The State Air Pollution Control Board took its final step to withdraw Virginia from a regional carbon market, sending the action to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office for final action, despite a majority of public commenters continuing to oppose the move.
See the full story in the Virginia Mercury.
More DMV News
County Seeks Grant Funds to Establish Tree Planting Program for Vulnerable Communities
FFX Now
In an effort to reduce heat islands in vulnerable communities, the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has applied for millions of dollars in grant funding to establish a street tree planting program.
Solar Buildout Mapped to Determine Biodiversity Impact on Largest Estuary in the U.S.
PV Magazine
A research team from the Chesapeake Conservatory studied patterns of solar buildouts in the six states surrounding the Chesapeake Bay Watershed ─ Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia ─ and identified drivers for siting and land use, as well as project impacts on biodiversity in the region.
Capital Bikeshare Hits Highest Monthly Use Ever, Showing Gains Out Of The Pandemic
DCist
Capital Bikeshare had its highest ridership month of all time in May, with more than 428,000 rides, signaling a return to normalcy after the pandemic. It beats the previous record of 408,000 rides set back in September 2018.
Virginia Wetlands Protections Remain Robust Despite Supreme Court Ruling, Say Enviro Groups
Virginia Mercury
Following a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that narrows environmental protections for wetlands, environmental groups say there will be little change in Virginia because of the state’s strong wetlands regulations.
National and International News
Smoke Brings a Warning: There’s No Escaping Climate’s Threat to Health
Washington Post
The cloud of smoke inundating the East Coast on Wednesday — fueled by more than 400 active fires burning across Canada, with more than half of them considered “out of control” — underscored how climate change’s threat to human health can transcend national boundaries.
EPA Withdraws Proposal to Drop Pyrolysis From Regulation Following Criticism
Utility Dive
The EPA will continue to regulate pyrolysis in a category of small waste combustion units and institutional waste incinerators, reversing a proposal from 2020 to drop them from the category and from applicable Clean Air Act emissions standards.
The Biden Administration Sees Hydrogen as a Game-Changing Climate Technology. The Reality is Far More Complicated
CNN
The Biden administration on Monday announced a goal to produce 50 million metric tons of clean hydrogen fuel by 2050 – a roadmap that, if successful, would cut around 10% of the country’s planet-warming pollution by the same date.
Biden Urged to Demand ‘Climate Emergency’ as Smoke Chokes Washington
Bloomberg
Progressive lawmakers and activists are again imploring President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency, citing the thick blanket of smoke from Canadian wildfires now shrouding the US Capitol and swaths of the Eastern seaboard.
States Fight to Save Coal Plants as EPA Cracks Down
Energy Wire
A new rule proposed last month by EPA could spell the end of coal-fired power plants as they currently exist.