Lawmakers from both parties are seeking to use state tax dollars to boost new natural gas infrastructure projects related to data centers and chicken processing plants, as a proposed spending plan is nearing completion before going to the governor for review.
See the full story at Inside Climate News.
More DMV News
Poll Shows Support for Eastern Shore Offshore Wind
NBC News
A new poll finds that a majority of people on the Eastern Shore support offshore wind projects, with 51% in favor and 37% opposed. The survey, conducted by Gonzales Research & Media Services and sponsored by the regional advocacy group Shore Progress, also found strong support for renewable energy in general, with 54% favoring a transition away from fossil fuels.
Va. Lawmakers Worry About Data Centers. But They’re Leery of Acting.
Washington Post
Out of several dozen bills introduced on the subject, including a slate that had support from Republicans and Democrats in both the Senate and the House of Delegates, only a few remain alive — and industry critics say those have been watered down.
Federal Regulator’s Approval for Gas Plant Queue-Jumping Sparks Outrage
Inside Climate News
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of PJM Interconnection’s plan to let 50 power projects, including nuclear and gas-fired plants, cut the line and connect to the grid ahead of hundreds of stalled renewable energy projects has ignited fierce backlash, with critics calling it “a dangerous precedent” that props up costly fossil fuels and tips the scale against renewables. The decision does little to fix PJM’s broken interconnection process, they argue, and deepens the rift between PJM’s reliability strategy and state-led clean energy goals.
Chesapeake Bay States Shatter Warmth Records in 2024
The Bay Journal
Five states in the Chesapeake Bay region in 2024 experienced their warmest year on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
National and International News
Outrage as Trump Cites ‘Emergency’ to Fast-Track Fossil Fuel Projects
The Guardian
Environmentalists were outraged on Wednesday after the Trump administration moved to fast-track fossil fuel projects through the permitting process, with activists describing it as an attempt to sidestep environmental laws that could harm waterways and wetlands.
GOP Districts to Lose Big if Trump Halts Clean Energy Factories
Canary Media
Cleantech companies have announced a whopping $129 billion worth of clean energy factory plans since August 2022, when former President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, according to new data from E2, a nonpartisan group of business leaders and investors. More than 80% of that money would go to Republican congressional districts.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act vs. Trump’s Executive Orders on Environmental Justice
Inside Climate News
Environmental justice advocates’ work just got even more difficult, but powerful legal statutes leave them with some support.
US Passes 200,000 Public EV Charging Ports!
CleanTechnica
One of the most important and least understood matters when it comes to electric vehicle life is how the refueling/recharging lifestyle changes. Most people think in terms of gas car life when they think about EV charging, and hence questions constantly asking about how long it takes to charge. In reality, what one needs when they have an electric car is a place or two where the car routinely parks for a long time where it can conveniently and reliably plug in.
France Just Banned PFAS. Here’s Why the U.S. Hasn’t.
Washington Post
The French Parliament has approved a landmark ban on using “forever chemicals” in common products such as cosmetics, ski wax, and clothing, a move that could reverberate beyond its borders.