Month: October 2022

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.

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

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for October 2022 (Part II)

Energy

Virginia’s Governor issued his Energy Plan. A Southwest Virginia editor noted that the “plan shows the changing politics of energy [with] … the Republican governor of a coal-producing state who is not talking up coal.” A long-time follower of Virginia energy policy and laws expressed skepticism, asking “You call that an energy plan? Youngkin doesn’t have a lot of ammunition to use against the switch to renewable energy.” She argued that the Governor’s document is not actually a plan and doesn’t meet the statutory requirements for what each Energy Plan must address.

Canary Media graded Virginia a B on fostering community-led clean energy; its grades “reflect whether states have a range of policies to promote community-led clean energy.” The Institute for Local Self‑Reliance’s Community Power Scorecard also rated Virginia a B on “how [its] policies help or hinder local clean energy action.” The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) announced “the greater Washington, D.C., region [exceeded] its 2020 goal of reducing greenhouse gases 20% below 2005 levels, thanks to “Fewer miles traveled on the roads along with a drop in energy usage in buildings facilitated by the pandemic-induced lockdowns in 2020 along with a cleaner power generating grid.” Virginia Conservatives for Clean Energy reported that the Port of Virginia plans to transition to 100% Clean Energy by 2024 through “a new power purchase agreement signed this year [that] will allow it to power all of its energy needs with solar, nuclear and wind resources through Dominion Energy.”

“Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is joining 18 other states in an investigation of six major American banks over their environmental, social and governance, or ESG, investing, citing harms to Virginia farmers and companies. ESG is an umbrella term used to describe companies’ consideration of environmental, social and governance factors such as climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their business dealings.”

Protestors from Pulaski County visited with legislators in DC to express their views about the climate justice aspects of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project. There is a pending appeal from environmental groups of a previous water crossing certification because of prior MVP violations of water quality standards. The “three-judge panel with a history of tossing out permits for the Mountain Valley pipeline appeared ready … to reject yet another approval for the natural gas project.” ”MVP owners “decided to withdraw eminent domain actions against land in North Carolina the company sought for its Southgate extension, a 75-mile offshoot of the main pipeline that would carry gas from Pittsylvania south to Rockingham and Alamance counties.” However the owners denied “giving up on [the] Southgate Extension after [its] eminent domain pullback [was] cheered by opponents.”

Given the Governor’s intent to withdraw Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), some legislators are considering what legislative remedies might lessen the impact on ratepayers of the utilities’ passing on to consumers their costs associated with participation in RGGI. “One legislator, however, wants the General Assembly to change how utilities such as Dominion Energy pass along those costs, asserting that adding them to the base rate could help customers by prompting more scrutiny from regulators.”

Following a request for reconsideration, the SCC has let stand its determination that $55.10 is a reasonable monthly administrative fee for Dominion’s multifamily shared solar administrative fee. Critics believe the fee “is too high. But those interested in a different solar program for people who live in multifamily housing like apartments will see a lower administrative fee ($16.78) than initially proposed by the utility…. Both programs were created by legislation in the 2020 session to expand options for solar use, with the shared solar program intended for those with solar restrictions like shady yards. The multifamily solar program was intended to be used by those living in apartments.”

“The Wood Brothers Road Solar project will be located on a portion of an active soybean farm in Middlesex County, where it’s slated to reach commercial operation in the first half of 2024. Along with adding solar energy to the farm’s harvest, Wood Brothers also provides supplemental income to the landowner in the form of land lease payments over the lifetime of the project.” Goochland County wants to “get ahead of requests for solar projects” and its supervisors “voted unanimously to begin the process of amending the county’s current ordinance governing those operations.”

“Dominion Energy … proposed 23 new solar and energy storage projects totaling over 800 MWs that could power more than 200,000 Virginia homes at peak output.” The company announced its “acquisition of a 15.7MW battery storage project in development” as part of its plan. One of its planned solar projects is “an 835-acre, 100-megawatt solar array at Dulles Airport. Loudoun County Supervisors “advanced for action a proposal to rezone the airport land to an industrial district [from its current residential zoning], a holdover from the land’s pre-airport history …. But until now the need to change that zoning has never arisen—the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is exempt from local zoning control for airport-related development.” Dominion also plans “to build [a] city‑block-sized electric vehicle charging park [in a vacant parking lot in] downtown” Richmond. The non-profit Partnership for Smart Growth reacted: “While we support EV’s, this is still a parking lot (albeit with some green space) in a city seeking to become less car dependent.”

A long-planned mountaintop wind farm, the Rocky Forge Wind project in Botetourt County, received renewed approval from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. If the project is completed, it would be the state’s first on-shore wind farm.

Citing his “all-of-the-above” Virginia Energy Plan,” the Governor said he will seek $10 million from the legislature for an “Innovation Fund for research and development of innovative energy technologies including nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture and utilization and battery storage.” After Governor Youngkin declared his support for a “push for small nuclear reactors” in coal communities, Virginia’s and West Virginia’s House Speakers both jumped on board. The Governor also announced that the Energy DELTA Lab, “an outgrowth of the Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority, which the General Assembly created in 2019, will “pitch [previously set-aside] land for energy companies who are looking for a place to test new technologies – be it solar and wind or hydrogen or carbon capture or … small nuclear reactors.” Local citizen groups expressed concerns about nuclear development and about the lack to date of community engagement. An editor wondered whether “Youngkin’s nuclear pledge to Southwest Virginia [is] full of potential or just empty.” A Virginia Tech professor and “director of the nuclear engineering program” argued that “Virginia is well positioned to be a leader in nuclear energy.”

Climate and Environment

A planned landfill in Cumberland County is raising concerns because of its proximity to a historic Black School. A Southwest Virginia group is pushing “for [a] halt to open burning at [the] Radford Army Ammunition Plant” because of concerns about undesirable health risks. The Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Onsite Water and Wastewater Services will reexamine its sewage handling and disposal regulations; such a review was last done 20 years ago. The current effort is spurred by “climate change pressures” that cause flooding of septic systems from “sea-level rise and intensified rainfall.” Ironically, a state “Program [that] provides safe water and septic to Virginians [is now] out of funding.

Kroger grocery store chain began “effort to eliminate single-use plastic bags in mid-Atlantic stores [with its Henrico County store piloting the] bag program.”

During a recent meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council … to set goals for 2025, Virginia’s Governor acknowledged that Virginia will not meet federal guidelines for Chesapeake Bay cleanup by 2025, despite “the General Assembly [having] dedicated record funding this year to state programs that help farmers pay for pollution reduction practices like streamside fencing. About three-quarters of the pollution reductions Virginia still has to achieve are expected to come from the agricultural sector.” The Environmental Protection Agency just issued its own mixed though generally sunny assessment.

 “Farmers and landowners can access a record $235 million next year in state funds to help pay for an array of practices aimed at protecting the nation’s largest estuary. The funding is available through the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program.” The “Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force co-chairs issue[d] $3.5 million in grant funding” through the Chesapeake WILD grants. The awards will protect more than 3,300 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, the restoration of nearly 1,000 acres of forest and marsh habitat and more than 20 miles of rivers and streams across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

The Chesapeake Bay watershed region is “losing ground” despite efforts to increase tree canopy. Efforts continue to help the declining and endangered fresh water mussel population, with one project happening in the South River, near Waynesboro. This article outlines ways of “Helping the Chesapeake from way upstream.”

Following a July flooding event, “Dickenson County [was] awarded $2.2 million from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to fund an acquisition, floodproofing and restoration project in the county.” The Governor announced that “State aid for Hurley flood victims to arrive ‘well before Christmas.’”  However, FEMA denied financial help to Buchanan County property owners after [the] July flood.

The Governor “endorsed eight [abandoned mine] sites in Southwest Virginia for funding by the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grant program.”

Good news! The American “chestnut is not dead. Every now and then, mostly in remote and rugged areas, a full-grown American chestnut is discovered. And scientists at Virginia Tech recently helped confirm one.”

“The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative works with landowners and farmers in a 16-county region to preserve bird habitat during several species’ nesting periods in the spring and early summer. Their working region stretches from Frederick and Loudoun counties down to Augusta and Albemarle.” This “program that protects bird populations in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Shenandoah Valley regions is entering its second year.” “Conservation of grassland birds may provide incentives for qualifying farmers.”

ACTION ALERTS:

• Help let Harrisonburg residents know about the no-cost home weatherization opportunity from Community Housing Partners. 50by 25 Harrisonburg will lead a walk-around in several neighborhoods on Saturday, November 12, from noon to 3 pm. Sign up here if you can come out and help your neighbors lower their energy bills.
• Learn ways that Harrisonburg can become more healthy and sustainable. Attend this discussion on Nov 10 from 5 to 6:30 pm at the Massanutten Main Library, sponsored by several local organizations including Livable Harrisonburg and Sierra Club/ Shenandoah Group. Join UVA Professor Andrew Mondshein for a presentation on the high cost of mandatory parking minimums.

Check out…

• Two new greenway trails with a kid-friendly activities program called TRACK Trails at Lick Run Greenway at Washington Park Blue, in Roanoke, recently opened by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Roanoke Parks and Recreation.
• The “multimillion-dollar building deliberately built to drown…. The Elizabeth River Project’s $8.1 million headquarters on a flood plain destined to be submerged in the coming decades as tides rise and storms intensify has been designed to showcase strategies to stay longer in harm’s way.”
• This online guide [that] “connects outdoor enthusiasts to Harrisonburg, Rockingham County trails [for] cyclists, hikers and trail runners.”
• How Solar United Neighbors (SUN) is helping neighbors “band together to go solar. One of its programs is underway through December in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area.
• The “Friends of Nelson documentary on [their] fight against [the now defunct Atlantic Coast] Pipeline.”
• The 2022 Virginia Film Festival, Nov 2 – 6, in Charlottesville venues. The Southern Environmental Law Center partnered with the Festival on the presentation of 11 “environmental” films.
• “Two new web cameras [that are located at Milepost 213 and] will give viewers the opportunity to take a look at the Blue Ridge Parkway fall foliage or check the weather without leaving home.”

Why not…

• Consider becoming a beekeeper? Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will provide help and up to three beehives.
• Learn how to protect your farmland from development, and help clean up the Chesapeake Bay, as explained by an Augusta County farmer who succeeded.
• Plan a hike through the “Blue Ridge Tunnel, which runs between Nelson and Augusta counties, [and] was recently recognized for its historic significance. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources announced … the tunnel and eight other historic sites have been added to the Virginia Landmarks Register.”

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 October 2022 (Part 1)

Energy

Amherst County joins other Virginia school systems deploying its first electric school buses. Currently, “Virginia is required to follow California EV standard, [and automobile] dealers … [are preparing] for [an] electric future.” “California ban on gas-powered vehicles [by 2035] highlights EV challenges, including affordability.”

Whether or not to allow solar farms, including ones to support large data centers, remains a vexing question for localities like Halifax County, Culpeper County, Patrick County, Prince William County, Pittsylvania County, Hanover County, and Charlotte County. One concern is around disposal of panels at the end of a solar facility’s life.

However illogical it seems on its face, a coal company in Southwest Virginia said the demand for renewable energy means more of a specialized type of coal mining –for thermal or steam coal—needed to make steel. This region is also working hard to develop pathways to renewable energy careers, including around the solar industry, making use of federal money. Virginia Tech scientists are focusing on ways to obtain 17 so-called “rare” earth elements that are actually “relatively abundant in the earth’s crust.” The “scientists are studying methods of extracting critical minerals from tailings [“material left over after separating out the coal”] and another waste product called acid mine drainage. Their aim is to lay out “what could be the groundwork for a new industry.” Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to facilitate the region’s transition from “coal to green jobs.” Virginia Senator Warner and state and local economic development officials are vying to attract semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities to four Virginia industrial sites as the commonwealth gears up to fight for a piece of the financial pie from sweeping federal legislation that promises to ramp up chip production in the U.S.”

Hydrogen could become an alternative fuel source at some point. “A hydrogen plant could rise near a former King George coal plant.”

There is a federal and regional state initiative to develop regional hubs to serve the growing wind industry and provide a coordinated buildout of its needed infrastructure. “Siemens Gamesa plans to build the first U.S. offshore wind turbine blade factory in Virginia but the first offshore wind projects will have to source turbines and other major components from” elsewhere and there is a competitive need to reduce times to acquire materials for that infrastructure. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) ruled that Dominion Energy will need to cover costs, without holding ratepayers liable, if its off-shore wind project fails to perform at the capacity the company says it will. The SCC has the authority to take this action, according to some experts. For Dominion and its customers and shareholders, the question who will pay for the project. Some believe a more competitive process is needed.

The SCC wants more authority to proactively “protect electric reliability related to plant closures …, a move some environmental lawyers say isn’t a pressing priority.”

There remains opposition to going along with Senator Manchin’s demand that the Mountain Valley Pipeline be completed, including objections by indigenous people and other residents of Appalachia to his recently proposed bill, as well as advocacy groups. House members weighed in. West Virginians are divided. Nonetheless, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a “stabilization plan” to replace installed pipeline equipment that has aged out. Protesters in Giles County were fined and ordered to do community service after the “Trojan Duck” action against the pipeline.

The Governor is proposing a regulatory action to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative(RGGI). Some faith leaders want Virginia to remain in the program. Because there is strong opposition to the Governor’s position and efforts around RGGI, there may be legal action ahead. “Legislators [are considering] ways to keep power bills down amid Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative debate.” A cartoonist expressed his view of the effect of ending RGGI on Virginia’s carbon footprint.

Climate and Environment

An Old Dominion University study said “Unchecked sea level rise would cost Virginia $79 billion this century.” Another study projected “major local tax losses due to sea level rise” for numerous Virginia coastal cities and counties, because of tide lines and current definitions around property lines.

“The Roanoke Valley’s primary supplier of public water took steps Thursday to curtail a contaminant found in the Spring Hollow reservoir and the nearby Roanoke River.” The contaminant is known as “forever chemicals.” “The goal is to limit the spread of GenX, a so-called “forever chemical” that has been detected in both the reservoir and the nearby Roanoke River.” These chemicals have also been found in Chincoteague, located near NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, which has increased the frequency of testing.

Virginia’s two senators “secured $25 million in a budget proposal for imperiled Tangier Island,” but one commentator said the need for action to curb sea level rise suggests this one-off bailout is misplaced. The senators also arranged for $46 million in federal funding to replace lead water pipes in the state. Cedar Island will benefit from federal funding to “restore and expand 217 acres of marsh along the southern part.”

“Virginia’s promise to cut pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay is likely to miss its 2025 deadline, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin said speeding up work is a top priority.”

“NOVA Parks adds 44-acre preserve [in Alexandria] to its network of green spaces.”

Indoor vertical farming is becoming more popular and Chesterfield County will soon have one. Herndon has one called “Beanstalk”, as does Pittsylvania County.

ACTION ALERT:

If you are a Harrisonburg resident, please consider attending the October 25 City Council meeting to hear a statement from several local organizations, including CAAV, urging the Council members to take action urgently to reduce the City’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Details will be published on social media October 19 or 20.

Check out…

• This upcoming webinar from Virginians for High Speed Rail: Transforming (Intercity & Commuter) Rail Across Virginia – Nov. 1, 2022, 01:00 PM. Register here.
• Virginia Conservation Network’s Education series of webinars about its 2023 “Our Common Agenda.” The Schedule is below. Register here.
• Climate & Energy Week: Oct. 3–7 (webinar 10/6 at 11 AM)
• Clean Water & Flood Resiliency Week: Oct. 10–14 (webinar on 10/13 at 11 AM)
• Land Use & Transportation Week: Oct. 17–21 (webinar on 10/20 at 11 AM)
• Good Governance & Budget Week: Oct. 24–28 (webinar on 10/27 at 11 AM)
• Land & Wildlife Conservation Week: Oct. 31–Nov. 4 (webinar on 11/3, at 11 AM)
• Blue Ridge PRISM’s “Homegrown National Park” webinar with Doug Tallamy, Tuesday, October 18, 11:30 to 1. This presentation will include discussion on how we can regenerate biodiversity in our landscapes. Dr. Tallamy will have a Q&A with the audience at the end of his presentation. Register here for this online event; it’s waitlisted but you can sign up anyway. Those who register will receive access to the recording.
• Blue Ridge PRISM’s fall 2022 newsletter that includes the article “Restore Biodiversity Where You Live” by Natali Walker, with tips by Dr. Tallamy. Find details on his 10 tips, which are:

1. Shrink the lawn
2. Remove invasive species
3. Plant keystone species
4. Be generous with your plantings
5. Reduce your nighttime light pollution
6. Network with neighbors and get on the

Homegrown National Park Map

7. Build a conservation hardscape (you don’t have to be a gardener)
8. Create caterpillar pupation sites under your trees
9. Do not spray or fertilize
10. Educate your neighborhood civic association

• Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards (CATS) Zoom presentation Tree Identification by Season: Fall – Tuesday evening, October 25, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Register here. Presenter will be Tree Steward Emily Ferguson for a tour of our fall color palette treat spanning from green through red and discover tips and tricks to help identify common native trees.
• Virginians for High Speed Rail’s Transforming (Intercity & Commuter) Rail Across Virginia – Nov. 1, 1 pm.  Learn about the future of rail transportation in Virginia. Register here.
• The state Forestry Department’s online seedling store.
• This guide to finding apples, pumpkins, and corn mazes this fall.
• This article explaining how “xeriscaping” can help you “turn your lawn into a sustainable oasis.”
• Hiking in Roanoke’s Read Mountain preserve, with its recently acquired 56 acres.

Why not… 

• Submit an entry for the 2023 Virginia Environmental Film Contest? The contest is open to Virginia filmmakers submitting films on environmental topics focusing on Virginia. A juried panel will select the winning films and announce them on February 15, 2023 on website, RVAEFF.org and through a press release. Prize money will be awarded to the filmmakers as follows: $800 + Laurel Logo – First Place; $100 + Laurel Logo – Best Teen Submission (13-18); $100 + Laurel Logo – Best “Environmental Call to Action.” Entries due November 16 through January 15, 2023 through FilmFreeway, a website where filmmakers submit their films to hundreds of film festivals. Find full details regarding contest rules and deadlines and how to submit your film here. Selected winners will be shown March 18, 2023 (tentative) at The Byrd Theatre. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public. More information on the festival can be found here. For questions specific to the Film Contest, email: rvaenvfilmfest@gmail.com.
• Turn out your outdoor lights during October and November? This is migration time for many birds, including songbirds. Light pollution disrupts their navigation systems and too many die because of light reflection.
• Order the 2023 Sierra Club Wall ($14.95) or Engagement ($15.95) Calendar? Sales proceeds directly benefit the Piedmont Group’s activities. To order, contact Audrey at aadann@gmail.com.
• Use the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Fall Foliage Driving Tour Maps and see the changed and changing leaf colors in our area?
• Listen to the Garden Club of Virginia’s Annual Conservation Forum about the dangerous chemicals called “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances” (PFAS)? The webinar will happen Nov 3rd from 9am – 12pm, is free and open to the public, but you must register here.
• Watch this video article “Searching for the source of Spring Hollow reservoir’s ‘forever chemicals’ | A1 Extra”?
• Do some hiking this fall? Try Turkey Run Loop Trail (McLean), Little Stony Man in the SNP, and/or Kennedy Peak along the Massanutten Mountain Trail in the George Washington National Forest (near Luray)?
• “Save seeds now for next year’s garden flowers”?
• Learn how you can weigh in during Rockingham County’s Comprehensive Plan development process?

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 September 2022

Energy

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) recently approved Dominion’s offshore wind project, with the caveat that Dominion needs to achieve the projected capacity of 42% of the “stated 2,600 megawatts of output.” There have been a number of articles and opinions about the fact that the SCC’s approval was a foregone conclusion because of the authorizing legislation, about the costs and risks to ratepayers, about data that has remained hidden, and about the benefits the project will bring, including economic ones related to jobs and Virginia’s becoming a “hub”. Dominion was not happy with the ruling, which is believes is “untenable.” It threatened to cancel the project. The SCC will “hear more arguments on … ratepayer protection.”

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) made the news for several reasons:

• Submitting a stabilization plan for the Jefferson National Forest to FERC.
• FERC granting a four-year extension for the project.
• Continuing opposition and outrage from pipeline foes and activists, particularly over the “deal” Senator Joe Manchin made with Senate Democrats.
• Concerns about the pipeline’s integrity.

“Virginia’s largest coal mining operation is set to get even larger after Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration announced a deal between the state and Coronado Global Resources to expand operations and production at the company’s Buchanan Mine Complex in Buchanan County.” The expansion will produce 181 new jobs. This is the same county that has seen record flooding recently and whose “residents waiting for help to begin flood recovery: Good news may not be on the way.” “FEMA, for some reason, doesn’t want to help people who lose everything in floods.”

Buckingham County residents, having successfully opposed the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, “are being forced to take on industrial metals mining.” “Who monitors Virginia gold mining? It isn’t always the state. “

“Dimension Renewable Energy has built eight solar farms and has partnered with nonprofit Community Housing Partners [CHP] to enroll those that live in CHP’s public housing into the [shared solar] renewable energy program next year. Some 450 Hopewell and Petersburg CHP residents will have the option to enroll … and benefit from lower energy bills…,” “Virginia schools [are] among [the] top in [the] U.S. to utilize solar energy.” Southside VA has lots of solar farms—more than tobacco farms. An editor explored what that can mean for the region. “Guidance on how local governments can protect themselves when utility-scale solar farms reach the end of their life is now available with the release of a report from the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.” Storm water runoff is one issue.

“D.C. region leaders want to halve transportation emissions by 2030 despite road widening plans. [The]

Key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to promote regional transit strategies.” EVs are on the rise and a company in the Roanoke Valley hopes to capitalize on that happening. “California’s 2035 ban on new gas-powered cars set to apply to Virginia. A 2021 state law linked Virginia vehicle emissions standards to California as part of efforts to combat climate change.” “GOP leaders want to untie Virginia from California EV rule.” The Governor also “opposes banning [the] sale of new gas vehicles in Virginia by 2035,” as does the House of Delegates leader.

The “Youngkin administration outline[d its] plan to withdraw Virginia from carbon market by regulation.” “61 Virginia Democrats — more than a third of the General Assembly — signed onto a letter addressed to the state’s Air Pollution Control Board opposing Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed regulatory route to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.” Various groups and commentators have supported this opposition:

Appalachian Voices; Buchanan County resident; CAAV and other environmental groups during August 31 rallies, including in Abingdon.

Climate and Environment

“Virginia Peninsula’s coastal forests threatened by sea level rise and other risks, a new ODU study says, concluding that “unchecked sea level rise would cost Virginia $79 billion in this century.”

“Cedar Island …, a small strip of marsh and sand that shields part of the Eastern Shore from the brunt of Atlantic storms … [is] home to an unassuming nature preserve that supports the shore’s native seabird population. … Once, it was at the center of a controversial housing development that has since slipped beneath the waves. The barrier island is now at the center of a [$800,000] project by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science that hopes to preserve the island’s marshes even as the sandy shore continues to shift every year.”

The “EPA [told] 15 states they missed [an] air pollution plan deadline.”  Virginia made the list. DEQ will study air pollution in two largely Black Norfolk neighborhoods near coal terminals.

“In Portsmouth, a Superfund Site Pollutes a Creek, Threatens a Neighborhood and Defies a Quick Fix.” The EPA will remove radioactive material from the “Portsmouth property that housed [a] scrap metal facility.” A “medical sterilization facility in Henrico [was] flagged by EPA for chemical emissions.” The facility is “one of 23 such sites that decontaminate medical instruments using ethylene oxide, while also emitting the chemical as an air pollutant at rates found to be hazardous in the long term for the surrounding community.”

“Phenomena known as harmful algal blooms have led Virginia to add portions of Lake Anna and six other water bodies to its impaired waters list, an inventory of waterways that don’t meet state environmental standards. Other listed waterways include Mint Springs Lake in Albemarle County, Aquia Creek east of Stafford, Wilcox Lake south of Petersburg, Woodstock Pond in James City County, Prince Edward Lake near Farmville and an unnamed tributary of the Chickahominy River in the Richmond area.” Also on the list are several streams in the Charlottesville area. Work is underway in several Virginia counties to upgrade water systems.

Coal ash removal is controversial but feasible, an investigative report confirmed. “North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia are proving it is possible for utilities to remove massive quantities of coal ash from ponds where it endangers groundwater, placing it in safer lined landfills. This could be a model for other states, but challenges remain.” Reuse may provide one solution.

Bristol still hasn’t resolved its landfill problems; the DEQ isn’t happy.

“Tests have detected a so-called “forever chemical,” a class of hazardous substances that can remain in the environment for generations, in the water of Spring Hollow reservoir in Roanoke County.”

“Plastic recycling is back in Waynesboro, after three-year hiatus, beginning Sept. 1.” Washington and Lee University stopped selling bottled water on campus. Virginia Beach continues to struggle with a proposed plastic bag tax.

The “John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District, a state-funded county agency that promotes farm conservation practices,” received new funding to allow the “agency to help farmers, landowners improve conservation practices.”

As part of its Bee USA on Campus efforts, VA Tech students are proposing numerous projects “to preserve pollinator biodiversity by enhancing pollinator habitat.”

Vineyards are susceptible to the invasive spotted lanternfly; they are working to get ready for their invasion.

Check out…

• UVA Lifetime Learning Reducing Vehicle Engine Emissions session (in-person or virtual), Nov. 19. Learn what future demands and possible solutions will affect the current exhaust emissions catalytic converter systems current >99% conversion of pollutants under widely varying driving conditions. Register at this link to attend in person or receive a link to view the live stream online.
• UVA Lifetime Learning session, Designing for Climate Resilience (in-person or virtual), Nov. 12. You may register at this link to attend in person or receive a link to view the live stream online. Learn about current innovative research on climate resilient buildings, landscapes, and communities — from the coastal landscapes of Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay region to community development in the Arctic; from renewable biomaterials for building construction to new planning methods for restorative urbanism.
• The newly opened Damascus Trail Center; it’s now open “to all trail hikers, bird watchers, nature enthusiasts, and tourists.”
• This blogpost explaining why “There Has Never Been a Better Time to Fence Cattle Out of Streams.” It’s due to record funding.
• The Shenandoah Valley scenic rail train ride, based in Staunton.
• The best time for viewing the splendor of autumn leaves in Virginia.

Why not…

• Listen to Blue Ridge PRISM’s webinar, “Homegrown National Park” with Dr. Doug Tallamy, Tuesday, October 18, 11:30 – 1:00 pm. Dr. Tallamy will discuss how we can regenerate biodiversity in our landscapes and will have a Q&A with the audience at the end of his presentation. Register here.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blue-ridge-prism-presents-doug-tallamy-zoom-registration-399576472987?fbclid=IwAR25uGho-600rUZe8gaNyoz0fmdKNm6emPhjK27QoZaaEn8pTgXWomZPAhs
• Fall Tree Sale – October 1^st Join CATS at the Virginia Department of Forestry at 900 Natural Resources Drive in Charlottesville. Open 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 1^st CATS maintains its own tree nursery, entirely run by volunteers. We plant saplings obtained from the Virginia Department of Forestry and other sources. We concentrate on native trees, some of which are hard to find from commercial sources. These young trees are offered at $5.00 to $15.00. Masks are recommended. Link to list of trees: https://charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-List-for-Sale-October-1-2022.pdf
• Learn “How experts are trying to save wood turtles in the D.C. region.”
• Find out about the future Rail Trail coming to the Eastern Shore.

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.