By Bob Burnley: A current bill in the Virginia House would seriously weaken environmental protection by transferring power from citizen boards to a state agency. This is a terrible idea. I should know — I am a former director of that agency. When I served in 2002-2006 as director of the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), I willingly followed…
By Dr. Vivian Thomson: Is an African American community in rural Virginia the right place to put a massive compressor station for a natural gas pipeline? This is the question the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board will consider at their meeting Tuesday, January 8. The compressor for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is one of only three along the 600-mile planned…
By Roberta Kellam and Dr. Vivian Thomson: Ed. Note: The authors formerly served on state environmental regulatory boards. Their views are personal. Gov. Northam has failed the citizens of Virginia with his sudden decision to appoint two new members to the State Air Pollution Control Board just as the board is considering a controversial permit for a natural gas pipeline compressor…