A weekly news digest of stories about land use, energy, conservation and environmental issues. We hope you’ll share this with others who might find it interesting, and consider supporting the PEC.
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Data Center Dynamics
(July 13, 2025)
The report notes that by 2050, major data center hubs such as New Jersey, Hamburg, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moskva, Bangkok, and Hovestaden are expected to face significant climate risks, with 20 to 64 percent of facilities in these areas likely to be highly vulnerable to physical damage from climate-related events. Without significant investment, insurance premiums could soar by three to four times.
Power for the People (Blog)
(July 10, 2025)
Virginia taxpayers subsidize some of the richest corporations in America to the tune of almost a billion dollars every year to entice them to rip up land in Loudoun, Prince William and other Virginia counties.
The Washington Post
(July 10, 2025)
Energy regulators in Ohio determined electricity-hungry data centers must pay more up front for their power demands, overruling objections of the tech companies that rely on them to develop artificial intelligence. The decision could set a precedent in other places grappling with soaring data center power demands, as summer temperatures climb and AI’s appetite for energy has raised concerns about increasing home electricity bills.
Loudoun Now
(July 10, 2025)
Data centers generate as much as 38% of the Loudoun’s General Fund revenue. If the general personal property tax rate is not lowered, data centers could grow to represent more than 60% of the total General Fund within the next five to seven years.
Fauquier Times
(July 9, 2025)
Warrenton's leaders have officially pushed the reset button on data centers, voting unanimously in favor of a zoning change that essentially erases data centers from the town code. Vice Mayor Bill Semple looked to extend the battle against data centers further out into Fauquier County. “I hope we sent a signal to the county that citizens really are not in favor of data centers.”
Grist
(July 9, 2025)
From a climate perspective, the new bill's most significant rollbacks are aimed at industries like renewable energy. But the good news is the law does not affect the billions of dollars the IRA already sent to state efficiency and electrification rebate programs and much of that money will remain available beyond the federal sunsets.
Virginia Scope
(July 9, 2025)
In response to a new report warning of a sharp rise in blackouts countrywide without increased energy production, Virginia's Republicans are blaming Democratic-led efforts to expand renewable energy and combat climate change as an impediment to meet growing demand. Virginia leads the nation in data centers, which play a crucial role in the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
Canary Media
(July 9, 2025)
The bill passed by Republicans in Congress and signed into law by President Trump last week creates many challenges for clean energy — enough to choke off lots of new solar and wind power projects, and cast uncertainty over everything from battery storage deployments to EV factories.
Altenergymag
(July 8, 2025)
For residential homeowners, the most urgent development is the accelerated end of the 30% federal solar tax credit, which will now only be available for payments made before December 31, 2025; residential solar leases will continue to qualify for the commercial tax credit through 2027. Commercial projects initiated before mid-2026 will still qualify for the 30% Investment Tax Credit though introduction of Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) requirements will pose new challenges in equipment sourcing and compliance.
Open Circuit (Podcast)
(July 7, 2025)
When 47 million people across Spain and Portugal lost power for nearly half a day in April, the finger-pointing began immediately. "Too much renewable energy," declared the critics. Even U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright piled on: "When you hitch your wagon to the weather, it's a risky endeavor.” There's just one problem with this blame-renewables narrative: it's completely wrong.
The Hill
(July 7, 2025)
Data centers, which help power AI training and usage, are expected to add anywhere from 35 gigawatts to 108 gigawatts in load growth to the grid by the end of the decade. While eliminating planned plant retirements would reduce the risk of blackouts, the potential for outages would still be 34 times greater by 2030, the report found.
Data Center Frontier
(July 2, 2025)
Signed into law in late June, the bill imposes mandates on large energy users (e.g., data centers) to fund infrastructure upgrades, enable remote disconnection during emergencies and register backup generators to bolster grid reliability. No less important is the goal that tariffs ensure data centers bear grid upgrade burdens, rather than passing them to residents.
Fauquier Times
(July 2, 2025)
The developers of Gigaland, a seven-building, 2-million-square-foot data center campus proposed near Remington, are offering $15 million to Fauquier County’s land conservation program as part of a package of incentives to encourage county supervisors to approve during the vote scheduled for Sept. 11.
West Virginia Watch
(July 10, 2025)
If West Virginia policymakers want to attract data centers, they need to understand a few things. Companies like Google, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft have renewable energy goals. Also, renewable energy is faster and cheaper to build than gas plants, and contrary to what nostalgic West Virginia lawmakers want their voters to think, no one is going to build a large coal plant anytime soon.
Fauquier Times
(July 8, 2025)
New research in North Carolina documents downstream remnants of the 35-million-year-old tsunami that followed the extraterrestrial impact. Found on a 300-acre property recently acquired by The Nature Conservancy, it will become part of the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve and likely become a “highlight of the park” through related exhibits and educational activities.
Energy Reporters
(July 6, 2025)
In a groundbreaking development poised to revolutionize the energy sector, engineers at West Virginia University have unveiled a pioneering fuel cell that generates power, stores energy and produces hydrogen efficiently, offering a robust solution for integrating renewable energy into the modern power grid.
C-VILLE Weekly
(July 9, 2025)
From an increase in the annual number of days with temperatures 95 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter to longer heat waves, where those high temperatures exceed the historical average for five or more days, as well as fiercer storms and floods, Charlotteville looks to protect its water supply..
29 News
(July 9, 2025)
Recent data from the Rivanna Conservation Alliance shows elevated levels of E. coli; an increase it says is typical following significant rainfall.
Citizen Portal
(July 9, 2025)
Charlottesville City Council is taking significant steps towards enhancing its sustainability initiatives, particularly in solar energy. In a proactive move, it's exploring the repurposing of solar panels from Charlottesville High School. Although the technology has advanced since the panels were installed in 2012, officials are investigating options to utilize these older panels in smaller installations across parks and community buildings.
Charlottesville Community Engagement
(July 7, 2025)
A pilot program draws 25 winners for a $1,000 voucher to use towards an e-bike at participating local retailers. Online entries are accepted entries during the first month of each quarter and the drawing will take place the first Wednesday of the second month.
WJLA-ABC7News
(July 8, 2025)
As part of a program designed to preserve the environment by limiting the need for gas-powered lawnmowers, the power company has 125 sheep at their Remington Solar facility to eat as much grass and vegetation as they can to help maintain the land around the solar panels.
Information Charlottesville
(July 4, 2025)
A new water treatment plant has been designed to process three million gallons a day with an option to double that capacity in the future. The new scope would provide two million gallons a day.
Northern Virginia Magazine
(July 9, 2025)
According to The Washington Business Journal, affiliates of land speculator Chuck Kuhn — founder of JK Moving Services — own this warehouse and several others on the same street. Kuhn filed site plans in 2024 to set up the warehouses for potential data center conversion before Loudoun County took steps to limit data center development.
6 Local News
(July 9, 2025)
Dozens gather at Sycolin Creek Elementary School to witness the release of the national bird after 6 weeks of care at Blue Ridge Wildlife Center
Loudoun Now
(July 3, 2025)
The Morrisville to Wishing Star line is planned to span three counties and will be 36.5 miles long. The project would replace existing double-line 125-foot-tall lattice towers with triple-line, 156-foot-tall monopole towers supporting two 500 kV lines and a 230 kV line.
The Piedmont Journal Recorder
(June 26, 2025)
The 4-H program, a nationwide youth development initiative, is renowned for its ability to cultivate valuable life skills in young people. Through hands-on projects like raising and showing livestock, participants learn responsibility, problem-solving and the value of community.
The Washington Post
(July 9, 2025)
In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency set a 2025 deadline for Mid-Atlantic states to get serious about cutting pollution. That deadline has come — and the goals remain unmet. The problem: Existing regulations can’t curb nutrient runoff from farms, the largest and fastest-growing source of pollution in the bay.
WTOP News
(July 9, 2025)
Starting July 18, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Northeast D.C. will play host to visitors from all over the globe as they take in the acres of water lilies and lotus plants that dot the ponds at the gardens.
Bay Journal
(July 8, 2025)
The plant has popped up on the surface of more than 100 sites across Northern Virginia. More recently, it has also appeared in tributaries of Virginia’s Roanoke River and in Maryland.
The Northern Virginia Daily
(July 2, 2025)
With peak visitation underway, former park officials and conservation advocates say staffing levels remain unclear, but they believe the park is still significantly undermanned and vulnerable to deeper cuts.
Mongabay
(May 30, 2025)
Overlaying bird population data with information about ecosystem service and carbon storage priority areas, researchers found regions that benefit people, the climate and birds the most are the Appalachian Mountains, New England, the southeastern U.S., the Ozarks and the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges — all densely forested areas.
Fluvanna Review
(July 10, 2025)
Eligible practices can include conservation landscaping, rain gardens, constructed wetlands, permeable pavement, and removing impermeable surfaces, and more about these options and others can be found at https://vaswcd.org/vcap/#.
The Appalachian Voice
(July 9, 2025)
Balico’s proposal to build a 3,500-megawatt gas-fired power plant — which would be the largest ever built in Virginia — in the Chalk Level community of Pittsylvania started to sink in. According to Wydner, at first, people did not fully understand the immense size of a 3,500-megawatt power plant, which is as big as 166 football fields.
Virginia Mercury
(July 8, 2025)
National report ranks Virginia cities low, despite the state’s beefed up bike infrastructure designed to improve access and safety for cyclists.
Cardinal News
(July 7, 2025)
In addition to concern over provisions in the developer’s agreement with Cumberland County, preserving the county's character has become a rallying cry for residents who oppose a years-long plan to build a 1,143-acre landfill in the eastern part of the county, citing concerns about groundwater, light and noise pollution.
Cardinal News
(July 7, 2025)
The awards were part of a total of $67 million in grants statewide from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund that were announced last week by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The Black Chronicle
(July 7, 2025)
Developers look to build on nearly 845 acres near Kings Highway and Forest Lane, a data center project that would rezone the land from agricultural and light industrial to heavy industrial to allow for data center use and related infrastructure.
Aurora Energy Research
(July 9, 2025)
The PJM market operator expects 11 GW of new data centers by 2030 in northern Virginia alone, representing more than 40% of the state’s current peak demand, which could drive additions of up to 15 GW (nameplate) of natural gas capacity in PJM by 2030, compared to a conservative scenario.
WAVY
(July 9, 2025)
Just 4% of U.S. homeowners have insurance, and only about 3% in Virginia. That’s a cause for concern as the Commonwealth leads the U.S. in coastal flooding events, and by a landslide, according to a Lending Tree report.
The Virginian-Pilot
(July 8, 2025)
The bill, which Trump signed into law Friday, slashes many of the solar and wind energy incentives enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act by former President Joe Biden and others. The bill quickly phases out clean energy tax credits for wind and solar projects. Now, projects that are not operational by 2027 will lose out on the tax credits.
WHRO
(July 8, 2025)
Groundwater rise driven by climate change has started to swamp home septic systems in Hampton Roads, sometimes allowing raw sewage to enter and pollute waterways. Air and water are also getting hotter, which helps bacteria and algae thrive.
Bay Journal
(July 8, 2025)
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources sees the turtles as a species of “very high conservation need.” According to the department, terrapins’ biggest threats are loss of nesting habitat and death in crab traps.
Cardinal News
(July 7, 2025)
The candidate thinks the governor’s office should lead an effort to have a statewide strategy re data centers, and said she’s open-minded about the tax breaks data centers get.
Prince William Times
(July 7, 2025)
In July 2020, the Virginia Clean Economy Act went into effect, setting the commonwealth on a path toward zero-emissions in its energy production by 2050.
Now as the state grapples with energy needs that have expanded since the passage of the bill — and with looming changes to federal energy policy — there are questions about if, and how, the law should be changed.
WTOP News
(July 7, 2025)
A team of researchers discovered a new way to detect the presence of spotted lanternflies by analyzing the ants that unknowingly track them. The breakthrough, recently published in the Pest Management Science and Neobiota online journal, could transform how we spot invasions before they take hold.
Culpeper Star-Exponent
(July 7, 2025)
Customized tweaks to production techniques by innovative Virginia growers satisfy sweet corn fans with an earlier season premiere, with a finale extending into fall.
Morning AgClips
(July 7, 2025)
This is the fourth consecutive year of increased funding for the program, with $223 million allocated to the VACS program for fiscal year 2026, marking a $16 million increase over last year’s funding.The VACS program offers farmers up to $300,000 in state cost-share reimbursement for over 60 best management practices, including cover cropping, nutrient management, livestock stream exclusion, forested or herbaceous buffers or rotational grazing.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(July 6, 2025)
Virginia Commonwealth University’s vice president for government relations, Matt Conrad, announced he is resigning to take a job at Tract, a Denver-based company that builds data centers. Last year, Tract bought 1,200 acres in Hanover County to build a new data center project.
The Cool Down
(July 6, 2025)
Last year's report on data centers in VA said the facilities' industrial scale "makes them largely incompatible with residential uses." Despite this, around one-third of data centers are near residential areas, and with the emergence of cryptocurrency and Ai fueling data-center demand, Virginians aren't the only ones worried about how data centers are impacting their quality of life.
WHRO
(July 4, 2025)
Solar projects disturbing more than 10 acres of top-tier soil have to put land in conservation easements under new state regulations.
Notebook Check
(July 4, 2025)
The agreement highlights the collision between artificial intelligence workloads and electrical demand. Google’s 2024 sustainability report shows the company used 30.8 million MWh of electricity last year—double its 2020 draw—with 96 percent consumed by data centers.
13 News Now
(July 3, 2025)
As global bee populations face troubling declines, Virginia beekeepers are working hard to ensure these tiny, but mighty pollinators continue to thrive.
NPR
(July 2, 2025)
There are just under 50,000 miles of rivers running through the commonwealth, according to theNational Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which Matt Heller, Virginia’s state geologist, agrees is one of the key reasons why Virginia has so few naturally-formed lakes.
The Wall Street Journal
(July 10, 2025)
Surging defaults on loans used to buy residential solar panels are cascading through Wall Street, catching bond investors and private-credit funds in their wake. Some bonds tied to GoodLeap, a financial-technology firm that lends money for solar installations, have stopped paying interest.
Canary Media
(July 10, 2025)
State regulators, consumer advocates, and environmental groups say the Department of Energy is acting illegally in forcing aging, costly power plants to stay open.
The Equation
(July 10, 2025)
Getting enough electricity is limiting the development of data centers. And so, desperate times call for desperate measures, like Microsoft co-locating data centers with nuclear plants, or Meta commissioning the construction of dirty fossil fuel plants to power data centers.
(July 10, 2025)
The California Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee passed Senate Bill 57, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego). Known as the Ratepayer and Technological Innovation Protection Act, the bill would protect California ratepayers and the state’s aggressive climate goals from increased costs as more companies develop data centers to meet the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI).
Federation of American Scientists
(July 10, 2025)
To meet growing tech industry energy demands without imposing a staggering toll on individual energy consumers, and to best position the US to benefit from the advancements of AI, Congress should invest in innovative approaches to power data centers, including creating a pathway for data centers to be viably integrated into Thermal Energy Networks to curb costs, increase efficiency and support grid resilience and reliability for all customers.
The New York Times
(July 8, 2025)
At a moment when bird populations are declining globally, banding is essential for conserving species and tracking population changes over time. It is also integral in setting regulations and limits for waterfowl hunting. Indeed, no group reports more bird bands — or prizes them more — than hunters.
The New York Times
(July 8, 2025)
The Energy Department has hired at least three scientists who are well-known for their rejection of the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change. The three scientists joined the administration after it dismissed hundreds of experts who were assessing how global warming is affecting the country.
The New York Times
(July 6, 2025)
America’s public lands are safe — for now. A provision proposed that would have required the Bureau of Land Management to sell as much as 1.225 million acres of public lands is dead. And members of Congress learned once again if they don’t support public lands, they risk being voted out of office, especially in the American West.
RTO Insider
(July 6, 2025)
A new Clean Energy States Alliance report highlights how states are tackling the rise in electricity demand, which varies based on factors such as the scale of demand growth they face and their geography.
The Wall Street Journal
(July 5, 2025)
Renewable-energy companies are bracing for the end of government subsidies after the passage of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
Data Center Dynamics
(July 4, 2025)
AI has accelerated the demand for energy in ways we’ve never seen before and taking by surprise all the predictions and roadmaps with its timing and magnitude. What can the likes of hydrogen, nuclear, and BESS offer?
Gas Outlook
(June 12, 2025)
A massive data centre at xAI’s controversial site in Memphis, Tennessee is emitting huge plumes of pollution, according to footage recorded by an environmental watchdog group.
Data Center Knowledge
(July 7, 2025)
As recent research reveals, hyperscalers are on track to command 60% of global data center capacity by 2030, the industry’s largest operators continued to announce new construction projects this past month.
NPR
(July 7, 2025)
For many years, Earth's ocean has acted as a heat sink for climate change: A large part of the heat generated by human use of fossil fuels is being absorbed by the ocean. And while the deep sea is largely unaffected by this heat absorption, the upper ocean — the ~200 meters closest to the surface — is significantly affected.
