Gov. Ralph Northam has awarded more than $9.4 million through the first round of the Clean Air Communities Program to fund five government fleet electrification projects. Fairfax County and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority are recipients. To further advance the transition to clean vehicles, Northam also announced a second round of $20 million to help electrify diesel and propane school buses across the Commonwealth.
Get the full story at Augusta Free Press.
More DMV News
Washington’s New Climate ‘Normals’ are Hotter and Wetter
The Washington Post
New climate normals, describing the average weather over the past 30 years, were released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday. Around the country, the increase seen in temperatures and precipitation compared with earlier 30-year periods is palpable. Around D.C., it’s a similar tale.
Data Centers and Electric Vehicles Will Drive Up Virginia Electricity Demand, UVA Forecaster Predicts
Virginia Mercury
Demand for electricity is likely to balloon in Virginia over the next three decades as data centers flock to the state and electric vehicles increasingly replace traditional ones, a forecast from the University of Virginia’s Energy Transition Initiative released last week found.
Google to Power Virginia Data Centers With 24/7 Clean Energy from AES
Utility Dive
AES announced on Tuesday a 10-year agreement to be the sole supplier of energy to three Google data centers in Virginia, providing clean power around the clock through a 500-MW portfolio of resources.
Northam Speaks at Green Business Alliance Launch
The Daily Progress
Gov. Ralph Northam spoke at the Community Climate Collaborative (C3), a newly formed group that aims to help Virginia-based businesses and nonprofits address climate change and prepare the economy for a clean energy future.
National and International News
A Major U.S. Pipeline is Still Mostly Shut Due to a Cyberattack. Here’s What You Need to Know
CNBC
The United States’ largest fuel pipeline has been crippled shut since Friday after a cybersecurity attack — and it’s not clear how long the outage will last. Wells Fargo says the restart date is key, and it outlined three scenarios for reopening that could help investors gauge the possible impact.
E.P.A. to Sharply Limit Powerful Greenhouse Gases
New York Times
The Environmental Protection Agency moved on Monday to sharply reduce the use and production of powerful greenhouse gases central to refrigeration and air-conditioning, part of the Biden administration’s larger strategy of trying to slow the pace of global warming.
A $73 Billion Bill Could Speed Up Electric Bus Adoption in the US
Greater Greater Washington
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the Clean Transit for America Plan, which would provide $73 billion to accelerate electric bus adoption across the country.
Carbon Offsets Used by Major Airlines Based on Flawed System, Warn Experts
The Guardian
The forest protection carbon offsetting market used by major airlines for claims of carbon-neutral flying faces a significant credibility problem, with experts warning the system is not fit for purpose, an investigation has found.
Push to Electrify Mail Trucks Gains Wide Support, an Unlikely Win for Both DeJoy and Biden
Washington Post
House Democratic leaders are lining up behind a White House push to allocate $8 billion in taxpayer funding for the latest iteration of mail trucks, paving the way for a fully electric fleet instead of the piecemeal strategy U.S. Postal Service leaders have been pursuing.