Podcasts about Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Sign up for our newsletter! A nonprofit hopes to help landowners reclaim mineland in Appalachia by planting trees and selling carbon credits. Their first partner is the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would withhold funding from communities that try to restrict shale gas drilling because of pollution and disruption. De-paving parties involve hard hats, sledgehammers, and a lot of volunteers to create space for water drainage and gardens. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over the state's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, known as RGGI. A southwestern Pennsylvania state senator says his new bill could encourage new investment in aging steel plants. Visitors to Raystown Lake can now contribute to its conservation efforts through a citizen science mobile app. We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed.  Donate today.  Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203.  And thanks! 

A judge recently ruled in favor of environmentalists who sued the state over leaving the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. What now?

A judge in Floyd County has ruled that Governor Glenn Youngkin's effort to pull the state out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – or RGGI – was unlawful. Roxy Todd reports.

The judge said the governor acted unlawfully when he removed Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and thus that removal is "null and void."

With about seven weeks until the election, the Trump and Harris campaigns are scrambling to get as many voters on their side as possible. The slim margins of victory in recent presidential elections has the candidates taking nothing for granted.  Vice president Kamala Harris has joined a panel discussion in Philadelphia -- hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists. Part of the discussion focused on Gaza. The state Senate is trying again to overturn a regulation that would make power plants pay for pollution. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is still tied up in court cases.  Pennsylvania is set to honor an iconic artist from the 1980s in his Berks County hometown. Election leaders in Luzerne County are spending about 40 percent  of their time on security and working with law enforcement on election plans.    A new parent company is being formed to solidify the partnerships of WITF, LNP | Lancaster Online and the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richmond will hear two proposals on whether to decrease or maintain the current real estate tax rate. Also: The lawsuit challenging Virginia's exit from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has a hearing in Floyd County today, Boar's Head has shuttered its Southside Virginia plant -- and more Central Virginia news. 

A case involving the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was debated in court Monday. Virginia's Air Pollution Board voted to pull out of the program last June. As Roxy Todd reports, plaintiffs argued the move inflicted economic harm to conservation groups that help low-income residents weatherize their homes.

After getting worse earlier this year, Virginia's teacher shortage has eased this fall... A court hearing may determine the fate of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the commonwealth... Boar's Head shuts down the plant in eastern Virginia tied to a deadly listeria outbreak....

Virginia first entered the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2020, and it's added over $800 million dollars to state efforts to combat climate change. While Governor Glenn Youngkin has tried to pull the state out of the agreement, Democrats said Tuesday they managed to still achieve some environmental wins despite RGGI cuts. Brad Kutner has […]

A Republican PAC works to defeat Freedom Caucus leader, Virginia Representative Bob Good… The General Assembly quickly passes, and the governor signs, a two-year budget… One Democratic priority, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, is missing from that budget….

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and Virginia are fighting over whether their states should participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative just as the program itself attempts to hammer out what its next iteration will look like. POLITICO's Jordan Wolman breaks down what the fights in Pennsylvania and Virginia say about the challenge of expanding RGGI to fossil fuel reliant states. Plus, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued its final approval for Equinor's Empire Wind project — teeing up construction for the offshore wind effort off the coast of New York.   For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy   Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Jordan Wolman is a sustainability reporter for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Annie Rees is a senior audio producer-host at POLITICO.  Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, is a multistate partnership that has seen hundreds of millions of dollars returned to Virginia. Governor Glenn Youngkin has called it a burdensome tax and tried to remove the state from the agreement. But a budget amendment that would force Virginia to rejoin survived debate on the House floor Thursday. […]

IT'S NOT THE GUNS   In Kansas City it was stupid teenage boys who somehow -illegally-got a hold of guns and then were stupid enough to get into a gunfight in the middle of a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people. Who sold or gave them the guns?  Will we ever see that person identified and punished? Don't count on it.     Here's the headline from a guy who's been studying U.S. military readiness for over 10 years: “Our Military Is Weak. You Should Be Scared.” When you hear what he's found, you might be.   Governor Shapiro wants to destroy the natural gas and coal industries in Pennsylvania with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and he's in court trying to avoid having to involve the state legislature. What happens if he wins?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Circuit Court ruling Monday says that a group challenging Virginia's removal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has standing to proceed with the case.

I got you babe, as in this is Groundhog Day, and I'm Sean Tubbs here with another edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement and whether or not Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, this is another program about the mundane and routine that when added up becomes whatever happens with local government. This edition of the program is dedicated to the late Ken Boyd, an Albemarle County Supervisor who routinely invoked the 1993 comedy directed by Harold Ramis to convey the sense that all of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again. Now, on with the latest bits of information. On today's show:* A UVA working group looking for ways to prevent gun violence has issued its initial report * The Metropolitan Planning Organization's Policy Board gets an update on studies for future transportation projects around Old Ivy Road and Barracks Road* The University of Virginia is moving forward with a study of what to do with the Oak Lawn property* The Virginia Department of Transportation seeks comment on banning trucks from using Plank Road to get from U.S. 29 to Afton Mountain. * Charlottesville awards Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds to a project to model the Moores Creek and Meadowcreek watersheds  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There's a bipartisan movement in Richmond to overhaul the way the state handles informal foster care placements; What is or isn't in Richmond's real time crime center; Democrats want to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and other stories

Much of the Shenandoah Valley, from Augusta County north, is still under a drought warning… In General Assembly news, community health workers and their allies ask lawmakers for increased funding, and bills to provide free lunch for all public school students, and rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative advance….

Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing a court decision that stopped Pennsylania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We'll find out why and what it means for climate action. As more solar projects are planned in rural areas, farmers are signing their sheep up for something called solar grazing. Plus, environmental activists from the Gulf Coast met up with anti-fracking activists in Appalachia to strategize and build solidarity. We have news about COP28 climate talks, calls for more radon testing in Pa., hydrogen, fracking and more.

Democrats in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Virginia are weighing how much political capital they are willing to spend so their states participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — a carbon trading program that's been politically controversial since its inception. POLITICO's Jordan Wolman breaks down the tricky politics in those states and how it's a test for both Democrats and the RGGI. Plus, rich countries likely met their overdue climate funding promise to developing nations last year according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.    For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy   Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO and the host of the POLITICO Energy podcast. Jordan Wolman is a sustainability reporter for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Kara Tabor is an audio producer for POLITICO. Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.

Commonwealth Court ruled last week that former Governor Tom Wolf's plan to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or RGGI amounted to a tax and could only be enacted by legislative action – essentially shooting down the state becoming part of RGGI for the time being. StateImpact PA reporter Rachel McDevitt was on The Spark Monday and explained what RGGI is," It's a partnership among those states to set a regional cap on emissions from their power plants. And so that's basically if we were to set a limit collectively, you know, sort of take account of all of our emissions from power plants in this region, we're going to set a cap, we're going to set a goal for how we want to lower that cap and lower those emissions over time. And then we are going to have auctions four times a year at those auctions. The generators, those power plant power plants that produce pollution, they buy something called an allowance. That is their permit to pollute. They need an allowance for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit. And so this like combination of the cap and market forces and how much pollution is actually in the whole region sets that price for how much each allowance is. So the goal of the program is over time it makes polluting expensive and then states can take the money that they raise from these power plants and invest that in energy efficiency measures or clean energy or help people with their bills in the region. Each state gets to decide what they do with that on their own, on their own terms. As McDevitt pointed out, Republican lawmakers have generally opposed the state becoming part of RGGI,"They believe that it would threaten the energy market in Pennsylvania. We generate so much electricity in Pennsylvania and we export a lot of electricity. So it is a big business. So they didn't want to see anything that would hurt that industry and they did not want to, especially because so many of them are fossil fuel powered and a lot of Republican lawmakers and some Democratic lawmakers, they represent people that work in these industries. And so they do not want to see any job losses." What does this mean for the state going forward – especially it's efforts to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change? McDevitt said some believe the Commonwealth Court ruling could be overturned by a higher court, based on the state's Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that guarantees Pennsylvanians the right to clean air and water, but added,"If we do not join RGGI, we do not have much of a climate program in Pennsylvania. We don't have anything to back it up. Governor Shapiro has not announced any type of plan similar in scope. We are making some progress in some things. They are capping old abandoned wells. Governor Shapiro has announced new regulations forthcoming on the oil and gas industry, but we would not have a comprehensive climate plan in Pennsylvania."Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Weekly Update with Rep. Martin Causer (R-McKean, Potter & Cameron), we discuss House Democrat efforts to stifle energy production in PA, Courts reject the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and passage of legislation to fund higher education.

Pennsylvania cannot make power plants pay for their pollution under a Wolf Administration rule directing the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. StateImpact Pennsylvania's Rachel McDevitt breaks down the latest court ruling.     The state-related universities -- Pitt, Penn State, Temple, and Lincoln -- are a step closer to getting delayed state funding. But, there is one catch in the state House bill that has some universities concerned. Small habit changes you make could have an impact in reducing greenhouse gases.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we await key court decisions on Pennsylvania's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a refresher on what RGGI is, how it works, and why it would be a game-changer for Pennsylvania. Our interview with Franz Litz, who helped launch the initiative almost 20 years ago, originally aired in 2019.

IN THE NEWS:Virginia is getting a huge infusion of cash from Uncle Sam to help expand broadband coverage to underserved parts of the state -- especially areas where speeds are less than 25 megabits per second. Thanks to a program created by the Inflation Reduction Act, Virginia is getting $1.5 billion for broadband expansionGovernor Glenn Youngkin wants Virginia to leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and he's already removed Virginia from the Electronic Registration Center. One has to do with the environment, and the other is about elections. David Becker at the Center for Election Innovation and Research tells me the multi-state compact known as ERIC has helped Virginia though Republican administrations and Democratic administrations.Richmond is getting a first look at new plans for a proposed casino from Churchill Downs and Urban One. Voters will have to approve of the casino proposal in November, which is why the developers are taking this opportunity to unveil the new name and brand identity.At the Watercooler: Bobby Scott's Cookout, plus turnover at Virginia's Parole Board. TRIVIA: James Monroe has two non-consecutive terms as governor. Why did he resign as governor?Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

On this day in 1967, Jimi Hendrix played his last show as the opening act for the Monkees. At least, that's one obscure fact about this day that serves as an ice-breaker for the July 17, 2023 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. But how do we know for sure? Is there a recording? Were any of you there? In any case, I'm skeptical but this is sadly not the focus of this installment of the program. In this particular edition: * A brief look at tonight's meeting of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors* Charlottesville opens up grant program for festivals and events* The search continues for a new fire chief* Some city departments will move into the S&P Building* Charlottesville City Council and the Planning Commission further discuss changes to draft zoning mapI like to write about this community. I really love when people read it. Sign up for free and I promise not to beg you for money. But I do appreciate paid subscriptions.First shout-out: Plant Northern Piedmont NativesSince the beginning of this newsletter, one Patreon supporter has dedicated their shout-out to an organization that seeks to draw awareness of the importance of native species to the ecosystem. As we approach summer, Plant Northern Piedmont Natives wants you to know they've printed over 9,280 copies of their guide Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens. In this guide, Piedmont native plants are defined as those that evolved before the influence of European settlements shaped and changed the landscape. Plants included in the guide were selected from the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora and occur naturally within the region. You can download your copy today for free! Louisa County Supervisors do in fact meet tonightThere's a public hearing on a 5 megawatt solar facility We begin today with a correction. Or rather, an admission of an omission on this mission to inform and illuminate decisions. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors will meet this evening. I'd reported incorrectly that they took the day but that was my error. Rather than repeat all of that, head over to today's Fifth District Community Engagement for an explanation of what happened.Visit above for all of the details, but there are four public hearings worth placing here before we get on with getting through the week ahead.  * There is no staff report for a resolution that would change Louisa County code to allow for the Board of Supervisors to issue a five percent real property tax rebate to citizens. (resolution)* There's a public hearing on a siting agreement for a 5 megawatt solar facility known as OCHS solar or Louisa Solar. This would bring $50,000 to the county if the project is approved. (resolution) (siting agreement)* There's a related public hearing for a conditional use permit for the above project. Go back and look at the meeting overview for a link to more information. * There's a request for a conditional use permit for an equipment sales and rental business in a General Commercial District. The Planning Commission recommended approval with eight conditions. (resolution)A glimpse at the latest report from the City Manager RogersCharlottesville City Council meets tonight and one item I did not include in yesterday's Week Ahead is the report from interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers. Rogers will soon hand over the position to Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders, and Council will vote on Sanders' contract tonight.One of the aspects Rogers' brought to the job when he began in early 2022 was the creation of a written report about what's happening inside of city government. Here are some stories from the latest report.City awarding $560,000 in grants for arts, culture, and festivalsLast August, City Council set aside $580,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act to help spur community events in the wake of the pandemic. The window is open for groups who want to try something new or sustain something existing.“The program is intended to promote citywide special events that will activate public spaces, enrich the lives of residents, encourage partnerships between organizations, foster a vibrant and diverse community, and stimulate economic activity,” reads the report. Applications will be taken in four separate windows and up to $10,000 will be awarded for each event. Take a look at the city's website for information about how to apply.  Search continues for a new fire chief for CharlottesvilleCharlottesville is a city that has had much turnover and many high profile vacancies. That includes the position of fire chief. Michael Thomas has been serving on an interim basis since Hezedean Smith left to take a position in Florida. There were 30 applications to become the new chief. “The in-house review committee, which included representatives of the Fire Fighters union, narrowed the field to eight who were invited to do online interviews. And after that review, four candidates are invited for in-person interviews,” reads the interim city manager's report. An appointment is expected in the next several weeks. City departments moving into S&P BuildingThe City of Charlottesville owns the S&P Building at 700 East Jefferson Street and the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority leases it to S&P. City Council was briefed on the terms of this arrangement last June.Just over a year later, a few city departments will be moving into the building on the 1st and 2nd floors. These include the Office of Community Solutions and Public Works' Engineering Division. A regional group will also move into the space. “The Emergency Communications Center will occupy most of the first floor as training and space for back-office operations to lighten the current pressure at the main office on Ivy Road,” the report continues. Other items:* A new proposed pay scale for city employees will be presented to City Council on August 7 followed by a first reading on August 21. * Melinda Crawford is retiring from her position as the Chief Executive Officer of the Charlottesville Regional Airport. Internal candidates for her replacement will be interviewed by the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport Authority in August. * There were a total of five complaints made to the Police Civilian Oversight Board between October 2022 and April 2023. Three were forwarded to the Police Department's Office of Professional Standards. One was referred to the traffic engineering division as it was about a crosswalk. One more complaint is still pending. The one complaint received in May will be closed because it involved a UVA police officer. No complaints were received in June. * An update on the decarbonization study for municipal gas will be given to Council in October with a final report to be ready in February. Council was briefed on the launch of the study in March. Second shout-out: eBike Lending Library In today's second subscriber supported shout-out, one Patreon supporter wants you to know that Charlottesville now has an eBike Lending Library!  E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that we lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.orgCharlottesville City Council and the Planning Commission further discuss changes to draft zoning mapSpoiler alert. I'm still quite behind on writing about the latest on the draft zoning code in Charlottesville. I also really want to write up the discussion on the Comprehensive Plan in last week. Later this week I'll write up the three hour discussion from July 13, 2023 between the City Council and the Planning Commission. Near the beginning of the Charlottesville Planning Commission meeting held on Tuesday, July 11,  there was this bit of information from Missy Creasy, the deputy director of the city's department of Neighborhood Development Services. “Because we're going to be talking about the zoning ordinance at length on Thursday, we won't have any additional zoning ordinance discussions for this evening,” Creasy said.The Planning Commission has held two joint work sessions with the City Council on the work session. The first was held on July 5 and was intended to be a continuation of a May 23 work session on potential changes to the zoning map. That one lasted four hours, and I have a summary of that discussion. You can either listen to it here on Charlottesville Community Engagement or read the text-only version on Information Charlottesville. The July 13 edition focused on residential neighborhoods and I plan to write that up in detail. But the July 5 noontime meeting began with an exchange captured between Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook and Charlottesville Planning Commissioner Lyle Solla-Yates.“R-A, R-B, and R-C,” Solla-Yates can be heard before the meeting began. “I talked with staff about it just now, and that will be the next one that will be addressed at a work session…. Do you understand the issue?” “Well, I understand the issue, but I don't understand the resolution,” Snook said. “We will get there,” Solla-Yates said.“Okay,” Snook. “Which is a terrible answer, but that's my answer today,” Solla-Yates said. “Okay,” Snook. “Your concern is noted,” Solla-Yates said. What concern? What resolution? Maybe we'll find out. The July 5 meeting took two hours. The group went one by one through a series of specific requests recommended by members of the public. The following is some of what they discussed. Cedar Hills Road at District AvenueA two-block section of Hydraulic Road across from Stonefield in Albemarle County is currently listed as Corridor Mixed-Use 5 in the draft zoning code. One member of the public noted that currently some of those blocks are duplexes and other affordable places to live. Commissioner Philip d'Oronzio suggested switching those not fronting Hydraulic Road to Residential-A or Residential-B in order to preserve them. Councilor Brian Pinkston pointed out that the Commonwealth Transportation Board recently approved a roundabout at District Avenue at Hydraulic. That means some of those structures may be demolished to make way for that project. Snook, a member of the MPO Policy Board, said at least two buildings would have to go. (read that story)“Part of my concern is that I would hate to get to a situation where we are so determined to maximize housing that we don't allow for commercial uses in places where commercial uses make sense,” Snook said. d'Oronzio described the existing character of the land not fronting Hydraulic.“Once you get two steps back from Hydraulic you are in a quiet suburban neighborhood,” d'Oronzio said. The group reached consensus to make many of the changes to some of the properties. As this is a written and audio visual, I can't see precisely what was changed. Rugby / Grady and accommodating the student population Another request to the Future Land Use Map was for an area around Rugby Avenue and Grady Avenue designated for High-Intensity Residential. This is an area that's used for off-Grounds housing for students at the University of Virginia. “The current designation shows High-Intensity Residential for 3 owner-occupied homes, which seems to me like an encroachment of that student area into non-student land that won't be necessary if we densify within its current boundaries,” reads the request.  When the draft zoning map was drawn, these parcels were designated as Residential Mixed Use, or RX-3.At the work session, Commissioner Rory Stolzenberg suggested going in the other direction and increasing them by one grade to RX-5.“And the general philosophy of fitting as many students into existing student areas as we can so that they stop spreading out, Stolzenberg said. “That would leave a little more room to fit them in. I think 5 is also fairly consistent with some new development on Virginia Avenue that's four stories over there that is obviously higher than three.” However, Stolzenberg suggested some of the owner-occupied houses could be reduced to address the community member's concern. This topic comes up at a time when the University of Virginia is conducting a planning study for an initiative to house all second-year students on Grounds. Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook expressed skepticism. “That's just me trying to read tea leaves and it's not any inside knowledge,” Snook said. “And if it happens it's going to happen probably at least five years from now anyway and maybe more like ten. Who knows? By that time we'll have a different Board of Visitors and we may have a different president. We don't know.” Planning Commissioner Carl Schwarz pointed out that after 14th Street was up-zoned in 2003, many houses came down to make way for the large apartment buildings that have been built ever since. Schwarz served two terms on the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) before being appointed to the Planning Commission last year and has seen many applications in this specific area. “This area has been kind of a battle ground for the BAR,” Schwarz said. “It is a bit of a struggle because there are a lot of single family houses that are no longer single family houses. And it's a little frustrating because there's an elementary school and the library and you've got parks. It's set up as a neighborhood but it's almost exclusively lived in by students.” Councilor Brian Pinkston raised a concern that the city may not have the ability to handle the additional density. The properties adjoining a nearby intersection are either Residential-C or RX-3. “We're assuming a lot of things about vehicles, we're assuming a lot of things about the road network, and so where Rugby (Road) comes into Preston (Avenue) just north of there essentially in an area that for better or worse has been residential for many years, that's going to be essentially like a hub as we're looking at it and I have some questions about whether that's really feasible.” Commissioner Rory Stolzenberg said that was not the area he was considering for upzoning. He meant closer to the University on properties that are currently zoned either in the UMD or UHD category. “That is zoned for 50 feet, five stories,” Stolzenberg said. “So really what we're proposing in this map is really a downzoning from what we allow there now. RX-5 would be what's allowed now.”Snook asked if anyone had ever quantified the number of UVA students who live in areas designated in student housing. Bill Palmer works in the office of the UVA Architect and said they've studied the issue.“Generally what we've found for undergraduates especially is that they want to be as close to UVA as possible,” Palmer said. “I will say that this area and [Jefferson Park Avenue] are both serve by our [University Transit Service] and very walkable.” However, Palmer said many students do bring their cars and if there are no parking minimums in the future, there would have to be some management. Upzoning church propertiesThere has been a trend in Charlottesville for church properties to go through rezonings to add residential density. This has happened at Hinton Avenue Baptist Church in Belmont, Park Street Christian Church, and Mount View Baptist Church in Locust Grove.In the comments on the Future Land Use Map made so far there were two further requests for church properties to be designated for future residential growth. These are at the Greek Orthodox Church on McIntire Road and Mount Zion Baptist Church. The Greek Orthodox Church property has a draft zoning designation of Residential-C. The Mount Zion Baptist Church property is Residential-A and is in the Sensitive Communities overlay. Commissioner Karim Habbab suggested it could be increased.“The South First Street development across the street is RX-3,” Habbab said. “Would it make sense to make [Mount Zion Baptist Church] RX-3? It's right on Elliot Avenue.” Freas said doing so as part of this process would require an alteration to the Future Land Use Map, which may slow down the rezoning process. Upzoning north of the BypassCharlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook responded to community members suggestions that the area north of the U.S. 250 Bypass might not be suitable for medium-intensity residential. I'll point out that as I write this, I don't have access to the spreadsheet to which Planning Commissioners and Councilors made reference. For instance, the current draft zoning map designates properties along Meadowbrook Heights Road, Grove Road and Kenwood Lane as Residential-B matching the Medium-Intensity designation called for in the Future Land Use Map.  “One of the primary reasons why I really don't want to increase density right there unless we are going to solve the traffic problem,” Snook said. “That gets back to the question that I've been asking for a year now which is what responsibility do we have if we create a greater degree of intensity of use there?” Snook said the city has limited resources to put into infrastructure and the city might have to use eminent domain to buy right of way for more sidewalks. More on this topic in future editions of the program. Reading material:* Albemarle County plans study to address overcrowding, undercrowding in schools, Faith Redd, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), July 15, 2023* Around $20K collected in Charlottesville from plastic bag tax, NBC29, Jacob Phillips, July 16, 2023Here's what's at the end of #557:I write this edition in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. I'll be here a lot more. How much more? Doesn't really matter, but what does matter is that torrential rain hit here the other day and a family of seven died when their vehicle washed away in a flash flood. Pennsylvania is contemplating joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative while Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is doing what he can to pull out. What should happen? I don't know. But the point of this newsletter is to make you pay attention to what's happening and I am disappointed I've not been able to cover this specific issue. Why do any of us do any of the things we do? What is this life? Is it mere trivia that Jimi Hendrix did in fact open for the Monkees? Who gets to decide what is interesting and what's worth knowing? What's really worth paying attention to? All of us. I thank you for choosing to read what I put together. Advertising returns next time. Please pay attention and learn everything you can about this very complex world that needs constant vigilance to survive. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

On this Weekly Update with Rep. Martin Causer (R-McKean, Potter & Cameron), we discuss the negative tax impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and efforts to make life a little more affordable as we battle inflation.

Last week, Governor Glenn Youngkin made good on his campaign pledge as the Virginia State Air Pollution Board voted to remove the commonwealth from RGGI – the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  Roben Farzad, host of public radio's Full Disclosure, and Craig Wright talk about what it means for energy providers, consumers — and the economics […]

Virginia will leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by the end of 2023; Late last week, the Air Force began allowing troops to switch assignments, if they meet certain conditions; Employees at seven Virginia ABC stores exploited a cash register vulnerability to steal thousands of dollars.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds a flood preparedness program that's given more than $25 million to the region.

Two people died and several were injured after a shooting outside of Altria Theater yesterday; A citizen board will vote on Virginia's membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative today at Reynolds Community College; Binford Middle, Ginter Park Elementary, George Wythe High and John B. Cary Elementary could be renamed because of their ties to the Confederacy; and other local news stories.

A new report examines the economic and climate impacts of Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, now stalled in court. --- The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, was the first major carbon market to be established in the United States. Since its inception in 2009, RGGI has contributed to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector in a market that now spans 11 eastern states. Yet RGGI has recently seen its expansion stalled in Pennsylvania, one of the nation's largest emitters of carbon dioxide, and a state where the struggle over the future of the energy industry, and the roles to be played by fossil fuels and clean energy, has been particularly intense. Authors of a recent report on expected economic and climate impacts of Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI discuss their findings, and explore the political and legal battles that are now taking place over the market's future in the state. That future may ultimately lie in the hands of a newly elected governor who inherited RGGI from his predecessor, but who has yet to publicly commit to the market's development. But first, a state court must render its decision on the legality of Pennsylvania's participation in the RGGI market. Angela Pachon is research director at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Maya Domeshek is a research associate at Resources for the Future. Their recent report, “The Prospects for Pennsylvania as a RGGI Member” is a joint publication of the Kleinman Center and Resources for the Future. Related Content The Prospects for Pennsylvania as a RGGI Member https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/the-prospects-for-pennsylvania-as-a-rggi-member/ East Meets West: Linking the China and EU ETS's https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/east-meets-west-linking-the-china-and-eu-etss/ Net-Zero Nevada: From Pledge to Action https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/net-zero-nevada-from-pledge-to-action/   Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.eduSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virginia's governor hopes to fulfill a campaign promise.  Glenn Youngkin claimed joining with ten other states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was costing consumers' money, and we should get out.  On Wednesday, the state's Air Pollution Control Board will vote on that, as Sandy Hausman reports.

If you shine a black light on a southern flying squirrel, it glows pink. But why? We dive into the questions about biofluorescent animals. Plus, we'll hear about how researchers are using a program trained to identify bird species from hours of birdsong recorded in the forest. It's helping in forest and bird conservation. Plus, a $10 million fine for Shell for air pollution violations at its Beaver County ethane cracker and news about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Environmental justice advocates have long been wary of cap and trade programs, like California's carbon markets and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in NY, which are shown to be both ineffective and inequitably burden frontline communities. This is because such schemes allow polluting facilities, which are more likely to be located in frontline communities, to purchase allowances and offsets to evade caps and essentially pay to pollute. Raya Salter, founder of The Energy Justice Law and Policy Center and a member of the NYS Climate Action Council, discusses concerns with NY's developing cap-and-invest program with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Donald Trump was indicted yesterday for misuse of campaign funds to pay hush money to porn star Stromy Daniels. He is the first former U.S. president to ever be charged with a crime.  Trump's indictment comes less than a week after he launched his presidential campaign with a large rally and speech in Waco, TX. Waco was the site of the 1993 raid of the militant Branch Davidian religious compound that led to the deaths of nearly 80 people. Waco has been a rallying cry for white supremacists and the extreme right ever since.  38 migrants were killed and 27 seriously injured in a fire at a Mexican detention center in Ciudad Juarez. The continued unjust and cruel immigration policies in the U.S. - the “Remain in Mexico” policy, for example - helped create the conditions for the deaths. Will Bunch was dead on:  "I wonder how much of the American downplaying of this nightmare in Ciudad Juárez is willful ignorance on our part — a refusal to confront our own shameful role in this episode. That's because the reason that refugees are overrunning the Mexican city — some estimates place the number at 20,000 — is that U.S. policy is forcing these migrants to stay south of the American border, their actual goal." According to a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, up to about 15 million people are now at risk of losing health insurance as COVID era rules that expand Medicaid and CHIP benefits are rolled back. A new study in the journal Nature, projects that deep water current around Antarctica could slow by 40% by 2050 if the current trajectory of climate change is not dramatically altered. A disrupted current could dramatically affect the climate, the flow of fresh water and oxygen, and the circulation of nutrients necessary to sustain marine life.  Some first-graders in Waukesha, Wisconsin won't be singing “Rainbowland,” by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton. They were supposed to sing the song about acceptance, coming together, and loving one another in their spring concert. Why? Because school administrators concluded that the song violated the district's new “Controversial Issues in the Classroom,” policy initiated by a new right-wing dominated school board.   This week's horrific mass school shooting in Nashville is being used by right-wing politicians and pundits to stoke anti-trans hate.  New reporting by Maddie Hanna in the Philadelphia Inquirer shows that Paul Martino's PAC, Back to School USA, is gearing up for the culture war. The PAC's website says it will be “taking the fight directly to the liberal teachers' union and special interest groups that are responsible for indoctrinating our children.” The Back to School USA PAC is planning on holding an April 7th fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago with right-wing founder of Project Veritas, James O'Keefe.  Newly elected Representative Summer Lee is wasting no time in making her voice heard. Summer Lee is a co-sponsor of the newly introduced “Assault Weapons Ban of 2023.” She took to the House floor this week  PA Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman and OH Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the “Railway Accountability Act” that would help prevent the kind of disasters we just witnessed in East Palestine, OH.  A coalition of more than two dozen environmental, faith, business, and healthcare groups sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro this week urging him to keep Pennsylvania's commitment to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as part of Shapiro's stated commitment to getting PA to net-zero emissions by 2050.  And Temple University's president Jason Wingard steps down after an authorization of a no-confidence vote by the Temple's faculty union; a strike by graduate students, and the murder of Temple University Police Sgt. Christopher Fizgerald. And, yes, the Dungeons and Dragons movie, Honor Among Thieves hits the big screen today! You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress. Don't Let Paul Martino & Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We're putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/.    

Tow No! The Ford F-150 Lightning Struggled in Our Towing TestMarch 27, 2023 Mariel AlumitBefore you hitch an Airstream to your electric truck and set out to circumnavigate the country, you need to understand this: With the largest available battery pack, a fully charged 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck has […]A Rivian buyer got his dream car after a 3-year wait. Days later, the car was dead and he faced a $2,100 bill.March 27, 2023 Mariel AlumitRivian's customer service disappointed one early adopter during a time of need. Rivian has been struggling with a touch-and-go relationship with its early boosters. “I'm just not the right person to be an early adopter,” […]American company outraged after Mexican military, police seized Caribbean facility: ‘This is insane'March 27, 2023 Mariel AlumitThe seizure of an American company's quarry facility in Mexico by the Mexican military and local state police has sparked outrage among former and current government officials, as well as appeals for the Biden administration and the Mexico's U.S. […]China's Deep-Sea Floating Wind Platform Heads OffshoreMarch 27, 2023 Mariel AlumitThe platform, named CNOOC Guanlan, is owned by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and is China's first offshore wind power project with a water depth of over 100 meters and an offshore distance […]David Galluch: Coming soon — the Shapiro energy taxMarch 27, 2023 Mariel AlumitIn a sleight of hand worthy of a card shark, Gov. Josh Shapiro quietly acted to raise home heating and electricity costs for Pennsylvania families. It's officially termed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. It should […]Highlights of the Podcast00:00 – Intro03:29 – Oh No! The Ford F-150 Lightning Struggled in Our Towing Test06:55 – Iraqi Kurdistan Region's oil output at risk after Turkey halts pipeline exports08:29 – David Galluch: Coming soon — the Shapiro energy tax12:30 – China's Deep-Sea Floating Wind Platform Heads Offshore17:19 – American company Outrage after Mexican military police seize Caribbean facility18:46 – A Rivian buyer got his dream car after a 3-year wait. Days later, the car was dead and he faced a $2,100 bill20:33 – Market UpdatesFollow Stuart On LinkedIn and TwitterFollow Michael On LinkedIn and TwitterENB Top NewsENBEnergy DashboardENB PodcastENB Substack

Jesse Topper and Jason Gottesman discuss the Governor's long-winded budget proposal – some good ideas like regulatory reform, some bad ideas like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and some trickery in shifting some spending away from public scrutiny – also - sneaker shopping wisdom.

Republicans in the House of Delegates advanced legislation today that would undo Virginia's connection to California's vehicle emission standards; A Republican-sponsored bill that would remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was voted down Tuesday in a Senate committee; The nonprofit Homeward is recording the number of people in the Richmond area who are experiencing homelessnes; and other local news stories.

Virginia's Air Pollution Control Board took another step last week toward pulling Virginia out of a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. And while a lot of the debate has become political, there are also business considerations involved. Roben Farzad, host of Public Radio's Full Disclosure, and host Craig Wright have more on that.

The governor sets a February date for a special election to fill the vacant 4th district seat, after Representative McEachin's death… Another glitch hits the Virginia Department of Elections… The state's Air Pollution Control Board's moves to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative are political, but there are also business considerations, and Full Disclosure's Roben Farzad shares some perspective on that….

Virginia is taking steps to pull out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

A Charlottesville judge weighs arguments over the former police chief's lawsuit against the city and several current and former employees… Virginia's State Air Pollution Control Board begins the process of withdrawing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a move that critics say is illegal… A local electric cooperative encourages young women to become linemen….

This week, we discuss how the $2 billion in tax credit Gov. Wolf just signed into law benefits natural gas, including creating a hydrogen hub in Pennsylvania. We'll also hear about a solar farm project that will provide electricity to the University of Pittsburgh. But students calling for the school to divest from fossil fuels aren't satisfied.  Plus, Shell's ethane cracker officially opens. And an environmental reporter blows off some steam during a solo hike. We have news about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and a fine for a gas company for spills of fracking fluid.

Best-selling author of "Power Grab," "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming" and "Red Hot Lies" is on with Joe from Government Accountability and Oversight to prepare us for the Governor's energy agenda and how we get out of the Regional Green House Gas Initiative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unknown band of puppeteers from an un-named organization protest Governor Youngkin's plan to get Virginia OUT of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Trouble is, if you disagree with THEM, the press does an expose on you, whatever groups you belong to and probably whatever you wrote in your High School yearbook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been nearly 20 years since a handful of northeastern states got together to start a cap-and-trade program for their power sector's greenhouse gas emissions. Since then, the membership of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, has been anything but static. New Jersey left under former Republican Gov. Chris Christie, then rejoined under his successor. Virginia and Pennsylvania joined RGGI recently, but the current and likely future governors of those respective states are far from enthusiastic about it, signaling potentially more departures to come. However, RGGI has stood firm amid the swirling political winds and made meaningful reductions in emissions, according to William Shobe, an economist at the University of Virginia. Shobe spoke to Bloomberg Law's Jennifer Kay about why he thinks this markets-based approach to climate change has fared better than similar programs in other states—and in other countries. Do you have feedback on this episode of Parts Per Billion? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US heat wave: Over 100 mil people under alert in 28 states | The Washington PostTwo million to access solar power in Nigeria | Energy MonitorAll-Africa energy access costs the same as building one LNG terminal a year, IEA | Energy MonitorIndonesian islanders sue cement producer for climate damages | The GuardianClimate emergency is a legacy of colonialism, says Greenpeace UK | The GuardianBiden Announces Plans to Deal With Climate ‘Emergency' | The NYTimesUSPS to more than double order of electric trucks | The HillHotec advances plan to build nuclear reactors; submits federal loan and signs Entergy MOU | AxiosJet Zero: UK outlines net-zero aviation plan on hottest ever day | CNBCEnvironmental justice and power plant emissions in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative states | PLOS ONEFUEL SPILL: 30,000 gal of diesel spilled in Exuma | Eyewitness NewsSource list- https://heavenly-sceptre-002.notion.site/Climate-Recap-July-22-f54e0db3cca546db90515d7b23007f2c

Today's guest is Katie Dykes, Commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP).Katie was nominated by Governor Ned Lamont to serve as the Commissioner of DEEP, and was confirmed on February 20, 2019.  Katie previously served as Chair of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from 2015-2018, and as Deputy Commissioner for Energy at Connecticut DEEP from 2012-2015. Katie also served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc. (RGGI) from 2014 to 2017.  RGGI is a multi-state effort focused on reducing carbon emissions from electric generating facilities.  Katie joined CT DEEP in March 2012 after prior service as Deputy General Counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality and as a Legal Advisor to the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Energy.  She is a graduate of Yale College and the Yale Law School.I was looking forward to this episode, as  government is not an area where I historically have been particularly strong, but it's so important for tackling a systems problem like climate change. And it's not just the federal government, state governments really matter as well, and Katie's in a key role, in a key state, doing really interesting things. This is a great opportunity to learn about how someone in Katie's shoes thinks about setting priorities for the state, getting things done, what form the transition should take, what role the federal government should play, what role the states should play, what some blockers are to getting things done, and how they can move faster. We also have a great discussion about how the private sector fits in, and the roles of technology and innovation.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 (me), @mcjpod (podcast), or @mcjcollective (company) and via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 29, 2022To learn more about the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, visit: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/About/About-UsTo learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/katie-dykesFor insights on marketing climate solutions like heat pumps, Katie credits #energytwitter members like Nate Adams (@energysmartwv); and for more state-level climate leadership, check out the US Climate Alliance (@USClimate)!

From defending Gov. Wolf's business shutdowns to backing PA's entrance into the job-destroying Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Democrat Attorney General Josh Shapiro has some baggage when it comes to running for governor this November. But even before he gets there, Shapiro may have another problem in the May primary election: state Rep. and Lt. Gov. candidate Brian Sims. This episode is an audio version of an op-ed on the topic by Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette.

Governor Glenn Youngkin shared a report this week recommending Virginia leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; Roads around the state capitol are closed through next month due to construction; Virginia lawmakers want to deter and crack down on catalytic converter thefts; and other local news stories.