Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed the first batch of bills passed by state lawmakers before they adjourned in mid-March, advancing measures on health care, housing, and energy affordability. With hundreds of bills cleared by the legislature, she has until April 13 to sign, seek amendments to, or veto the remaining legislation.
See the full story in the Virginia Mercury.
More DMV News
Differences Emerge Between House and Senate Energy Bills, With Clock Ticking
Maryland Matters
Key differences have begun to emerge between House and Senate versions of a wide-ranging energy bill, setting up a potential battle between the chambers with just two weeks left in the legislative session.
AG Jones Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Over EPA’s Repeal of Landmark Car Emissions Determination
Virginia Mercury
Virginia has joined 24 other states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 12 cities and counties suing over the Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, Attorney General Jay Jones announced Wednesday.
Virginia Republicans Want Tax Relief to Ease Gas Costs. There’s Also Electric Vehicles.
Inside Climate News
Republican state lawmakers want a temporary pause on Virginia’s 32-cent-per-gallon gas tax to help offset rising prices at the pump resulting from President Donald Trump’s ill-defined and unpopular war in Iran.
Virginia Set to Enact a Flurry of Laws Boosting Cleaner, Cheaper Power
Canary Media
As power-hungry data centers and rising fuel prices put the squeeze on anxious voters last fall, Virginia Democrats secured a governing trifecta in Richmond partly on a promise to rein in energy costs.
National and International News
Cities, States, Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
Smart Cities Dive
A coalition of 21 states and local governments filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the Trump administration’s repeal of the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule.
Many Homes Already Have the Power to Electrify, Study Finds
Canary Media
In 2024, PCE ran a nine-home electrification pilot for low-income customers in San Mateo County, California, which included five households with 100-amp panels. At no cost to recipients, the agency replaced their fossil gas and propane appliances with efficient electric ones, using the homes’ existing power. Plus, PCE didn’t need to install specialized equipment, such as smart panels, to manage the flow of electricity. After the retrofits, most households saw significant savings on their monthly energy bills.
Summer air quality alerts will become routine in U.S. without action
The Canadian Media
A new study from the University of Waterloo is highlighting how North American air quality could deteriorate by the end of the century unless efforts are made to fight climate change.
Data Centers are Straining the Grid. Can They be Forced to Pay for It?
Grist
At a time when the cost of living has become untenable for many Americans, and consumers are setting aside ever greater shares of their income to pay energy bills, the possibility of further rate hikes to line the pockets of tech companies has prompted a massive backlash across the country. The White House gathering of tech executives appeared to be a response to the backlash. On March 4, at the event, they signed on to the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge.”
This Spring has been a Record Season for Renewables
Canary Media
Spring is when everything comes together for clean power sources. Days get longer, boosting solar generation. Winter’s blustery winds keep blowing, propelling turbines to their max. And melting snow and heavy rains combine to drive hydropower generation.