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Algae blooms can clog up sewage and drinking water systems, create foul odors and hurt wildlife. (Rospoint/Adobe Stock)

Climate change is making harmful algae bloom events more frequent, experts say

By Aman Azhar for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Will Walkey for Virginia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

The American Lung Association found the public health benefits of moving to zero-emission transportation are saving almost $30 billion in public health costs, and avoiding 2,700 deaths, 70,900 asthma attacks and 350,000 lost workdays. (Adobe Stock)

Youngkin rolls back VA’s clean-car standards

Gov. Glenn Youngkin is rolling back Virginia's clean-car standards. The General Assembly passed legislation adopting California's clean-car …

Although U.S. government subsidies have helped keep the biomass industry afloat, the programs have a lengthy track record of being unsuccessful. (Adobe Stock)

Biomass company bankruptcy filing shows industry’s instability

Biomass producer Enviva's recent bankruptcy filing is being considered a sign of the industry's volatility. Recent financial challenges have …

Virginia has two liquefied natural gas facilities with a total storage capacity of 407,200 barrels. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups discourage U.S. use of liquified natural gas

The U.S. is reconsidering its use of liquefied natural gas. While it has long been touted as a "clean alternative" to fossil fuels like coal…

Some environmental effects of pipeline projects are loss of water and air filtration capability from forests, risk of severe erosion in mountainous areas, and increased air pollution from leaking methane gas. (Adobe Stock)

Despite opposition, VA pipeline expansion moves ahead

Despite extensive opposition, the Virginia Reliability Project is moving forward. This month, the state's Marine Resources Commission issued a …

En 2021, el transporte fue la mayor fuente de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, representando el 28% de todas las emisiones en los Estados Unidos. (Adobe Stock)

Concluyen comentarios públicos sobre normas de EPA para vehículos eléctricos

El período de comentarios de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental sobre los nuevos estándares para vehículos eléctricos ha fina…

In recent years, Norfolk Southern has kept accidents on a downward trend, according to Federal Railroad Authority data. Since the derailment of freight cars carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio, the company has been under a great deal of scrutiny. (Adobe Stock)

VA Environmentalists Disagree with DEQ’s Norfolk Southern Fine

Virginia environmentalists are frustrated by the state Department of Environmental Quality's $27,000 fine of Norfolk Southern for a 2020 train derailm…

On his first day in office, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to

Virginia Activists: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Essential

As Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushes forward on plans to withdraw the Commonwealth from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), …

The Virginia Mercury reports the Mountain Valley Pipeline's current price tag stands at $6.2 billion, up from its initial cost estimate of $3.7 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: Mountain Valley Pipeline Far From Complete

Construction on the 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline is more than 90% complete, according to the project's developers. But environmental advocates …

Switching to electric vehicles would save consumers, governments and businesses $19 billion each year, according to a new report by Advanced Energy Economy. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Shift to Electric Vehicles an Economic Boon for Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. - As negotiations in Congress continue on a federal infrastructure package, a report out today predicts the American Jobs Plan's …

Emissions from Northern Virginia's heavy commuter traffic causes people to experience serious lung problems such as asthma, according to a new report. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Tailpipe Pollution Making Virginians Sick

RICHMOND, Va. -- As Virginia lawmakers consider new standards for lowering greenhouse-gas emissions, a group of doctors released a report today that …

The Trump administration's new water rules loosens pollution regulations for streams and wetlands, which flow into large bodies of water such as Chesapeake Bay. (Wikimedia)

New Trump Water Rules Set Back Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Trump administration announced last week that it will remove millions of miles of streams and roughly half the country's …

Vehicle emissions are the leading cause of air pollution in Northern Virginia. (Neonfire/Wikipedia)

Virginia Opts to Fight Rollback of Auto Pollution Rules

FAIRFAX, Va. – Virginia has joined California and 21 other states in a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from revoking the authority of …

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission wants to give states such as Virginia more flexibility in implementing pollution standards. (Ken Lund/Flickr)

Environmental Groups Oppose Changes to ORSANCO Commission

RICHMOND, Va. — After failing to get rid of its pollution-control standards entirely, a multi-state commission will vote this week on a plan …

Mercury emissions from U.S. coal plants decreased 85 percent between 2006 and 2016, and mercury levels in water and fish also have decreased. (JuergenPM/Pixabay)

Groups Testify Against EPA Rollback of Mercury Regulations

RICHMOND, Va. — Environmental groups plan to speak out against the Trump administration's rollback of regulations that have cut mercury …

An image of mountaintop removal on Black Mountain in Virginia. According to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, countries with mountaintop-removal mines have a more than 40 percent higher rate of birth defects. (David Hoffman/Flickr)

New Congress Reviewing Cancellation of Strip-Mine Health Study

RICHMOND, Va. — The new Democratic leadership in Congress is investigating why the Department of the Interior stopped a major study of the …

Appalachian communities are plagued by thousands of coal-impacted sites that were abandoned and never cleaned up, according to the Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition, which hopes to clean up these sites across the region. (Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition)

Report Cites Economic Development Opportunities at Abandoned Coal Sites

NORTON, Va. – A new report shows that with a little innovative thinking, there can be life after coal by re-purposing abandoned coal mine sites…

The National Toxicology Program studies found that high exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) used by cell phones was associated with clear evidence of tumors in the hearts of male rats. (Free Photos/Pixabay)

Study: 'Clear Evidence' Backs Up Cellphone Radiation Concerns

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal agency has released the final results of what could be the world's largest and most costly experiment linking cancer …

The Clean Power Plan would require mandatory cuts in carbon emissions from fossil-fuel-burning power plants, but it hasn't taken effect as a result of court challenges. (Pixabay)

Environmental Groups Pledge Challenges to Trump's "Dirty Power Scam"

WASHINGTON – Environmentalists call the Trump administration's plan to relax pollution rules for coal-fired power plants a "dirty power scam" th…

The Trump administration says if fuel standards are relaxed, people won't drive as much, thereby saving money and reducing accidents. Critics say research debunks those claims. (Pixabay)

Critics: Fuel-Standard Rollback Threatens National Security

RICHMOND, Va. – The Trump administration claims lowering mileage requirements and emission standards will make cars both cheaper and safer…

Environmental Advocates Hold Block Party to Raise Flooding Awareness

RICHMOND, Va. – After trying to talk to state leaders about climate change and the impact harmful emissions have on water levels, Virginia …

A new report found air pollution decreased in response to policy informed by monitoring and research. (Pixabay)

Report: Environmental Policies Improved Air and Water Quality Over Time

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A new report shows the environmental pollution problems caused by humans can actually be reversed by humans. The report …

Opponents worried about water quality are pressing Virginia officials to block two huge natural gas pipelines. (Twitter/Virginia Interfaith Power & Light)

Report: Pipeline Self-Dealing Means Huge Costs For Ratepayers

RICHMOND, Va. -- A recent report finds huge planned gas pipelines could cost some ratepayers many times what they would otherwise pay. "The Art of …

Smog causes hundreds of premature deaths nationally every year. (National Park Service)

Praise As EPA Goes Ahead With Ozone Rule

RICHMOND, Va -- Environmental and public health groups are breathing a sigh of relief that the Environmental Protection Agency will not postpone …

Volunteers led by AARP are pitching in to help thousands of Flint residents get their water pipes replaced. (Dan Heyman)

Volunteers Canvass to Help Flint Get Safe Water

RICHMOND, Va. – It's been three years since a Virginia Tech team helped expose the water-quality crisis in Flint, Michigan. Thousands of homes …

Dow Chemical executives asked the Trump administration to scrap studies that said the company's agricultural products were harmful to endangered species, leaked documents show. (Wikipedia)

Dow Chemical Letters to EPA Raise Alarms

RICHMOND, Va. -- A conservation group is raising questions about attempts by Dow Chemical to convince the Trump administration to drop studies that …

DC, States Face Lead in Schools’ Drinking Water

RICHMOND, Va. -- In the wake of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, a new report says lead in schools' drinking water is a pervasive problem…

New testing is finding unpredictable levels of mildly radioactive materials in Marcellus drill cuttings. (Bill Hughes)

Unpredictable Amounts of Radioactive Isotopes Found in Gas Well Waste

RICHMOND, Va. – New testing is finding unpredictable levels of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the waste from a Marcellus well…

Portions of the Clean Air Act could be eliminated under measures now being considered in Congress. (Alfred Palmer)

Closed Door Moves in Congress Could Gut Clean Air Laws

RICHMOND, Va. – Health and environmental groups are speaking out about what they say are efforts by Congress behind closed doors to gut …

Critics say Dominion Virginia plans to rely too heavily on fossil fuel plants, like the Bremo Power Station, to generate power in the next two decades. (Nick Kotula)

Critics: Dominion Plans Rely Too Much on Fossil Fuels

RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion Virginia Power wants to rely too heavily on fuels that change the climate, according to critics of the state's largest …

Utilities in southern coastal states are cleaning up some of the many coal ash ponds left from decades of power generation. (Google)

Coal-Ash Cleanup Progressing in Other SE States

RICHMOND, Va. -As Congress debates the issue, utilities and communities in southeastern states, not including Virginia, are moving ahead with clean …

Pollution from oil and gas production is being tied to 24,000 Virginia childhood asthma attacks a year. (Kristy Faith/Clean Air Task Force)

VA Children's Asthma Linked to O&G Air Pollution

RICHMOND, Va. - Many Virginia kids spend their days gasping for breath, according to a new report. But new limits on pollution from oil and gas wells …

The most common cause of lead poisoning in children is ingesting household dust that contains lead from deteriorating lead-based paint. (Alan Bruce/Flickr)

Lawsuit Challenges EPA “Lip Service” on Lead Standards

RICHMOND, Va. - New litigation takes the federal Environmental Protection Agency to task for not doing its part to ensure that all children live in …

Federal regulators are moving forward with several huge gas pipeline projects despite criticism that natural gas is fast becoming an outmoded power source. (Dominion Pipeline Monitoring Coalition)

FERC Moving Pipeline Projects Forward Over Objections

RICHMOND, Va. – Federal regulators are moving forward with huge pipeline projects across Virginia and West Virginia, although opponents say the …

A new study finds Virginia's commercial owners and occupants could realize tens of millions of dollars in annual savings on their electric bills by implementing the Clean Power Plan. (University of Richmond)

Study: Clean Power Can Lead to Millions in Commercial Energy Savings

RICHMOND, Va. - A new study finds that if states implement the Clean Power Plan, energy savings would be greatest in retail and office buildings and …

A Georgia Tech report says rules to cut carbon emissions could well come with lower electric bills. (Evan Hansen)

Carbon Cutting Rules Should Cut VA Electric Bills, Study Finds

RICHMOND, Va. – If done right, cutting carbon could come with lower electric bills. Some energy analysts have said that for a while, and a …

Dominion Energy's plans to close huge coal-ash impoundments, like this one at the Bremo Power Station on the James River, are drawing criticism. (Nick Kotula)

Critics of Dominion Coal-Ash Disposal Plans Cite Health Risks to Rivers

RICHMOND, Va. – The Dominion utility company’s plans for closing coal ash impoundments at four power plants are drawing criticism…

A petcoke ship docked on Chicago's southeast side. (Natural Resources Defense Council)

Oil Refining Waste Heads to Virginia, Kentucky

RICHMOND, Va. - Tons of oil-refining waste known as petcoke is on the move to Virginia from Indiana. The Natural Resources Defense Council worked …

Supporters say new limits on the mercury and other toxins coal and oil power plants can emit will save thousands of lives. (Earthjustice)

Air Pollution Regs Will Limit Mercury, Toxics

RICHMOND, Va. - After a 20-year court fight, the EPA is set to put power plant pollution rules in place that supporters say will save thousands of …

Congress is looking at prescription monitoring for Medicare because studies are showing a large number of the program's patients are taking dangerous levels of opiods. Graphic: The Pew Charitable Trusts

Prescription Monitoring Considered for Medicare

RICHMOND, Va. - Congress is considering giving Medicare the power to monitor for excess use of pain medicines. Currently Medicare part D …

A new analysis finds Virginia could shift to 100 percent wind, water and solar power by 2050. Credit: The Solutions Project

Research: 100 Percent Wind, Water, Solar Power Possible by 2050

RICHMOND, Va. – All 50 states and 139 countries can shift to 100 percent wind, water and solar power by 2050, according to a new analysis from …

A lawsuit aims to move the EPA to close a significant loophole in the regulation of hazardous waste from oil and gas drilling. Credit: Bill Hughes/Earthworks.

EPA May Be Sued Over Failure to Regulate Oil and Gas Waste

RICHMOND, Va. – The EPA has largely failed to regulate waste from oil and gas drilling, even though the agency admitted the hazardous nature of …

Opponents are calling for a comprehensive plan to reduce the impact of four huge proposed natural gas pipelines on national forest land and the endangered Cow Knob salamander. Credit: Steve David Johnson

Four Pipelines Would Cross National Forests, Opponents Want Consolidation

RICHMOND, Va. – Four natural gas pipelines proposed for Virginia and West Virginia would cross national forest land, raising concerns about the …

The American Lung Association is among the many health groups who say tougher pollution standards are a big step toward cleaner air in the U.S., especially for low-income residents who live near coal-burning power plants. Photo credit: Greg Stotelmyer.

Tougher Pollution Rules Affect Low-Income Neighborhoods Differently

RICHMOND, Va. - Since the Clean Air Act of 1970, America's air has gotten cleaner, but the American Lung Association's 2015 State of the Air report …

PHOTO: Clean energy advocates say the Obama administration's crackdown on carbon pollution will lead to more solar projects across Virginia, like the one pictured here in Lexington. Photo courtesy Secure Futures.

Clean Energy Plan Could Be "Bright Day" for Solar in Virginia

STAUNTON, Va. – Reaction to the first-ever national limit on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, proposed by the Obama …

New Research says an EPA plan to reduce carbon emissions should actually cut electricity bills, if it means energy efficiency as well as renewables. Photo courtesy of World Resource Insitute.

Clean Power Plan Should Ease Virginia Electric Bills

RICHMOND, Va. – An Environmental Protection Agency plan to cut carbon pollution should actually save Virginia families money, if meeting the …

Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision could delay a more permanent implementation of new air pollution rules for coal-fired power plants. The EPA says the new air pollution regulations would save thousands of lives a year. Photo courtesy of the Sierra Club.

Air Pollution Decision May Delay Saving Lives

RICHMOND, Va. – A Supreme Court decision may have cast doubt on controls for mercury and other airborne toxins from power plants – but it …

IMAGE: Public health advocates, environmental groups and chemical workers' unions all say an industry-backed bill changing the way the federal government regulates dangerous chemicals doesn't do enough to protect Virginia families. Image credit: Wikimedia.

Industry-Supported Chemical Safety Law "Doesn't Protect Virginians"

RICHMOND, Va. - An industry-backed bill changing the way the federal government regulates dangerous chemicals won't do enough to protect Virginia …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

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VA: Toxics