hanger’s agreement.
• SB 1083 was a bipartisan effort to improve the results of earlier legislation that allowed Dominion to establish a shared solar program resulted in the SCC authorized $55 as the “minimum” amount Dominion could charge shared solar customers. The shared solar utility program “allows customers … to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility.” The authorized minimum would disincentivize customer participation. SB 1266 wanted to expand shared solar in Appalachian Power territory (Southwest Virginia).

The two bills would have required “that a customer’s net bill for participation in the shared solar program …[would] not exceed the [SCC-approved] minimum bill … [and would have included SCC] considerations … such as minimizing the costs shifted to non-participating customers, and … the calculation of a customer’s minimum bill …. They [also included convening] a stakeholder workgroup to evaluate incentives for certain shared solar projects and … a report of its recommendations.” Both bills passed the Senate with Senator Hanger’s support; Senator Obenshain opposed. They both died in House sub-committees.

• SB 1419 would have permitted “individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from RE from any licensed supplier.” In other words, it would have given Virginia utility customers a choice about their RE sources. It died in a Senate committee; Senator Obenshain voted to “kill” it.

Wind

• HB 1797 would have held Dominion customers “harmless” if Dominion’s project underperformed based on Dominion’s projected net capacity of 42 percent. Dominion lobbied against the bill, which nonetheless passed the House, with area delegates’ support. It died in a Senate subcommittee; Senator Obenshain voted in the bill’s favor.
• SB 1477 allows “Dominion Energy Virginia, in connection with certain offshore wind projects, to establish an offshore wind affiliate … [to obtain an] equity financing partner for the project [that could] operate as a public utility in association with the utility.” As amended in both Senate and House, and with support from area delegates, the bill passed.
• SB 1441/HB 2444 requires the SCC to “duly” consider, during its cost recovery proceedings, “economic development benefits” [to the state from Dominion’s offshore wind project], including capital investments and job creation…. The bills [would have moved forward the timeline] from 2034 to 2032 for public utilities to construct or purchase one or more offshore wind generation facilities.” They passed House and Senate on a bipartisan basis, with support from area legislators.
• On the other hand, HB 1854, which would have required the SCC “to submit … [annual status reports about approved] offshore wind energy projects …. The bill [would have required] electric utilities proposing offshore wind development to consider and incorporate information [and recommendations] from the Commission’s annual reports….” Such recommendations could have saved ratepayers money. The bill failed in a House subcommittee.

Natural Gas

HB 1783 would have stopped localities from limiting customer access to “natural gas service and supply from both utility and non-utility gas companies, … from denying building permits solely based on a proposed utility provider…,[or from restricting] an applicant’s ability to use the services of an authorized utility provider.” It passed the House with the support of area delegates but failed in a Senate Committee, with Senator Obenshain voting in favor of the bill.

Nuclear

• HB 1779 proposed establishing a “Nuclear Education Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, … [to provide competitive] grants … to any public [or private]institution of higher education … that seeks to establish or expand a nuclear education program….” It passed the House and the Senate on a bipartisan basis, including support from area legislators.
• HB 2333 would have authorized the SCC “to establish a small modular nuclear reactors [SMR] pilot program [within 10 years].” It passed the House, with support by area delegates; the Senate added an SCC requirements to look at costs as compared to alternatives and to protect ratepayer risks if the SMR never went live. The Senate voted unanimously for the bill as amended, but it failed in the House, with area delegates voting against the Senate version.

Utility Reform

Bills around this policy subject were a major focus of attention and efforts by legislators, lobbyists, environmental and other organizations, and Dominion. Results were mixed, with ratepayers gaining some relief and Dominion getting some of what it wanted, though not all.

• Considered pro-consumer, HB 1604/SB 1321 were a bipartisan effort that succeeded, passing unanimously as amended in both Houses. Called The Affordable Energy Act, the legislation is arguably a major energy reform bill because it restored the SCC’s authority to lower a utility’s base rate if/when it determines that the utility has overcharged customers. That authority had been removed several years ago by the GA.
• Another bipartisan effort at the behest of Dominion, SB 1265/HB 1770 wanted to increase Dominion’s guaranteed rate of return, thereby ultimately raising customer rates, though offering some initial “savings” that would have been more than offset in the longer term. The bills’ effect would also have been to greatly lessen Virginia’s ability to meet its VCEA goals. With active interest from the Governor, as well as many stakeholders, the bills’ final language reduced negative effects on ratepayers, strengthened SCC authority, and removed the threat to the VCEA. They passed the Senate unanimously and with only one negative vote in the House; area legislators voted in support.
• SB 1166/HB 2275 was yet another bipartisan effort—this one to reactivate and reform the long-dormant Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, with its purpose being to conduct legislative “energy planning & electric utility oversight.” With amendments, both House and Senate approved the final version unanimously. Going forward, the Commission is tasked with overseeing Virginia’s utility policy and do so in a proactive way that avoids presentation of type of sweeping bills like SB 1265/HB 1770 at the outset of a GA session, whose duration doesn’t allow for adequate exploration and debate of ideas, consideration of expert opinion, and, perhaps most significant, formulation of utility policy with appropriate analysis. In theory, the Commission—made up of GA members—should provide much needed, and timely, support to the entire GA.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for February 2023

Energy

A public radio station story explored the effects of declining coal on electric bills in Virginia, where natural gas, nuclear power and renewables “now supply far more electricity.” The US Energy Information Administration provides extensive data on Virginia’s energy profile, including this: “In 2021, natural gas accounted for 57% of Virginia’s total electricity net generation, nuclear supplied 30%, renewables—mostly biomass and solar energy—provided 9%, and coal fueled less than 4%.”

Data centers are becoming part of the Virginia landscape; their growth is not without controversy. A proposed data center at Bristow in Prince William County is one example of how local opposition can affect a locality’s decision-making processes. “The booming data center industry is coming to Manassas…. The data center industry has a massive and growing footprint in Northern Virginia, with Prince William County serving as the epicenter for new data center construction…. Nearly 18 million square feet of land in Prince William County are covered by data centers, and the county government has moved to make more land available for the industry as it continues its rapid growth.” Loudoun County’s centers have driven growth in its real estate tax base. “Luck Stone Corp., a Richmond-based quarry company, has applied to rezone some of its Ashburn land [in Loudoun County] for up to 2 million square feet of new data centers….“ An issue surrounding two proposed data centers in Sterling, in Loudoun County, concerns how close such facilities should be to residences. “The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is considering lifting restrictions on how data centers use their backup diesel generators at they continue to face shortages in Dominion Energy’s distribution.” Warrenton’s Town Council has wrestled with noise levels and other conditions at a data center proposed for Blackwell Road and, despite vocal opposition, voted to approve it. There is developer interest in Spotsylvania County. “Water and electricity usage are key concerns, as are noise and heat effects on areas near the data centers.” “As Big Tech [Amazon] pushes to put a data center in small-town Virginia, Fauquier County’s influential conservation groups have stopped at nothing to resist the company.” A blogger says “Building more Virginia data centers requires increased pollution controls.” “As the industry faces constraints in other parts of Virginia, InvestSWVA makes the case for locating in Southwest”, including growth, jobs, and minimal costs to localities.

“The church in downtown Charlottesville that had its request to install solar panels denied by the city’s Board of Architectural Review in January will appeal the decision to City Council.” The Board’s decision that the panels would be “inconsistent with historic standards”, came soon after the city updated its Comprehensive Plan to include a Climate Action Plan. A Charlottesville climate activist believes such restrictions highlight “The reality … that solar projects routinely confront out-of-date local code restrictions, which derail projects and hinder opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. “ Elsewhere in Virginia, proposals for commercial-scale solar facilities continue to be considered, with differing outcomes. Recent examples include Isle of Wight County, Amherst County, Montgomery County, Pittsylvania County, Surry County, Halifax County, Franklin County, Henry County, and Culpeper County. NPR reported that rural solar project applications have been hampered by the efforts of a “nonprofit called Citizens for Responsible Solar” that has spread misinformation in “at least 10 states [including Page County in Virginia].”

Prince William County and a Staunton solar developer reached agreement on installation of solar panels on 12 schools, saving the school system $16 million over the next 25 years.

Climate and Environment

“A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement between landowners and conservation groups that restrict a land’s use.” Albemarle County “now contains more land under conservation easements than any other locality in Virginia.” Two Staunton area landowners have placed their 250 acres into a conservation easement, by donating development rights to Valley Conservation Council (VCC). “In 2022, the VCC oversaw almost 70 easements in the Valley, with 30 in Augusta County. The conservation council protected 1,909 acres this past year, the most in its history.” An Augusta County farmer and blogger believes “Farmland Conservation is Critical for the Shenandoah Valley.” A “Virginia program [Farmland Preservation Program awarded] $875,000 in matching grants to preserve farmland…. This year’s localities are Clarke County, Chesapeake, Fauquier County, Stafford County and Virginia Beach.”

Bristol has resolved the landfill suit filed by Virginia’s Attorney General with a consent decree [that] “specifies deadlines for landfill work.” “HOPE for Bristol, the grassroots organization dedicated to helping address landfill issues and concerns, is renting air monitoring systems.” “The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors approved a measure that will allow for a larger private rubble landfill near the Plum Creek area, a decision that went against the concerns of a number of neighbors [who] voiced concern over issues such as traffic, noise and the environmental and health impact.” The Lunenburg County landfill launched a “green” program that “convert[s] landfill gas to an energy collection and conversion system.” Reportedly, the process prevents the gas from “escaping into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.”

Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Virginia Tech have made available the “Virginia Land and Energy Navigator (VaLEN) … for public use. VaLEN brings together GIS information related to prime farm and forestland, conserved lands, brownfields and mined lands, transmission lines, and other topics to support land use planning and decision-making at the local level. VaLEN enables users to cross reference GIS layers with multiple themes and has a zoom feature that allows users to look at the highest resolution available, up to parcel scale.” [Source: DEQ Feb 6 2023 Email Newsletter]

“On the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) congratulated Governor Youngkin on the successes of Virginia’s Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program. DEQ serves as the lead agency for the Virginia CZM network of state agencies and coastal localities. Since its inception, Virginia CZM has financed 36 land acquisition projects (3,800 acres and $10 million in funds) and 37 public access construction projects ($1.2 million in funds). These projects have saved and restored critical migratory bird and wildlife habitat and increased Virginia’s coastal resilience.” [Source: DEQ Feb 6 2023 Email Newsletter]

The “Norfolk waterfront [is] getting [a] new look [and] recreation space as part of years-long floodwall plan…. The Coastal Storm Risk Management Project will be completed in five phases over the next decade and is aimed at protecting some of the city’s more critical areas….” Norfolk isn’t the only coastal locality with significant flooding problems. “Rising tides are impacting coastal Virginia’s rural communities” like Gloucester County. A recent study in Nature Climate Change estimated that “properties in vulnerable areas are overvalued by $121 billion to $237 billion, and that if those unacknowledged risks are realized, low-income homeowners in particular stand to lose significant amounts of equity.” These risks exist in non-coastal communities also, such as in Appalachia.

“Environmental and agricultural groups reached a compromise over legislation seeking to push back the deadline for farmers to voluntarily implement practices that aim to reduce the amount of polluted runoff entering Chesapeake Bay waters.” The revised bill included “specific reporting requirements to track farmers’ progress in implementing the practices.” The Shenandoah Riverkeeper objected to the delay until 2028, arguing that “Any extension is unwise and unwarranted, and should not be supported. We already know that the longer cattle stay in the river, the longer the persistent problem of algae growth will go unanswered.”

Roanoke County, Martinsville/Henry County, and Botetourt County are expanding their existing greenway trails, thanks to additional federal or state funding. A public transportation advocate points out “Roanoke offers public transit to hiking trails”, and asks ”Should more parts of Virginia do the same?” Roanoke is seeking “additional funding [for] its shuttle program to the Appalachian Trail and McAfee Knob. “ “Harrisonburg’s Friendly City Trail received state recognition…. The greenway [was] selected as a winner of the 2023 American Public Works Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter’s Project of the Year Award for the category of Transportation Less than $5 Million.” Waynesboro is seeking federal grant funding for a trail between the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel and downtown to provide hikers and cyclists a safer route. The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley is scheduling community input sessions for the planned Shenandoah Rail Trail. The sessions will happen between late February and early spring, in nine localities through which the Trail will run.

TWO ACTION ALERTS

1. Virginia’s Governor wants to withdraw Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). BUT the General Assembly established RGGI participation by law; regulatory action cannot change what the law says. AND If Virginia withdraws from RGGI, there is NO replacement funding for the home improvement and flood resilience programs that RGGI provides. Too many Virginians, especially in rural areas, bear a huge burden as they struggle to pay their energy bills.

CAAV believes we all must do what we can to leave our children and grandchildren a habitable and economically stable future. Success will depend on how well we manage a rapid transition away from polluting energy into a clean energy economy. We urge all Virginians to publicly support staying in RGGI. Contact DEQ and…

Demand — RGGI must continue to help reduce energy bills and reduce the financial harms of flooding.

Insist — Withdrawing from RGGI would give a free pass to polluters while wasting opportunities to lift up the lives of all Virginians by shifting to clean energy sources as soon as possible.

Make it clear — Trying to repeal RGGI is shortsighted, cruel, and a betrayal of Virginians, present and future.

Comment by March 31 at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?stageid=9879.

2. CAAV 2023 Strategic Planning – Survey and March 18 Meeting!

YOU can help shape the goals and direction for CAAV in 2023! We will have a facilitated, focused, two-part strategic planning process with a short online survey, and an in-person planning meeting. The outcome of this process will be a set of prioritized goals and projects.

RSVP here if you’d like to attend our March 18 Strategic Planning Meeting from 10am-2pm at Community Mennonite Church (70 South High St, Harrisonburg). Attendance is free and requires an RSVP. Lunch is brown bag (BYO).

Take the 10-minute Online Survey here. It’s open to anyone on the CAAV email list, even if you cannot attend the meeting. Responses are due by 8pm Monday, March 13, and will inform discussion at the meeting.

Check out…

• This opportunity for a Virginia Conservation Network Summer Environmental Fellowship Program to work with its Outreach or Policy teams. Fellows will gain first-hand experience working in Virginia’s environmental community. This is a ten-week, full-time, paid position running from June 5th to August 11th. The deadline to apply is March 17th. Details here.
• Harrisonburg Electric Commission’s (HEC’s) “Go Green” webpage. If you are interested in solar energy, take a look at HEC’s Friendly City Solar program. This is a way for those who can’t go solar themselves to participate in the solar energy generated at the solar farm on Acorn Drive. Although all of a household’s energy will not come from solar, a subscription will support HEC’s effort. Because of recent increases in HEC’s non-solar energy sources, the costs associated with the company’s solar program may be less than regular rates.
• This picture of an EV charging station at a Henrico County Walmart. The item was titled “The Future is Here.”
• “Virginia’s Lost Appalachian Trail” … published Monday by The History Press.” Written by a George Mason University professor, the book covers some “largely forgotten pre-1950s local history, when the trail passed through Roanoke, Franklin, Floyd and Patrick counties…. [It] also features eight maps of the existing AT and its older, pre-1952 route through western Roanoke County, and another east‑of-Roanoke planned route that never happened….”
• WMRA’s story on a master gardener’s February 7 talk about “creating a bird-friendly yard.”

Why not…

• Join Piedmont Master Gardeners for these virtual events, part of its Spring Lecture Series (cost is $10.00 for each event, times 7 to 8:15 pm)?

March 2 – “Africulture and Unique Organic Vegetables You’ll Want in Your Home Garden.”

Speaker Michael Carter Jr. will highlight the many contributions the African continent and people of African descent have made to farming and food traditions in the United States. Register here.

March 9 — “Attracting Birds and Other Wildlife to Your Garden with Easy-to-Create Water Features” This webinar will feature an online multimedia presentation [to] demonstrate water’s powerful attraction to birds and other wildlife in every season and will suggest ways to enhance our enjoyment of nature by bringing water into our backyards. Register here.

March 16 — “Designing a Pollinator Victory Garden for a Changing Climate.” Speaker Kim Eierman, an ecological landscape designer specializing in native plants, will cover the dramatic decline of pollinators due to factors that include climate change and will offer simple strategies gardeners can use to support bees and an array of other. Register here.

• Attend CCL’s Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day, March 28-29 in Washington DC? CCL’s approach s is to work with everyone along the political spectrum to enact climate solutions. The conference provides the opportunity to engage climate advocates and lawmakers who are right of center by gathering conservative volunteers and members of Congress to make climate a bridge issue as conservative concern over climate change grows. Application deadline for attending the conference and securing a limited lobbying spot is March 10. The application deadline for attending the conference with no lobbying is Mar. 14. Learn more and register here.
• Attend the 10th Annual Virginia Green Travel Conference & Travel Star Awards Celebration & the Green Tourism Business Expo, celebrating Keep Virginia Beautiful campaign’s 70^th anniversary? It’s happening March 21-22 in Virginia Beach. Learn how residents and businesses can support “green travel” from experts on all things travel and tourism. Register here.
• Learn how to plant a tree on your property that will have the best chance to survive and flourish in the site you want to plant it? Register here for Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards “tree basics” webinar happening March 7 via Zoom.
• Educate yourself about how to recycle effectively?
• Learn about bees from a Richmond area beekeeper?

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for January 2023

Energy

The Nature Conservancy [TNC] reported that the current General Assembly session, happening from January 11 to February 25, … will consider nearly 3,000 pieces of legislation, [indicating TNC will be] weighing in on a select group of impactful policies. These include bills on Energy and Climate and Virginia’s Lands and Waters. “Electric utility rate reform [is] back on [the] General Assembly agenda, [with reformers filing a] bill to increase regulatory power, [and] Dominion …backing a] bill offering sweeping changes to the system.”… [The] “two competing electric rate reform bills, with one focused on giving state regulators greater power to lower rates and the other offering a broader overhaul of the state system backed by utilities”, are getting a lot of attention. A blogger said “Dominion wants to rewrite its own rules again “, arguing the latter more complex bill “will raise costs to customers.” At least theoretically, both bills “call for more oversight of power bills.”

“As Virginia lawmakers negotiate proposals to reform the laws regulating the state’s two largest electric utilities, a separate [bipartisan] push is being made to reinvigorate a commission intended to allow more in-depth consideration of such issues outside the legislative session. Senate Bill 1166 … and House Bill 2275 … would outline a greater role for the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, or CEUR, in reviewing the state’s energy policy.… [T]he Virginia State Corporation Commission [SCC] oversees utility regulation in the commonwealth; the CEUR, established in 2008 and composed of lawmakers, is charged with overseeing how the SCC implements the laws governing Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company.” 

The 2023 General Assembly session will end on February 25. A Virginia energy commentator thinks there are several bills that “could bring more clean energy to your community”, also noting that local governments are working along these lines as well. She references several bills addressing “solar schools, climate resiliency, [and] energy efficiency.” (There is also a bill to “allow Appalachian Power customers to purchase solar energy from third parties. “) Nonetheless, she points out, “Attacks on Virginia’s climate laws are front and center at the General Assembly.” Two of these relate to Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the state’s clean cars standards. To date, efforts to kill or weaken both laws have failed in the Virginia Senate. A Democratic State Senator penned this opinion piece in support of Virginia’s continued participation in RGGI. A Norfolk engineer supported the Governor’s efforts to withdraw the state from RGGI.

Delegate Wilt’s bill to repeal the clean cards standards passed 52 – 48 in the House of Delegates. Enacted in 2021, Virginia’s standards tie “Virginia to California vehicle emissions standards that are set to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in 2035.” Under the Clean Air Act, Virginia has ”two choices on vehicle emissions regulation” in setting standards. “California was granted an exception to set its own standards … [and] over a dozen other states have” followed California’s lead, enacting standards more stringent than federal requirements. Virginia could have elected to follow the less stringent federal standards when it decided to establish standards. Wilt believes “the California standards place burdensome cost demands on Virginians and [that] the 2035 target is unrealistic. [He also argues that] EVs will also put a strain on the grid.” Democrats counter that “Virginia’s adoption of the Clean Cars standard positions it as a leader in the ‘acceleration’ toward electric vehicles [and that] passing Wilt’s bill sends a message that the state doesn’t want to lead ‘or, worse yet, can’t compete…. Wilt’s bill faces a rocky road in the Senate, where Democrats have killed several Republican bills aimed at the same goal.” A Senate sub-committee previously declined to pass comparable legislation, along party lines, but the full Senate will vote on the House bill following crossover on February 7.

 “State regulators … approved a plan by Roanoke Gas Co. to convert biogas from a sewage treatment plant into natural gas for distribution to customers in the region.… The State Corporation Commission found that the joint project with the Western Virginia Water Authority is in the public interest.” The company considers this to be “a renewable natural gas project.”

“Energy Right, a Virginia-based non-profit that brings a conservative perspective to clean energy conversation” noted that —

“The commonwealth’s energy policies are the point of frequent contention, but not all Virginians are toeing the historical party lines on clean energy policy. Clean energy is not the political wedge issue that it once was, and for good reason: this old dichotomy misses what Virginians actually care about. In addition to getting policy right in the eyes of Virginians, our leaders would be well served to first consider the proper role of government, if any, in energy decisions at the local level.” 

Nuclear energy and nuclear waste made headlines recently:

“[W]hat we know about nuclear waste disposal in Virginia.”

“Small modular reactors are not going to save the day.”

“Youngkin’s nuclear initiative would make Virginia an energy innovator.”

“Dominion Energy plans to deploy small modular nuclear reactors statewide by 2032.”

“25 questions about small nuclear reactors.”

“First small modular reactor gets certification from Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

“Game over for the Mountain Valley Pipeline”? A commentator believes “The Mountain Valley Pipeline is down $6 billion with seconds on the clock in overtime. Even casual viewers can see that the game is over. MVP has lost. Gamblers should cut their losses while they still can.” “A long-running legal dispute over a corporate venture’s authority to seize private property for a natural gas pipeline [MVP] has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where landowners see signs of hope.” A FERC attorney believes that a “company that monitors environmental compliance by the [MVP] has a relatively small but continuing conflict of interest caused by its work on separate projects by developers of the controversial pipeline….” “Environmental groups asked the Fourth Circuit during oral arguments Tuesday to toss a key water permit for the [MVP], which would lead to even more delays for the $6.2 billion project that developers aim to resume constructing this summer.”

Arlington County announced all of its facilities are now powered by renewable energy, “two years ahead of schedule. As part of the Community Energy Plan adopted in 2019, Arlington County committed to transitioning 100% of county operations to renewable sources by 2025.” In other recent solar news, various Virginia localities have rejected proposals for large-scale solar farms or adopted policies limiting them: Isle of Wight County, Mecklenburg County, Culpeper County, Halifax Town, and Patrick County,

Climate and Environment

“The Virginia Climate Center is expected to launch in late January… [and] will work with local communities across the state, listening to what they need and providing information to help them develop strategies to manage their risks from a warming climate…. ‘It’s entirely a community-oriented organization. Almost an extension service like many states have for agriculture. It’s modeled in very much the same way: combining research that is going on inside the university with real-life problems going on outside of the university.’ The VCC team was awarded a 2-year, $2 million grant from NOAA to develop the pilot project.”

Meanwhile, “Virginia Tech experts have been studying extreme weather patterns and have some predictions for 2023 and beyond. The U.S. experienced 18 natural disasters related to weather and climate in 2022 that exceeded $1 billion dollars in damage and loss…. ‘[T]he general expectation looking forward to 2023 and years beyond is for a continuation of an upward trend in high-dollar disasters stemming from weather and climate events….’ [E]arly predictions suggest this year will be the hottest on record.”

“The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation … [awarded] $51,757,388 in supplemental awards from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund. These newly funded [22] projects will expand flood prevention and protection projects including mitigation, capacity building, planning and studies throughout Virginia. Charlottesville was one of the grant recipients.

The “Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army announced … the final revised definition of Waters of the United States.” The new definition serves as a … reset of the [prior] Administration’s … rollback of longstanding clean water protections…. With the new definition, limits are established ‘that appropriately draw the boundary of waters subject to Federal protection.’ And the new definition notes that this does not mean activity cannot take place in Waters of the United States. It means the activity must not violate the Clean Water Act.”

The “Chesapeake Bay [is] still in poor health, [with] blue crabs suffering, says [the most recent] State of the Bay report.” The report gave the Bay a D+ rating. “The effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay has made little overall progress the past two years, with improvements in some categories offset by stagnation or deterioration in others” according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Its “dredge survey results found the lowest number of blue crabs in the survey’s 33-year history.” A recent study reported on the considerable economic benefits Virginia’s seafood industry provides the state. Two legislators would like to see a Virginia blue catfish industry that might help protect the Bay. A local farmer and blogger touted the benefits for farmers and the Bay of the “Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay … program that helped [farmers to be more efficient] and safer… with conservation vouchers. It’s called the Healthy Streams Farm Stewardship program.”

Tangier Island residents hope new oyster reefs will help in its challenges from rising waters. “Two potential projects would deploy oysters, one of the cornerstones of the island’s seafood-based economy, as protection against land-devouring waves and storm surge. Both are in the early stages of development.” Artificial habitats inland may help Smith Mountain Lake’s fish population.

Bristol Virginia’s landfill woes continue. The “New mayor, vice-mayor set landfill as top priority.” A judge granted its request for mediation in a lawsuit filed by sister city Bristol Tennessee. A citizen group is seeking “air monitoring” for the landfill. A local group is fundraising for air monitors. Virginia’s Attorney General sued the city over the landfill’s “stench.” Some legislators think Bristol should receive some federal aid.

The Valley Conservation Council reported its “Land conservation efforts successful in 2022; 2023 could be banner year.”

Check out…

• Sierra Club Piedmont Group’s virtual program on Charlottesville’s Climate Action Plan – Feb. 8, 7:00 PM to learn about Charlottesville’s newly adopted Climate Action Plan and ask questions of staff. Register here. Consider whether there are reasons for other localities to develop such a plan.
• Renewal of Resistance – an evening with StopMVP Artivists – Jan. 31, online 7 PM – for music, dance, and poetry. Register here.
• These sources about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits that take effect this year IRA take effect. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the ways you can save money with solar and more starting now. Below are links to the federal code text regarding HOMES and HEEHRA. Virginia will create its own plan for dispersing these funds ($186M in total).

§18795a. High-efficiency electric home rebate program (HEEHRA) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title42-section18795a&f=treesort&fq=true&num=0&saved=%7CSGlnaC1FZmZpY2llbmN5IEVsZWN0cmljIEhvbWUgUmViYXRl%7CdHJlZXNvcnQ%3D%7dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D%7C1%7Ctrue%7Cprelim

§18795. Home energy performance-based, whole-house rebates (HOMES) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title42-section18795&num=0&saved=%7CSGlnaC1FZmZpY2llbmN5IEVsZWN0cmljIEhvbWUgUmViYXRl%7CdHJlZXNvcnQ%3D%7CdHJ1ZQ%3D%3D%7C1%7Ctrue%7Cprelim

Residents and businesses aren’t the only beneficiaries. So are non-profits and schools. You can encourage your school system and your church or congregation to install solar. And your neighbors. And commercial facilities. Generation180’s Solar for all Schools program created a toolkit that interested parents, community members and schools can use (and a helpdesk) to help their school go solar. Its last report showed a tripling of the amount of solar on Virginia schools. 

• Locations of the top 50 Virginia localities with the most temporary emergency shelters per‑capita. “The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters means that the need for emergency evacuation and shelter plans has never been greater. According to the Federal Emergency Management Association, understanding your climate risk, or proximity to probable natural disaster, is an important first step for making a plan. Tools like the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation allow you to assess your risk by location. Knowing where nearby emergency shelters are located is another way to prepare for the worst. In the event of flooding, hurricane-level winds, or other disasters, emergency shelters offer a place to sleep, and also often provide food, water, and first aid services.” Closest to the Central Valley (though not necessarily west of the Blue Ridge), among the 50 localities are the Counties of Bath, Highland, Rockbridge, Albemarle, Greene, Madison, Culpeper, Fauquier, Clark, and Nelson. Cities include Staunton, Winchester, Lexington, Buena Vista, Covington, and Charlottesville.
• “These 6 charts that track air quality and precipitation in Virginia, plus other environmental indicators.” For example, recently air quality in the Shenandoah Valley National Park was rated good.

Why not…

• See a film or two playing during the 13^th RVA Environmental Film Festival, starting March 10, with the heartfelt documentary, “Wildcat,” playing at The Dome of Science Museum of Virginia at 7:30 PM? The festival continues at the Byrd Theater March 11-12. Showings will continue until March 19 at various venues throughout the community. The lineup includes films for all ages and covers environmental topics such as forest conservation, survival amidst climate change, mysteries of sea life, pollinator decline, natural gas pipelines, and more. Details are here.
• Attend Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)’s Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. – March 28-29? CCL’s approach to enacting climate solutions is to work with everyone along the political spectrum. The Conservative Climate Leadership Conference and Lobby Day provides the opportunity to engage climate advocates and lawmakers who are right of center. The application deadline for attending the conference and securing a limited lobbying spot is March 10. The application deadline for attending the conference with no lobbying is March 14. Find details here.
• Attend the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation’s 10^th Annual Shenandoah Plant Symposium 2023, A Plant Palette, March 24 from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Wayne Theatre in downtown Waynesboro? Waynesboro Parks & Recreation will present a lineup of speakers. Find “inspiration for your backyard garden…. Registration is limited to 250 people. A boxed lunch will be served. The cost is $90 per person.” Register here.
• Watch an Eastern Mennonite “Professor’s work featured in ‘Wetlands of Wonder: The Hidden World of Vernal Pools’ documentary? At 54-minutes long, it might suit your kids too.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for December 2022 

Energy

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

“Virginia … [began its] official withdrawal [via the regulatory process] from [the] regional carbon market [known as RGGI, although] debates over legality of [the Youngkin administration’s and the Air Quality Control Board’s] move persist.” “Virginia began participating in RGGI following passage of the … Clean Energy and Community Flood Preparedness Act of 2020…. Virginia power producers must buy allowances for each metric ton of carbon they emit, with the number of allowances available for purchase at auction declining every year.” The previous and current Attorneys General provided different opinions as to the legality of the Youngkin approach. A Southern Environmental Law Center attorney argued such action must be done legislatively. A National Resources Defense Council lawyer tweeted “Weird [that the Governor]’s budget would make taxpayers pay for VA’s exorbitant flooding & energy costs. Yet in Q4 [22] alone, under VA’s RGGI law, big polluters just paid up another $70+ million, to do exactly that….” Other opinion writers, environmental organizations, and a legislative committee echoed that sentiment questioning the logic of eliminating the RGGI funding source for community flood resilience and energy efficiency improvements for low and middle income Virginians and allowing polluters to emit CO₂ while proposing budget expenditures to pay for the recurrent damages that coastal and inland flooding that the state has experienced and will continue to experience. A blogger presented details about the proceeds from the RGGI auctions, describing them as “taxes”, noting that to date they’ve totaled close to $524 million. The Acting Secretary of Virginia’s Department of Natural and Historic Resources argued that RGGI is “a bad deal.” The regulatory action to withdraw Virginia from RGGI will continue in 2023.

Solar, Wind, and Nuclear

“The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors approved a large solar farm near Port Republic …. The permit [is] for a large-scale, ground-mounted solar facility on the south side of U.S. 340, … [on] … land previously disturbed by a quarry, and [the project] would produce 50 megawatts of power, … enough electricity to power 20% of the county’s households.” Franklin County’s Board of Supervisors voted to approve a siting agreement for … the county’s first utility-scale solar facility, a … 160-acre project ….” Other localities that recently approved similar projects include Halifax County and Henry County. Not all solar facilities meet with approval; recent examples of local opposition happened in Carroll County, in Isle of Wight County, in Bristersburg/Fauquier County, and in the town of South Boston.

A bill passed in the 2022 General Assembly called for a work group study to address solar development. That group delivered its report but achieved ”little consensus on [what new regulations should look like.] Solar developers were wary of regulation, and farm and conservation groups expressed concerns about land impacts. The report was “a 717-page document that included discussion of 41 proposals around definitions, processes and who should be involved with implementing the new regulations. The work group reached consensus on only four of those proposals and came close to consensus on 14. But on 23 — more than half of those considered — they remained deadlocked.” One opinion writer praised the bipartisan “consensus”.

An Augusta County solar developer is training students for careers in clean energy. The same company will install solar panels on two Bedford County schools. It also helped a Richmond homeless shelter reduce its energy costs by going solar. Virginia Beach students created light displays “powered by solar panels and [a] wind turbine.” “More than 80 students from five public school divisions in Virginia gave topics, “including students from Augusta County.

In Virginia, shared, or community, solar allows eligible residents of multi-family buildings and those who cannot install their own solar to subscribe to utility and 3^rd party developer programs. However, “Shared solar launches in Virginia but still faces an uphill battle.” “Dominion Energy is demanding that a planned 1.2-megawatt community solar project pay to install a high-speed fiber optic line between the array and the nearest substation, which the developer says will increase costs by about 50%.”

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) “effectively signed off on an agreement Dominion reached this fall with the Virginia attorney general and other parties, in which the company agreed to implement several consumer protections in connection with the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.” Not everyone applauded the SCC’s action. A blogger asked “Why does Dominion fear a wind output promise?” Another argued that “Dominion’s Wind Gamble Could Cost Customers.” Another made a case that “Dominion’s Planned Offshore Wind Farm Need Not – and Must Not – Be Built Where Planned.” Dominion has filed a request with the SCC for a rate surcharge for its off-shore wind project. The federal government advanced Virginia’s off-shore wind projects. Meanwhile, “Plans for Botetourt County [on-shore] wind farm [are] moving along – although slowly.”

A Canary Media chart detailing the largest electricity source in each state showed that “In 12 U.S. states last year, the largest source of electricity generation was zero-carbon — wind, hydropower or nuclear.” Virginia was not among the 12; its largest source was fossil gas. The Governor proposed “a $10 million investment in the upcoming budget to turn Virginia into a leader in energy innovation …. [He announced] ‘With technologies like carbon capture and utilization, and resources like critical minerals, hydrogen, and nuclear, we will make Virginia the epicenter for reliable and affordable energy innovation’.”

The Governor and nuclear proponents want Southwest Virginia to be the site of a small modular nuclear reactor but critics, including area residents, want to be informed and consulted about such a project. Some experts say the project is doable with necessary approvals in place. Several start-ups are working on ways to demonstrate feasibility. A Lynchburg company started “production of a type of nuclear fuel, fuel, called TRISO, [that] will power the first micro reactor built and operated in the United States…. {The company believes such fuels will be] used for a variety of new technologies, including micro reactors that provide clean energy to remote communities, or areas recovering from natural disasters.” Virginia Tech nuclear researchers received a federal grant to “work to improve computer models that are used to study the safety of nuclear power plants.” “Dominion Energy plans to deploy small modular nuclear reactors statewide by 2032 … [and] is evaluating several sites in Southwest Virginia, including retired fossil fuel plants and former coal mines. Appalachian Power Company says it’s also looking at the new nuclear technology.” Politically, current activities show that there is international interest in nuclear energy on both the right and the left.

Southwest Virginia may become a hub for numerous research and development activities and job opportunities, including “The Energy Discovery, Education, Learning & Technology Accelerator, or DELTA, Lab… in Wise County”; the “Energy Storage and Electrification Manufacturing (ESEM) jobs project” in Tazewell County; numerous projects funded by the recently passed federal 2023 funding bill; and hydrogen research, including a green hydrogen project in Buchanan County.

Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), Biogas, and Extraction/Mining

Republican legislators introduced pipeline permitting reform bills in both houses of Congress to “create regulatory certainty for natural gas pipeline construction and approve Mountain Valley Pipeline completion.” In response, “more than 40 environmental and advocacy groups called for a “fair and open” review of the pipeline’s plan to cross the Jefferson National Forest.” Senator Manchin’s [and others’] efforts to speed up the energy permitting process (and thereby facilitate if not guarantee the completion of the MVP), will likely continue in 2023 despite the lack of success in 2022. “The U.S. Forest Service[, under a court order to produce a ‘ Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement before a final statement next summer’,] has proposed new construction guidelines that, if adhered to, would enable the 303-mile intrastate natural gas pipeline to traverse a 3.5-mile section of the Jefferson National Forest in Giles and Montgomery counties, the project’s final missing link.”

“Utility executives said they have plenty of opportunity to invest in renewable natural gas, or RNG, supply projects, even as major energy and investment companies continue to acquire RNG developers.” Dominion Energy “invested in … [RNG] projects at dairy and swine farms and sees the opportunity to add to its project pipeline.” Roanoke Gas Company seeks “to partner with a western Virginia wastewater plant to capture, treat, and deliver biogas to local customers. Environmental groups have objections to how the deal is structured ….”

“A Canadian company has bought interest in the uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County and has set its sights on overturning the state’s moratorium on uranium mining. Experts say the risks are real, but some can be mitigated with modern technology.” “Southside legislators said there’s little local enthusiasm for overturning the moratorium ….” 

“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is working towards the answer [to the question ‘Might there be Gold in Virginia hills’]. Virginia Tech faculty members … were part of a 13‑person technical team convened by NASEM to provide their subject‑matter expertise to produce “The Potential Impacts of Gold Mining in Virginia” report ….” Two of the conclusions:

1. “Virginia’s laws and regulations currently … are not up to the task of minimizing the risks to Virginia’s communities and environment …. [The] report points to opportunities to strengthen these systems to minimize risk of harming water resources, ecosystems, and human health….”
2. “The most effective way to minimize potential impacts from gold mining is to begin with a cradle‑to‑grave approach that considers all aspects of exploration, development, mining, remediation, closure and long-term monitoring from the very earliest stages and, importantly, solicits and includes input from all stakeholders involved ….”

The study was done pursuant to legislation; one question is “What happens next?” Buckingham County formed a commission to recommend what its next steps will be, possibly addressing whether the county should ban gold mining there.

Transportation

“A representative state survey released last week found 55% of Virginians are likely to consider buying an electric vehicle (EV). In January, however, the key policy that gives Virginians’ more access to EVs may be in jeopardy. [An opinion writer noted that] Unfortunately, bills have been filed to repeal the Clean Car standards in the upcoming Virginia General Assembly.” However, “With higher gas prices, electric vehicles [are] surging in popularity with buyers.” The town of Stanley recently installed its first EV charging station at a local park. Loudoun County is planning to “acquire [a] low-to-zero emissions … fleet.” “As more transit agencies in Virginia roll out electric buses to reduce environmental impacts, the need to recharge those buses throughout the day remains a chief concern.”

“Richmond’s Pulse has driven its way to becoming one of the most successful bus rapid transit services in the country. Now transportation leaders from as far away as Ohio, Maryland and Florida are taking notice…. [P]assengers are turning to rapid transit services due to their frequent stops and reliability compared to buses.” Blacksburg’s town council voted to provide free bus service to all riders. But the Roanoke Valley’s Metro system cannot afford to do so without “new funding or significant budget cuts.” DC eliminated Metrobus fares starting next summer, but Virginia riders from DC may continue paying them. “Virginia transit officials say state law and regulations effectively prohibit the state from eliminating Metrobus fares for riders in the commonwealth, but legislative changes could alter that.”

Climate and Environment

“An innovative new technique to assess the health of fish population that set lower triggers for catch quotas has found that menhaden — probably the most controversial catch in Virginia — are doing even better than expected. As a result, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission increased its coastwide quota for menhaden by 20%, while leaving its cap on the Chesapeake Bay catch at 51,000 metric tons.”

A recent study by the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Virginia Tech showed there is “Money in [Virginia’s] water: Virginia seafood industry [is] worth billions, supports thousands of jobs.” A recent Chesapeake Bay Foundation study reported “good news” for the Bay: “Dead zones are shrinking, but [there’s] still a long way to go.” “The Chesapeake Bay watershed in Virginia will be supported by more than $13 million in grant awards for restoration and conservation…. Awarded through the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grant Program (INSR) and the Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Programs, core grant programs of the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program partnership that are administered under NFWF’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund (CBSF), the award include $15 million provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, the first set of awards from the infrastructure funding. Funding will also be provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and private funding by Altria Group, Zoetis, and Astra Zeneca. Additional funding will come from the Bezos Earth Fund.” Total funding will be over $26 million. The Governor proposed setting “aside historic funds [$685 million in the biennial budget] for conservation and preservation … [and] for resiliency and the Chesapeake Bay.”

Thanks to “legislation passed earlier this year allowing Virginia’s state and federally recognized tribes to receive grants from VLCF, one of the state’s premier sources of conservation money, funded through the budget,” “two tribes were awarded grants directly from the … VLCF to acquire and preserve forestlands for the first time. The grants will only cover a portion of the cost of the land acquisitions and will be available to the tribes for two years.”

“Five localities receive[d] funds [from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Farmland Preservation] to place working farmlands, forests under conservation easements.” “The General Assembly’s passage of full funding for agricultural best management practices is a historic decision for farmers…. From July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024, $295 million will be allocated in Virginia’s budget for aid farmers in implementing conservation practices.”

Check out…

• The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley’s report, “Transportation Planning & Land Conservation go Hand-in-Hand.”
• The six “big issues” the 2023 General Assembly legislators will be tackling; some are related to energy and to environmental issues of importance to Virginians.  This piece from VA Conservatives for Clean Energy highlights some likely energy-related bills.
• How and why Newport News teamed with Bee City USA “to protect the city’s pollinators … [by expanding] pollinator-friendly habitats on public and private land in the city.”
• Newport News’ new Sarfan “food forest” that “will be filled with as many as 75 different species of fruit-bearing trees and other plants native to Virginia [and] will provide free fruits and vegetables to the community and help address food scarcity.”
• The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia 2022 Impact Report.
• This story about the sighting (at Lake Shenandoah) of “a bird that shouldn’t be here, a MacGillivray’s warbler, a West Coast species that should be in Mexico or Central America for the winter.”

Why not…

• Sign up to lobby your legislators on Virginia Conservation Network’s Our Common Agenda this coming session? Join the Virginia Conservation Network and hundreds of fellow environmental advocates on Tuesday, January 31^st, 8 am to 1 pm in Richmond for its annual Conservation Lobby Day. Register here.
• Join Earthjustice for its Climate Action Party: Food Justice Webinar, Jan. 12, 7 pm? Learn how climate-concerned citizens can urge government leaders to help accelerate the transition to a more just and sustainable food system. The featured guest Peter Lehner will spotlight opportunities for climate activists to advocate for policymakers to use the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Farm Bill, Inflation Reduction Act, and SEC regulations to drive even faster, systemic change in the ways we produce our food. Register here.
• Learn about three ways to receive tax credits for going green in 2023, thanks to federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act?
• Gain some insights into how SustainFloyd takes small steps by “Thinking Globally [and Acting Globally in Floyd Virginia”?
• Read this story of Hog Island residents who moved to the mainland to retreat from the rising seas, only to find those seas have followed them?
• Try washing your clothes in cold water and wash them less frequently? Doing so will increase the life of the clothes and reduce environmental harms from the washing process.
• Learn about Mountain Lake’s “mysterious” fluctuations that result in periods of low to no water.
• “Invite Songbirds to Your Winter Garden”?
• Visit an “International Dark Sky” state or national park? Virginia has four, three relatively near the Central Valley. West Virginia has three parks with this designation. Before you go, learn “Why we need to make the world a darker place.”

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for November 2022 

Energy

As noted in our last Perspectives piece, not everyone is happy with the Governor’s recently released Energy Plan. An “advanced energy advocate says … [the] plan ‘falls short’ [and is a] ‘U-turn away from a cleaner and cheaper energy future.’”

The Governor “wants Virginia to be the first state to commercialize [small nuclear reactors, SMRs]”; he wants one located in Southwest Virginia. This technology hasn’t been developed on a large-scale. The Governor said recycling nuclear waste will be a priority. He also said Southwest Virginia could become an “energy epicenter” for the state, the US, and world. An Environment and Energy reporter explained what an SMR is.

There are concerns that the efforts to bring an SMR to Virginia may also lead the state to lift its long‑standing ban on uranium mining. “A Canadian mining venture … is buying a big uranium ore deposit in Pittsylvania County despite Virginia’s 40-year moratorium on mining the radioactive metal.” “The largest uranium deposit in the United States is in Pittsylvania County at a 3,000-acre site …. [A] 1982 moratorium on uranium mining in Virginia has prevented any development of the site for 40 years. Several attempts to repeal the moratorium have been unsuccessful since then. The most recent, in 2013, was so unpopular that it was pulled before even going to committee.”

“With exploration for gold continuing in Buckingham County, a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found Virginia’s current system of regulating gold mining ‘is not adequate to address the potential impacts’ of commercial extraction.” Piedmont Environmental Council’s “interactive map  shows the location of former gold mine sites in Virginia, and importantly, visually displays each mine site’s ‘OLAC ranking,’ a measure of prioritization for reclamation based on site assessments and potential contamination….”

Mountain Valley Pipeline owners said they “will not rest” until the project is completed. “For the third time in six years, the U.S. Forest Service will study the environmental impact of burrowing a large natural gas pipeline through a 3.5-mile stretch of the Jefferson National Forest. The latest evaluation comes after a federal appeals court rejected two earlier approvals … [because] the Forest Service did not adequately address the erosion and sedimentation to be caused by clearing land and digging a trench for a buried pipe that will traverse steep slopes through federal woodlands in Giles and Montgomery counties.”

Harrisonburg’s Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project received funding from several local non‑profits and recently celebrated its newly installed energy efficiency improvements and solar panels with a picnic. “New River Community College recently received state approval to offer a new training program for those interested in becoming a solar technician.”

“Virginia solar developers say stormwater rules could wash away their margins. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality [DEQ] is reviewing proposed stormwater regulations that would treat ground‑mounted solar arrays the same as parking lots, likely requiring developers to acquire more land.” Applications for solar installations–sometimes called solar “farms”–continue. In Pulaski County, Supervisors denied a permit. Planners in Isle of Wight County approved expansion of an existing solar farm. The Amherst County Planning Commission recommended approval of the permit to … operate a utility-scale solar generation facility on a 141-acre tract.” Cumberland County’s Planning Commission recommended approval of a large solar installation on 2,340 acres. “The Depot Solar Facility in Campbell County is the third solar project Appalachian Power has brought online in less than a year. The more‑than-50,000 solar panels produce 15 Megawatts of energy, enough electricity to power 2,600 homes.” “A new solar facility in Charles City boasting over 514,200 panels …, is expected to generate 175 Megawatts. That’s enough to power approximately 30,000 homes — over ten times the number currently in Charles City County.” “A new solar facility in Climax — set to power local homes served by Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative — is nearing the finish line…. [The] 2.8 megawatt facility will be able to supply about 2,100 meters serviced by the cooperative’s substation in Climax….”

Fairfax County’s School Board approved “a pilot rooftop solar power purchase contract at Annandale High School, the first rooftop solar program in the county school system.” “Community Housing Partners’ [CHP] 3,300-plus” apartment and townhouse dwellers [near Christiansburg] will soon be able to take advantage of Dominion Energy’s shared solar program that allows them “to buy their electricity from a solar developer.” Residents of CHP units served by Appalachian Power do not have a similar opportunity. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is due to release a report soon that will address this disparity.

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) ruled that Dominion shareholders may need to cover costs if performance of Dominion’s offshore wind energy facility doesn’t meet what Dominion said it would deliver. Subsequently, “Dominion Energy … agreed to implement several consumer protections in connection with its massive offshore wind project under a proposed agreement with the office of the Virginia attorney general and other parties …. The proposed agreement, which includes performance reporting requirements and provisions laying out a degree of construction cost sharing, is still subject to final approval by the [SCC].” However, the agreement removes “a performance guarantee Dominion had criticized.” A blogger believes the agreement is not good for ratepayers. Another blogger argued that other East Coast wind projects are “faltering” because of economics. Canary Media reported that “Dominion Energy …agreed to protect customers if costs run over budget or performance falls short of expectations on $10B landmark offshore wind project.” The SCC conducted another hearing on the matter. Those appearing included parties to the agreement. Issues included “wind construction risk” and potential cost overruns. The SCC currently has two of its three Commissioners and one of those announced her resignation effective December 31. At least two Commissioners are needed to make decisions. The General Assembly, which did not fill the vacancy in the September special session called for that purpose, now has two to appoint.

“[Twelve] Local school systems will receive federal grants totaling nearly $11 million for the purchase of electric buses [as part of the federal] … Clean School Bus Program.” Several companies are operating electric trucks in Southwest Virginia. Advocates say states should take advantage of federal money to promote the use of EVs, Virginia included. Charge Up Fairfax is working to assist county residents overcome challenges to charging station access.

“American Climate Partners will work with Dominion to capture carbon in the soil in the company’s largest solar installation at Fort Powhatan…. Measurements of changes in soil carbon caused by the application of biochar which is created from waste wood will occur in the pilot project. Biochar will be placed under the solar panels and carbon reductions will be measure over four years in the pilot study.”

James Madison University’s Center for the Advancement of Clean Energy sponsored its second annual Rocktown Clean Energy Festival on October 29^th. The Festival opened “community conversations about renewable energy.” Big Stone Gap received a $1 million grant from the “DOE’s Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) Funding Program … to ‘improve energy resiliency as the country transitions to new energy technologies.’”

Climate and Environment

“Fairfax County … Board of Supervisors voted to adopt The Resilient Fairfax plan, which analyzes the impacts climate change will bring to the county in coming decades [and] lays out a roadmap to help residents and infrastructure adapt to a warmer and wetter climate.”

Buchanan County residents affected by a flash flood in July continue to experience hardships because of slow recovery efforts and FEMA’s refusal of federal aid. Virginia won’t appeal FEMA’s turndown of individual aid to flood victims. The Appalachian Regional Commission provided a $100,000 grant to pay for a new case manager to assist affected individuals. Recurrent flooding in the Hampton Roads area prompted “17 Hampton Roads cities and counties … [to] oppose [the Governor’s] proposal for Virginia to leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative [RGGI],” which provides funds to address flood resilience. “The Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund is offering $5 million in grant funding to dam owners in Virginia [for flood resilience]…. {M}ore than 2,600 regulated dam owners are eligible.”

Thanks to Appalachian Regional Commission funding of $1.5 million, “the New River Valley Regional Commission will construct or improve four public launches along the New River Water Trail, as well as expand the New River Trail website, which connects the Water Trail to existing activities and businesses in the area.” The Nature Conservancy awarded “Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment …$2.25 million of [a] USDA-funded [agroforestry] project to help mid-Atlantic and Appalachian farmers reduce carbon emissions, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and increase profitability.”

The Virginia “Department of Forestry [worked with The Nature Conservancy to create] … its 200th conservation easement in the Commonwealth…. With the addition of the 1,428-acre property in Wise County known as Pine Mountain, VDOF has now protected 91,597 acres of land, 84,112 acres of forest and nearly 460 miles of streams and rivers. [The easement will] help conserve more than 1,400 acres of managed forests and four miles of headwater streams.” “The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation … awarded a record $14.9 million in grant funding … [to] help conserve 13,955 acres in the Commonwealth.”

“Virginia received $22.8 million of federal money for abandoned mine land reclamation projects …, which advocates and officials say will resolve environmental hazards and create well-paying jobs along the way.” DEQ and the Western Virginia Water Authority investigated the source(s) of “forever chemical” contamination in the “South Fork Roanoke River watershed.” “They identified a plant in Elliston that services industrial water treatment equipment.” The chemical is GenX, used in “a “chemical washing process.”

“Negotiations between the city [of Bristol] and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on a consent order governing actions at the city landfill [were] referred to the state attorney general.” A lawsuit filed by Bristol Tennessee against its “sister city” is still pending. DEQ and the Waste Management Board issued new regulations to “tighten” rules governing landfills. “But the citizen group Virginians for Conservation and Community Rights, an organization that emerged out of local opposition to the proposed Green Ridge landfill in Cumberland County, says the regulations still fail to protect the environment and surrounding communities, particularly when it comes to groundwater contamination. Especially concerning to the group is a continued lack of protections for private wells that lie near landfills.”

“Experts from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science concluded that hypoxic conditions in the Chesapeake Bay are better than average in 2022.” This means that the “Bay has a smaller than average dead zone this year, shortened by cool temperatures and strong winds…. A dead zone is an area of low oxygen that forms in deep Bay waters …. In such an area [are] low-oxygen, or hypoxic, conditions at the bottom of the Bay. This year’s dead zone was determined to be the 10th smallest since 1985.”

Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay are showing resilience; “Virginia is the largest oyster producer on the East Coast.” Efforts to restore a Bay watershed species, freshwater mussels, will move forward thanks to “grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation [that] will allow [projects by] the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and James River Association.” “Recreational anglers and environmentalists are ratcheting up their pressure on Virginia leaders to shut down large-scale commercial menhaden harvests in the Chesapeake Bay…. Their ire is directed at … [a] Reedville, VA-based fleet of fishing vessels, guided by spotter planes, [which] is responsible for about 70% of the East Coast menhaden harvest.” State Delegate Tim Anderson introduced a bill “for the next session of the Virginia General Assembly to place a two year moratorium on Atlantic menhaden reduction fishing in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.”

“Investments in agricultural best management practices have positive returns for the economy, according to a report … by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation…. 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 earnings. Investments are also contributing to the creation of an estimated 6,673 jobs annually between 2020 and 2025.”

Check out…

• The science behind why fall has its own aroma.
• Photos taken of “Shenandoah Mountain flora and fauna” by a “local conservation photography class.”
• The “Shenandoah National Park[‘s]… two new webcams [for] the opportunity to see fall colors or watch the snow fall from the comfort of home.”
• EarthMagic Recycling in Rockbridge, which is working “to save the environment ‘one piece of glass at a time’.”
• A JMU professor’s work to fight “climate change through restoration research” in Southwest Virginia.

Why not…

• Skip bagging your leaves this fall? Here’s why.
• Enjoy some of Virginia’s ample apple harvest.
• Learn “why Virginia oaks [are] in danger.”
• Register for the Citizens Climate Lobby Conference – Dec. 3-4, to learn what to expect going into 2023; it’s free. There will be several seminars and sessions helpful for volunteers, including an in‑depth policy look at the Inflation Reduction Act, a workshop about diversity and inclusion outreach in your chapter, and a workshop about conservative climate pillars and volunteer outreach.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.