Public News Service

Data from the Electric School Bus Initiative finds Virginia is one of the top states to own and purchase clean school buses. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

VA sees more school districts shift to clean buses

Virginia kids are heading back to school in a more environmentally friendly way. School districts and counties statewide are making the switch to …

Los datos de la Electric School Bus Initiative encuentran que Virginia es uno de los principales estados en poseer y comprar autobuses escolares limpios. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

En VA más distritos escolares adoptan autobuses limpios

Los niños de Virginia regresan a la escuela de una manera más amigable con el medio ambiente. Los distritos escolares y los condados de …

Data centers could need about 9% of the nation's electricity generation by 2030, about double what the sector consumes today. (Production Perig/Adobe Stock)

Federal dollars provide boost to VA’s 'Data Center Alley'

The Biden administration is enhancing the nation's power grid by funding several storage, resilience and transmission projects. The money will …

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…

A U.S. Water Alliance report finds maintaining Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding in water infrastructure could reduce service disruptions to water-reliant businesses, saving them 46% over 20 years. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, U.S. need more water infrastructure investments

Recent reports are calling on Virginia and the U.S. to invest in water infrastructure. The U.S. Water Alliance's Bridging the Gap report reviews two …

Virginia lawmakers have noted establishing a green bank could help funnel more than $300 million in federal loans from the Inflation Reduction Act into the state. (Adobe Stock)

Youngkin vetoes bill to establish ‘green bank’

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed a bill establishing a green bank in Virginia. Senate Bill 729 was set to create the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation …

Although heavy-duty trucks make up 10% of vehicles on the road, they create more than 25% of total pollution. (Adobe Stock)

VA officials support new EPA clean truck standards

Virginia officials support the Environmental Protection Agency's new emissions rule. The federal clean truck standards will reduce emissions by up to …

Aunque los camiones pesados representan el 10% de los veh�culos en circulaci�n, generan m�s del 25% de la contaminaci�n total. (Adobe Stock)

Funcionarios de VA apoyan nuevos estándares de camiones limpios de la EPA

Los funcionarios de Virginia apoyan la nueva regla de emisiones de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental. Los estándares federales para …

As of June 2023, the World Resources Institute estimates there are 2,277 electric school buses on order, delivered, and operating in the U.S. (Adobe Stock

VA school districts, parents working to get electric school buses

By Elizabeth McGowan for Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Virginia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

A 2020 Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action report finds transportation sources are responsible for 190 air pollution-related premature deaths annually in the state. (Adobe Stock)

VA adopts rule to sell only 'clean' cars starting in 2035

Virginia has adopted a new rule advancing clean car use. The Advanced Clean Cars II Rule requires carmakers to only sell zero-emission vehicles by 20…

Entre 2012 y 2021, el Instituto de Seguros para la Seguridad en las Carreteras (IIHS, por sus siglas en ingl�s) descubri� que casi 2,000 personas murieron a nivel nacional en accidentes con ciervos, 35 de ellas en Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

VA emprende programa piloto para reducir colisiones con la vida silvestre

Un programa piloto de Virginia pretende reducir las colisiones de animales salvajes con automóviles. El programa surge de un programa piloto …

Between 2012 and 2021, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found almost 2,000 people nationally were killed in crashes involving deer, including 35 in Virginia. (Adobe Stock)

VA undertakes pilot program to reduce wildlife collisions

A Virginia pilot program aims to reduce wildlife collisions with cars. The program stems from a $350 million federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot …

A recent Council on Criminal Justice Report finds homicide has reached 2020 levels (24%) this year, after peaking at 40% in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: VA, US Crime Rates See Post-Pandemic Decline

A recent report finds crime across cities in Virginia and the nation is in sharp decline. The Council for Criminal Justice report tracked crime data …

In 2021, transportation was the highest source of greenhouse-gas emissions, accounting for 28% of all emissions in the United States, according to the EPA. (Adobe Stock)

Public Comment for EPA’s EV Standards Concludes

The Environmental Protection Agency's comment period on new electric vehicle standards has ended. New regulations from the agency would phase-in …

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…

The top five states for green building in 2022 were Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California and Maryland. Each state had more than 2 million square feet of green building space become LEED certified. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Ranks Among Top 10 States for Green Building

Virginia ranked eighth on a list of the top 10 states for green building. The report by the U.S. Green Building Council finds Virginia had 95 …

Virginia will benefit from the new infrastructure plan's $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization, which will reduce energy costs for families. (Adobe stock)

New Infrastructure Deal Called Critical to Climate Progress in Virginia

ASHBURN, Va. - Some Virginia lawmakers are applauding Friday's passage of President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan, claiming it's a critical step …

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 …

Availability of electric vehicles at new-car dealerships were up-to 54% lower in Virginia cities than in neighboring Maryland, according to a new report. (Adobe stock)

Report Urges Virginia to Boost Electric-Car Use to Meet Climate Goals

RICHMOND, Va. -- After passing the Clean Economy Act this year, Virginia is in the vanguard of states moving toward 100% clean electricity. But a new …

Virginia and other states are facing pressure from the federal government to assess their approaches to budgeting for natural disasters. (Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker/U.S. Air Force)

Report: States Need to Reassess Budgets for Disaster Relief

RICHMOND, Va. -- The summertime hurricane season has come to Virginia, and a new report shows how the Commonwealth funds its responses to natural …

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says rail service in America is

On Infrastructure: Buttigieg Casts Doubt on Gas Taxes, Touts Rail

RICHMOND, Va. -- Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is critical of the federal government's use of gas taxes and its failures to improve rail …

Workers with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 in Lorton have been on strike since Oct. 24. (ATU Local 689)

First VA Metrobus Strike in 41 Years Enters Second Month

LORTON, Va. – Hundreds of striking bus drivers with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority returned to the picket line at the …

Virginia communities such as Norfolk have restored wetlands into green spaces as one strategy to absorb dangerous flood waters. (Adobe Stock)

Push for Funds to Relieve Virginia's Catastrophic Flooding

RICHMOND, Va. – As Gov. Ralph Northam puts together his budget proposal for the 2020 General Assembly session, groups are urging him to provide …

Without action, higher temperatures will affect more Americans than ever in the decades ahead, according to a new report on climate change by the Union of Concerned Scientists. (Adobe Stock)

More Killer Heat in Store for VA's Future

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia and other parts of the United States will have a lot more killer heat waves like the one that started this weekend if …

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…

Curbing pollution from power plants, that can cause or exacerbate health problems, is the goal of the Virginia DEQ's Carbon Reduction Plan. But will the plan be strong enough? (Adrienne Eichner)

Virginia DEQ Seeks Public Opinion on Limiting Carbon Emissions

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginians can still make their voices heard about the state Department of Environmental Quality's plan to reduce carbon …

Planned transmission expansion and upgrades may not meet the near-term public goals for corporate renewable energy procurement, accordion to the Wind Energy Foundation. (Pixabay)

Demand Grows For National Energy Grid

RICHMOND, Va. — A number of Fortune 500 companies are driving the demand for renewable energy, and those same companies are calling for a major …

Business and consumer groups are resisting a federal proposal to roll back vehicle MPG standards. (Pixabay)

Consumer Groups, Auto Dealers: Don’t Roll Back MPG Standards

RICHMOND, Va. -- The Trump administration is reopening the issue of fuel economy standards. But the message from a coalition including car dealers …

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 …

Observers say Virginia is facing an energy crossroads. (Evan Hansen)

Virginia to Decide on Energy Issues

RICHMOND, Va. - Important energy questions are facing Virginia lawmakers. Activists say the governor and General Assembly need to do more to …

Conservationists say they are frustrated that Congress has failed to reauthorize a conservation fund with long-standing bipartisan support. Credit: Live Monumental Campaign

Virginia Conservationists: If LWCF Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

RICHMOND, Va. - Congress' failure to reauthorize a popular land and water fund is drawing bipartisan scorn from Virginia conservationists. Since 1965…

The EPA announced that carbon emissions from aircraft should be regulated under the Clean Air Act, which might help clear the air over busy Dulles International Airport. Photo credit: Dick107/Wikimedia.

EPA Wants Airplanes to Meet Clean Air Act

RICHMOND, Va. – At any moment, there are about 7,000 planes aloft over the United States - and as of now, their carbon emissions are …

MAP: New data from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance documents how U.S. cities can leverage rooftop solar installation to lower municipal energy bills, taxes and pollution. It says seven cities in Virginia could generate 175 megawatts from solar on city buildings, part of five gigawatts nationally. Map courtesy of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Cities Cut Energy Costs by Tapping Rooftop Solar

RICHMOND, Va. – Some U.S. cities are using solar power to cut their energy bills, and a new report shows how mid-sized cities could install as …

PHOTO: As the Senate Appropriations Committee gets back to work on Amtrak's budget, Senators from the Northeast Corridor say the issue not only impacts train safety, but traffic jams as well. Photo credit: National Transportation Safety Board.

Amtrak Budget: Safety and Congestion at Stake

RICHMOND, Va. - As commuters head back to work after the holiday weekend, senators along the Northeast corridor say the region's railways would be …

PHOTO: With the NTSB investigation of the fatal Amtrak train derailment under way, a commuter advocate says the accident could point to rail issues in other sections of the Northeast corridor. Photo credit: Patrick Murphy, a former congressman from Pennsylvania who was aboard the train.

Derailment Puts Focus on Northeast Corridor

RICHMOND, Va. - Investigators are probing a wide range of issues, including speed and track signals, in connection with Tuesday's fatal Amtrak …

PHOTO: Arlington did well when measured by a new online interactive livability index set up by AARP. Photo courtesy of Flicker and Arlington County.

VA Communities Among Winners on New AARP Online Tool Listing Most Livable Places

RICHMOND, Va. - A new livability index rates Arlington and four other Virginia communities as good places to "stay healthy, get around and enjoy life.…

PHOTO: Many want Gov. Terry McAuliffe's Climate and Resiliency Commission to plan for sea-level rise on the Virginia Coast, in part because of storms such as Hurricane Sandy. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Planning for Climate Change on the Virginia Coast

RICHMOND, Va. - Governor Terry McAuliffe's office wants to plan for climate change. Many want his Climate and Resiliency Commission to look at sea-…

PHOTO: A witness who had to flee Monday's huge train derailment and explosion in West Virginia says it has changed how he looks at rail shipment of crude oil. Photo courtesy Office of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

Oil Train Blast “Could Have Been Right By My House”

RICHMOND, Va. — A witness who fled Monday's train derailment and massive fire in West Virginia says he can't help but wonder now if he and his …

PHOTO: Alisa Joy Withers, daughter of MADD's National President Jan Withers, was killed by a drunk driver 23 years ago. Photo courtesy of MADD.

Have Fun Tonight, But Get Home Alive

RICHMOND, Va. - Nationwide, as many as 800 people die in car crashes involving a drunk driver every December. It's why this month is one of the most …

PHOTO: A federal lawsuit filed this week asks the U.S. Department of Transportation to ban the use of DOT-111 tank cars for shipping crude oil because of safety and durability issues. Photo of damage to DOT-111 tank cars courtesy of National Transportation Safety Board.

Oil Tank Rail-car Safety Goes to Court

RICHMOND, Va. - Oil is being shipped across the country in train cars that even the government says are unsafe, and two environmental groups are …

PHOTO: Many lawyers will tell you a designated driver is a smart � and money-wise � strategy for holiday parties. Photo credit: Feverpitch/FeaturePics.com

A DUI Can Blow a Hole In Your Holiday Budget

RICHMOND, Va. – A designated driver should be part of this season's planning process for festivities that include alcohol. And one attorney's …

MAP: Virginia, seen in pale blue, ranks far lower for energy efficiency than the more efficient dark blue states. According to the analysis behind this map, Virginia's numbers were driven down by the amount of gas motorists use for the total miles driven. Map courtesy of Wallethub.

Poor Gas Mileage Drives VA Low in Energy-Efficiency Rankings

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia ranks low for energy efficiency in a new report, mostly because of motorists' poor total gas mileage. Financial advice …

PHOTO: New vehicles in the U.S. are getting better gas mileage than ever before, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy.

U.S. Fuel Economy at All-Time High

RICHMOND, Va. - Drivers are saving money at the pump as U.S. fuel economy reaches an all-time high, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (…

PHOTO: New research finds drivers of 2014 model vehicles are saving about 20 percent more on gasoline than those who drive a 2008 model. Photo credit: John Sense / Morguefile.

Newer Cars Saving Virginia Drivers Money at the Gas Pump

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginians who traveled by car over the holiday weekend likely felt the pinch at the gas pump, but some spent a lot less fueling up …

PHOTO: A new study shows Virginians have cut their per-person driving miles about six percent since 2005. Photo credit: Virginia DOT

New Study: Virginians Driving Less

RICHMOND, Va. – You might find this hard to believe if you're often stuck in traffic, but a new study reveals Virginians aren't driving as much …

PHOTO: The federal Department of Transportation is launching a new campaign to encourage pedestrian safety.

Report: Pedestrian Fatalities Up Nationwide, Hold Steady in VA

RICHMOND, Va. - It's safer to be a pedestrian in Virginia than in most other states. A new report from the federal Department of Transportation finds …

Graphic: Projects in Maryland are getting

"Green" Grants: A Boost for Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. - It's about being smart and developing "green." The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust have announced …

Housing Report Highlights Needs, Calls for “Basic Urban Planning”

RICHMOND, Va. - Governments, business and community groups are going to have to do more to provide places where people can afford to live, according …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

2024Talks - September 18, 2024

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VA: Urban Planning and Transportation