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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

VA: Energy Policy

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 …

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Federal legislation has been introduced to improve the efficiency of the U.S. electrical grid. The FASTER Act would amend the Federal Power Act to expedite the review and permitting of electric transmission facilities. (Adobe Stock)
Transmission upgrades needed to keep U.S. climate goals on track

Environmental groups in Virginia are among those looking at how to improve and modernize electrical grid transmission. Experts said the grid's age …

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A recent analysis found PJM Interconnection's processing time of 37 months is the fastest for grid operators in the United States. (Adobe Stock)
Report: VA grid manager needs better interconnection process

Virginia's electrical grid manager ranked poorly in a new energy scorecard. Advanced Energy United's Generator Interconnection Scorecard gave PJM …

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Gas power plants are vulnerable to adverse weather. A report showed during Winter Storm Elliott in late December, gas-fired power plants were responsible for around 70% of unplanned outages. (Adobe Stock)
VA residents oppose proposed Dominion Energy power plant

A proposed power plant in Chesterfield County is meeting with the ire of local residents. Dominion Energy's Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center …

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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…

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No commercial small modular nuclear reactors are in use in the United States. The only project to get federal approval was canceled in 2023 because of a series of challenges, including oversized cost increases. (Adobe Stock)
VA General Assembly OKs bills to develop small modular nuclear reactors

Virginia's General Assembly has approved legislation to develop small modular nuclear reactors. The bills passed both chambers despite concerns …

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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…

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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 …

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A 2022 Southern Environmental Law Center study found Enviva wood pellet plants in Virginia and North Carolina harvest 60,300 acres of forests per year. Research shows clear-cutting trees at such a magnitude can destroy necessary ecosystems and damage water quality. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Biomass outpaces emissions of other fossil fuels

A new report found woody biomass is worse for the environment than other fossil fuels. The study showed biomass facility emissions are almost three …

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported 12% of methane emissions stem from leaks in natural gas systems. (Adobe Stock)
New methane safeguards protect VA communities

New methane safeguards can protect communities in Virginia and the U.S. A new rule targets leaks from wells and pipelines, which can emit at least 2.…

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Based on current environmental impacts, residents of Petersburg have a life expectancy 10 years lower than the national average, according to U.S. News & World Report. (Adobe Stock)
VA environmentalists frustrated by FERC-approved pipeline extension

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan extending a natural-gas pipeline in Virginia. The Virginia Reliability Plan and Transcot's …

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A 2021 report found Virginia has the potential to create more than 220,000 terawatts of offshore wind energy by 2050. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Dominion Energy plan falls short on renewables

A new report found Dominion Energy's Integrated Resource Plan does not align with Virginia's climate goals. Dominion wants to keep using gas and …

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