A judge in Floyd County Circuit Court ruled from the bench last week that Virginia does not need to return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the carbon market known as RGGI, as the state appeals a November decision by the court saying the state must rejoin the interstate effort.
See the full story at Inside Climate News.
More DMV News
Capped Landfill in Richmond May Become a ‘Solar Meadow’
The Bay Journal
About two miles east of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond is a five-acre, grass-covered hill that some might see as a graveyard for years’ worth of trash. But Richmond officials see the former landfill site as an opportunity to bring solar energy to the city — at a time when citizens, towns and counties around the state have been opposing new solar projects.
Virginia Governor Say US Must Develop Fusion or Fall Behind China on Energy
Reuters
The United States must expedite its development of fusion energy or risk falling behind China on energy dominance, said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston on Tuesday.
Lawmakers Grill Energy Companies Over High Utility Bills
Maryland Matters
Amid soaring energy costs for Marylanders, lawmakers interrogated representatives of the state’s utility companies Wednesday to get to the bottom of why so many of their constituents have seen their energy bills skyrocket over the past couple months.
In the Face of Empty Promises, Baltimore Residents Take on Environmental Injustice in Their Communities
Prism
As Maryland’s ambitious climate goals struggle to progress, communities of color in South Baltimore suffocate under the weight of air contamination caused by the high density of incinerators, coal terminals, and chemical plants in the area. With about 70 stationary polluting facilities in the Curtis Bay neighborhood alone, South Baltimore has some of the highest asthma and cancer rates in the country.
National and International News
Electric Construction Equipment Promises a Quiet Revolution
Bloomberg
Battery-powered excavators and wheel loaders are still rare on most worksites globally, but cities like Oslo are pioneering a new generation of cleaner machines.
Majority of the World’s Population Breathes Dirty Air, Report Says
Associated Press
Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found.
Trump Admin Says it’s ‘Terminated’ $20B Green Bank in Latest Escalation
Canary Media
The Trump administration has declared it is killing $20 billion in congressionally appropriated funding for solar power, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and other money-saving and carbon-cutting investments for U.S. companies and low-income communities across the country. It’s the latest escalation of a weekslong legal battle over a signature Biden-era climate program.
House Republican Support Grows for Keeping Clean Energy Tax Breaks
Politico
A growing number of House Republicans are urging the party to preserve the clean energy tax credits in Democrats’ climate law — and warning they may oppose the party’s budget bill if those incentives get axed.
Trump’s Tariffs on Canada are Upending US Climate Plans
E&E News
President Donald Trump’s promise to impose tariffs on Canada is altering electricity flows in the Northeast, as furious Canadian officials vow to respond by slapping levies on power exports to the U.S. or withholding them altogether.