by Karuna | Jan 19, 2025 | Industrial Solar, Regulatory Permit Process
Great work from our group OPPOSING HB2126! Great response from citizens across Virginia too! (See comments here: https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/committees/H14/bills/HB2126/comments ) The same legislation is being pushed in the Virginia Senate as...
by Karuna | Jan 17, 2025 | Industrial Solar
Solar is taking center stage at the General Assembly. There are two proposed solar bills that could greatly impact Buckingham County. If these bills pass, state authorities could override the supervisors on industrial solar approvals. The county acreage limit would be...
by Karuna | Jan 8, 2025 | Conservation, Industrial Solar
Friends of Buckingham applauds this local news coverage. Environmental justice, solar development among top legislative concerns for Henry County-Martinsville NAACP...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Dec 30, 2024 | Newsletter
As the year 2024 closes, we wish to reflect on what is happening in Buckingham. We call on you, our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens to support all the work yet to be done to protect our natural environment and cultural heritage of Buckingham County. Whether...
by Karuna | Dec 28, 2024 | Environmental Justice, Events, News, Politics of energy, Regulatory Permit Process
There will be a special election on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to replace state Senator McGuire, who was elected to Congress. The Democratic candidate is Jack Trammell and the Republican is Luther Cifers. Early voting will be December 27, 28, and 30, and January 3 and 4. Find...
by Karuna | Dec 7, 2024 | Industrial Solar
Scott Flood, president of Friends of Buckingham, has submitted comments on our behalf regarding the proposed rule for small solar energy projects with rated capacity greater than five MW and disturbance zones greater than 10 acres. See...
by Karuna | Nov 22, 2024 | Latest News, News
The Circuit court rules in favor of rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Today, a circuit court judge confirmed that the decision to pull Virginia out of a successful climate program known as RGGI, or the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, was unlawful. ...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Nov 15, 2024 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Nov 12, 2024 | Latest News, News, Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2024 CONTACTS Chad Oba, 434-806-6332, chado108@icloud.com Kenda Hanuman, 434-969-1586, kendahanuman@gmail.com Friends of Buckingham to celebrate their 10-year anniversary The all-volunteer organization helped defeat the Atlantic...
by Karuna | Oct 30, 2024 | Industrial Solar
The Virginia Farm Bureau, which has pushed back against solar development in the state in order to preserve farm and forested land, is opposed to taking away local authority. The Farm Bureau’s opposition includes the argument that farmers need to meet water quality...
by Karuna | Oct 29, 2024 | Economic Impacts, Fossil Fuels, Health & Safety, Industrial Solar, Regulatory Permit Process
A 60-day public comment period will begin on Monday, October 7, 2024, upon publication of the proposed regulatory action for HB 206 in Volume 41, Issue 3 of the Virginia Register. Additional dates associated with this action: The comment period will run from Oct. 7...
by Karuna | Oct 29, 2024 | Industrial Solar
VACo put out a new podcast yesterday on HB206. This episode reviews regulations that amend the requirements for utility-scale solar installations to receive state permits to operate. Specifically, a 2022 law – commonly referred to as HB 206 – requires that...
by Karuna | Oct 29, 2024 | Gold Mining
International Allies Applaud the Dropping of the False Charges Against the Five Salvadoran Water Defenders Friday, October 18, 2024, 4 pm ET “No Crime to Pursue”: International Organizations Applaud Salvadoran Tribunal Ruling that the Five Salvadoran Water...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Oct 6, 2024 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Oct 6, 2024 | Industrial Solar, Solar
The where and how of the solar projects placement is critical. When forests and agricultural lands are lost, the valuable services they provide like clean air, clean water, flood protection, and carbon capture also go missing. Harvard Forest and Mass Audubon present a...
by Karuna | Sep 14, 2024 | Climate Change, Conservation, Endangered Species, Industrial Solar
A great podcast series from the “Voice of the Commonweath Counties” explains the threats facing us now. Part 1. Utility-Scale Solar – Legislative Outlook with Dean Lynch In the first of a 2-part episode, Joe Lerch sits down with VACo Executive Director...
by Karuna | Jun 28, 2024 | Industrial Solar
“This document reflects … scientific opinion and position on these issues as of May 12, 2024, and will be revised and updated as needed due to changes in research findings or regulations.” “Even relatively small local projects (< 5 MW) can lead to significant...
by Karuna | May 23, 2024 | Environmental Justice, Health & Safety, Politics of energy, Renewables, Solar, Sustainability
DEQ fines Energix Renewable Energies over $150,000 for environmental violations— further damaging its reputation in Virginia. Citing Energix violations of some 75 legal requirements of the State Water Control Law, permits, and regulations, the Virginia Department of...
by Karuna | May 1, 2024 | Latest News
We are delighted by this podcast and invite you to listen and to share it widely. Originally published on https://religionlab.virginia.edu/podcast/a-church-an-ashram-and-a-pipeline/. Used with permission. Transcript In 2014, Virginia’s Dominion Energy...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Feb 3, 2024 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Dec 16, 2023 | Compressor Stations, Environmental Justice, Fossil Fuels
Lakshmi Fjord recounts the pivotal role environmental justice played in the cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline Learning how to fight environmental injustice through legal evidence became Friends of Buckingham’s specialty and major work leading to the...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Nov 27, 2023 | Newsletter
by Sam Eberle | Nov 26, 2023 | Renewables, Solar, Sustainability
Thanks to Scott Flood for gathering this information, sharing this article. At this time, there is an enormous onslaught of industrial solar that is expected to overtake 200,000 to 300,000 acres in Virginia. Central and Southside are being targeted for many of the...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Oct 23, 2023 | Newsletter
by Sam Eberle | Oct 15, 2023 | Events, Latest News
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Sep 10, 2023 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Aug 12, 2023 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Jun 28, 2023 | Gold Mining
The Buckingham County Planning Commission is not “dragging their feet.” County residents who want to limit mining practices in Buckingham know there have been multiple meetings during the past few months as well as audiences with concerned residents, presentations...
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Jun 25, 2023 | Newsletter
by Heidi Dhivya Berthoud | Jun 24, 2023 | Gold Mining
DILLWYN – In the end, they decided to leave things as they are, at least for now. On Tuesday, June 20, the Buckingham County Planning Commission (PC) weighed several proposals on how to change things about the county’s approach to metallic mining. But legal concerns...
