News Release | Environment Virginia

Earth Day Caps Landmark Year of Progress Toward Clean Air

This Earth Day, Environment Virginia applauded a year of new clean air protections from the Obama administration that represented major steps forward for public health and our environment. From new standards to protect children from mercury to proposed cuts in industrial carbon pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had a landmark year in curbing dangerous air pollution. 

News Release | Environment Virginia

Local Leaders Thank EPA for Taking Steps to Improve the Health of Charlottesville's Children

Environment Virginia was joined by Charlottesville Councilwoman Dede Smith, Dr. Greg Gelburd, and Whitney Byrd with the Wise Energy for Virginia Coalition to celebrate the fifth “birthday” of Massachusetts vs. EPA , the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set public health standards for carbon dioxide and other pollutants.  The birthday-party themed event included cake and balloons.

News Release | Environment Virginia

Obama Administration to Protect Virginians’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants.

News Release

9 out of 10 Virginians Live in Areas Hit by Recent Weather Disasters

Richmond, Virginia—After a year that saw many parts of the country hit by scorching heat, devastating wildfires, severe storms and record flooding, a new Environment Virginia report documents how global warming could lead to certain extreme weather events becoming even more common or more severe in the future. The report found that, already, 9 out of 10 Virginians live in counties affected by federally declared weather-related disasters since 2006.

News Release | Environment Virginia

President Obama & EPA Protect Public Health, Announce Landmark Mercury Standard for Power Plants

Richmond, VA – Today, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants. A record 907,000 Americans submitted comments on the standard, which is expected to cut toxic mercury pollution from power plants by 90 percent.

News Release | Environment Virginia

New Report: Richmond Area Among Most Polluted in Nation, State

Richmond, Virginia –The Richmond area is among the smoggiest cities in the country and the second most polluted of the Commonwealth, according to a new Environment Virginia report released today.  The report, Danger in the Air: Unhealthy Air Days in 2010 and 2011, shows that in total, residents in the Richmond area were exposed to air quality that made it dangerous to breathe on 10 days last year, ranking it 17th in the country among mid-sized metropolitan areas. The report comes just as some members of Congress, led by Representative Eric Cantor, are pushing a bill to roll back existing limits on smog pollution from power plants.