• Energy

DOE Research Shows Massive Benefits of Decarbonization

• decarbonization
• energy efficiency
• fossil fuel
• Green New Deal
• solar energy
• wind power

In 2017, the advanced research arm of the Energy Department (Advanced Research Project Agency of the Department of Energy or ARPA-e) hired the engineering firm Otherlab to review all available energy data sources and create an ultra-high resolution picture of the US energy economy. What they found, as described in a recent article by the lead engineer in Medium, is highly promising — contrary to popular belief, decarbonization is not an unattainable ideal.

• Air

Virginia Regulators Ignore Environmental Justice Concerns, Grant Pipeline Permit

• air pollution
• Atlantic Coast Pipeline
• Dominion Energy
• Environmental Justice
• fossil fuel
• fundraiser
• natural gas
• Richmond
• Virginia

Ignoring the pleas of residents of the historic African American community of Union Hill in Richmond, the Virginia state air pollution control board voted unanimously to approve a natural gas compressor station there. 

Why This Matters:  The large and powerful fossil fuel industry always seems to have the upper hand — in DC and in state capitals around the country.  The ruling probably does not matter because the pipeline is mired in more serious federal court litigation.  But environmental groups were disappointed that Democratic Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, replaced two skeptical air pollution control board commissioners whose terms had run out, with two pro-pipeline commissioners.  Governor Northam, according to The Post, attended a political fundraiser with Dominion executives in recent days.  Yup.  It’s all about the money.