The Circuit Court of Floyd County ruled that the regulatory action removing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was “unlawful and without effect.” The court explained that the “only body with the authority to repeal the RGGI Regulation would be the General Assembly… because a statute, the RGGI Act, requires the RGGI Regulation to exist.”
See the full story at Southern Environmental Law Center.
More DMV News
Prince George’s County Council Votes Against Data Centers — For Now
Maryland Matters
A bill to streamline the process for approving data centers in Prince George’s County enjoyed a relatively quiet path from introduction through committee hearings, but at a final vote last week, speakers raised concerns that a streamlined process would mean data centers could be jammed into any neighborhood with no recourse for the residents who live there.
Air Regulators Awaiting Info for Dominion’s Proposed Natural Gas Plant
Virginia Mercury
Virginia’s air regulators are awaiting data from Dominion Energy to process further the utility’s air permit request for the natural gas plant they’re proposing to build to meet rising energy needs as pushback over the location and potential environmental impact of the facility continues.
Prince George’s Votes to Increase EV Charging Stations Across the County
NBC Washington
The Prince George’s County Council voted Tuesday to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations across the county.
Energy Policymakers Convene for Virginia Clean Economy Act Summit
Virginia Mercury
Democratic and Republican lawmakers, utilities, energy regulators, and other interested parties met in Henrico County to discuss how the state’s growing power needs may be met in conjunction with the goals of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, a 2020 law aiming for zero-carbon emissions by 2050. Since the measure passed four years ago, demands for power are projected to increase by more than double in the next 15 years.
National and International News
See if Your City is Poised to Bounce Back From the Next Climate Disaster
Washington Post
Most people think about good schools, safe streets or desirable jobs when considering where to live. As climate risks inexorably rise, how well your community bounces back from a climate-related disaster — or even a bad thunderstorm — will begin to weigh more heavily on the value of your home.
Trump Has Threatened Energy Efficiency, Weatherization Programs. What Happens Now?
Utility Dive
With President-elect Donald Trump set to begin his second term in January, experts say time is of the essence for the appliance standards program and other energy efficiency efforts led by the federal government.
AI’s Hunger for Electric Power is Threatening U.S. Climate Goals
Washington Post
The explosion of data center development across the United States to serve the artificial intelligence industry threatens decades of progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions as utilities lay plans for scores of new gas power plants to meet soaring electricity demand.
Overtime Deal at COP29 Falls Short of Global Climate Finance Needs
Inside Climate News
After spending two weeks making vague statements about challenging geopolitics but no explanation of why they spend trillions of dollars per year on fossil fuel subsidies, developed countries at COP29 finally said they would increase climate spending to help developing countries from the current commitment of $100 billion annually to $300 billion a year by 2035.
Five Firms in Plastic Pollution Alliance ‘Made 1,000 Times More Plastic Than They Cleaned Up’
The Guardian
Oil and chemical companies that created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace.