Virginia updates environmental guidance to measure cumulative impact on vulnerable…
What happened
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released a draft document updating guidance on environmental justice impacts. This guidance requires builders to determine and address potential environmental justice impacts on vulnerable communities in Virginia. The updated rules incorporate direction to better measure the cumulative impacts of polluting projects, which applies to facilities like landfills, power plants, and gas compressor stations.
From wmra.org
Why it matters
The new guidance applies to projects that discharge into waterways or pump groundwater, and it specifically includes data centers that use fossil fuel-based power onsite. This regulatory shift could increase compliance costs for developers and energy companies operating in Virginia.
From wmra.org
Who's involved
- Virginia Department of Environmental QualityGovernment agency that released the draft guidance on environmental justice impacts.
- VirginiaState where the updated environmental justice guidance is being implemented.
- general assemblyLegislative body that passed the original Virginia Environmental Justice Act.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- Dominion EnergySpeculative
Dominion Energy might face increased costs for power plant permitting due to the new cumulative impact guidance.
- NextEra EnergySpeculative
NextEra Energy could face increased costs for power plant permitting due to the new cumulative impact guidance.
- MetaSpeculative
Meta might face increased compliance costs if its data centers include a fossil fuel-based power source onsite.