Clean Energy
Benefits result in reduced health care costs, increased quality of life, improved productivity and a safer environment. Clean energy decreases the United State's vulnerability to foreign oil sources and focuses on renewable resources.
Clean sources of energy provide tremendous benefits for society. The Clean Air Act has resulted in tremendous savings by curbing the air pollution from our power plants, cars and factories. In 2010, the Act prevented 160,000 deaths, 200,000 cases of heart disease, 2.4 million asthma flare-ups and 22.4 million missed school and work days.[3 The New York Times. Benefits of Clean Air Act Rules to Reach $2T. March 1, 2011.] These benefits result in reduced health care costs, increased quality of life, improved productivity and a safer environment. Additionally, clean energy decreases the United State's vulnerability to foreign oil sources, decreases the likelihood of catastrophic global warming effects and focuses on renewable resources. Both the economic and health benefits of clean energy must be at the forefront of a successful environmental strategy.
Uranium Mining
Virginia Conservation Network opposes lifting the moratorium on mining and milling of uranium in Virginia.
Farm and Community Net Metering
An agricultural and community net metering bill would allow a family farm with multiple meters to aggregate those meters and provide power back to the grid.
Solar Energy
Virginia’s energy future is at a crossroads. Despite having some of the highest solar potential in the mid Atlantic, currently less than one percent of Virginia’s electricity comes from solar energy.
Offshore Wind Energy
Offshore wind is one of the best ways for us to move away from fossil fuels. In the near term, wind power off of our coast can provide up to 10 percent of our energy needs.
Renewable Portfolio Standards
Virginia’s current RPS does not cover rural electric cooperatives, municipal facilities, and combined heat-and-power facilities.
Externalities: The Hidden Costs
Externalities are real costs that are borne by members of the public rather than by the generator or consumer of the electricity. Under current practice, regulators do not consider these very real costs when evaluating utilities’ plans for meeting demand.
Mountaintop Removal Mining
Surface mines have destroyed 156,000 acres of mountainous terrain in the state. An EPA report also found that between 1992 and 2002, 1,200 miles of Appalachian streams were destroyed—either buried by valley fills or mined-over—avg. 120 stream miles/yr.
Diversifying the Coalfields Economy
The economy of Southwest Virginia has traditionally been tied to the coal mining industry. Yet these jobs have been in steady decline for more than two decades.
Climate Change
Climate change has broad implications for Virginia, threatening not just our coastal communities but also our fisheries, farms, wildlife and public health. Decisive action today will help protect Virginia from the worst of global warming.
VCN's Energy Organizations
Virginia needs to maintain its clean and safe air. Click on this link to view the list of VCN energy and air member organizations.
Reports
Published reports related to the topics of energy and air quality.