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Chesapeake 2nd-grade teacher Daphne Fulson wins 2022 Virginia Teacher of the Year

(WFXR) – Governor Ralph Northam announced the winner of the Virginia Teacher of the Year 2022.

The winner was Daphne Tamara Fulson, a second grader from Portlock Primary School in Chesapeake.

The announcement was made on the Virginia Department of Education’s Youtube channel. You can see the announcement on Thursday October 14th below:

Three teachers from southwest and central Virginia nominated for Teacher of the Year

The nominees for this year’s award include:

  • Ashley Sharell Bland, an educational technology teacher at John B. Cary Elementary School in Richmond.
  • Daphne Tamara Fulson, second grade teacher at Portlock Primary School in Chesapeake.
  • Robert Dean LaFollette, a science, professional, and technology teacher and math teacher at Essex High School in Essex County.
  • Howard L. Brewer Jr., English teacher at Transition Support Resource Center-Alexandria in Fairfax County.
  • Matthew Kenneth Uselton, English teacher at Liberty High School in Bedford County.
  • Eboni Jenee Harrington, math teacher at Lucy Addison Middle School in Roanoke.
  • Ashley Duncan Cannon, health and physical education teacher at Atkins Elementary School in Smyth County.
  • Brendan Mayer Conroy, GED / Individual Student Alternative Education Program teacher at Appomattox County High School in Appomattox County.

Each teacher was required to submit a portfolio highlighting their accomplishments, educational philosophies, and community activities.

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Chesapeake

Chesapeake teacher named 2022 Virginia Teacher of the Year

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – A local teacher named Virginia Teacher of the Year 2022!

The honor was given to Daphne Fulson, a bilingual second grade teacher at Portlock Primary School. She lives in Chesapeake and has 12 years of teaching experience, four of which in the city.

Governor Ralph Northam made the announcement during a live stream at the Executive Mansion in Richmond. Fulson was selected as one of the eight Regional Teachers of the Year in the Commonwealth earlier this month and is now Virginia’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year 2022.

“It’s unreal, it’s unreal. You go to work every day and just love the kids and don’t expect that kind of recognition. It feels so good to be recognized for something you love to do, ”said Fulson after greeting each of her students by name. “I will now have a bigger platform to share all of the ideas I have for integrating and spreading educational equity in schools, and a bigger platform to share my joy about education.”

“Daphne is an exceptional teacher who goes out of her way to support and challenge her students,” said Northam. “Your classroom at Portlock Primary provides a positive learning environment where all children feel welcome as they learn and grow. She is an excellent advocate for Virginia’s exemplary teachers and public schools. “

Northam announced Fulson’s selection for Teacher of the Year in Virginia at the end of the annual ceremony, which included comments from First Lady Pamela Northam, Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, Vice President of Education Committee Jamelle Wilson, and Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane.

Fulson received her bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, studied Spanish linguistics at Universidad Veritas in San José, Costa Rica and is currently working on her master’s degree at ODU.

In 2015 she received the Sue Lehmann Teaching and Learning Fellowship for the Rio Grande Valley Texas region and in 2017 the Good to Transformational Teaching Fellowship in McAllen, Texas.

While studying in Peru, Daphne was an EFL instructor for children and adults, later served as an AmeriCorps member and received the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award in 2017.

Fulson served as the University Interscholastic League’s science fair coordinator and creative writing coach for a school of 830 students in Texas. She has worked as a Spanish translator, co-chair of the Parents as Educational Partners (PEP) program and a Global Ambassador at ODU. She currently chairs the PBIS committee, co-chairs the Math and STEAM committee, and is the math director and city liaison for her school who helps create the math curriculum for the grade levels.

Fulson serves as a mentor to beginners and is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society and the International Thespian Society.

She enjoys traveling internationally, building houses with Habitat for Humanity and taking part in regional spoken word competitions.

Portlock Primary School principal Leslie Russell characterizes Fulson as a “caring, inspiring, and compassionate educator with a natural ability to touch the lives of her students.”

One of her students shared a holistic approach that Fulson takes in educating the entire student.

“I love Mrs. Fulson because she allows me to be myself. I can dance in my classroom. If I don’t understand something, I can always ask Ms. Fulson. I can even disagree as long as I’m respectful. Ms. Fulson teaches my brain and heart. She wants me to be the best I can be, “said the student.

Dr. Jared Cotton, Headmaster of Chesapeake Public Schools, said, “We are fortunate to have teachers like Ms. Fulson in front of our students every day. Ms. Fulson is an example of the demeanor and qualities of an outstanding educator. She made a name for herself, our school department, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is and remains an inspiration to the students and staff at Chesapeake Public Schools. “

The other seven Virginia Regional Teachers of the Year 2022 – who were also honored during Thursday’s ceremony – are as follows:

  • Ashley Sharell Bland, teaching technology resources teacher at John B. Cary Elementary School, Richmond, Region 1.
  • Robert Dean LaFollette, science, professional, subject and maths teacher at Essex High School in Essex County (Region 3).
  • Howard L. Brewer Jr., English teacher at Transition Support Resource Center-Alexandria in Fairfax County (Region 4).
  • Matthew Kenneth Uselton, English teacher at Liberty High School in Bedford County (Region 5).
  • Eboni Jenee Harrington, math teacher at Lucy Addison Middle School in Roanoke (Region 6).
  • Ashley Duncan Cannon, health and physical education teacher at Atkins Elementary School in Smyth County (Region 7).
  • Brendan Mayer Conroy, GED / Individual Student Alternative Education Program teacher at Appomattox County High School in Appomattox County (Region 8).

“We are so proud of all of our superhero teachers and everything they have done to enable students from all school departments to return to their classrooms for personal study,” said Pamela Northam.

The National Teacher of the Year 2022 will be announced at a ceremony in the White House next spring. Three past Virginia teachers – Mary V. Bicouvaris, the 1989 Virginia Teacher of the Year; B. Philip Bigler, Virginia Teacher of the Year 1998; and Rodney A. Robinson, Virginia Teacher of the Year 2019, was named National Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations, Ms. Fulson!

Related: Virginia ranks sixth best state for teachers

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Chesapeake

Ricky Rahne Coach’s Show Presented by Chartway Federal Credit Union Airs Thursday at Wild Wing Cafe

Story links

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia. – Presented by the Chartway Federal Credit Union, the Ricky Rahne Coach’s Show will continue on Thursday October 14th at the Wild Wing Cafe in Chesapeake at 7pm

The show, hosted by Ted Alexander, the voice of ODU Athletics, will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 94.1 in Hampton Roads and WJFN 100.5 in Richmond Market.

The Wild Wing Café is located at 1437 Sam’s Drive in Chesapeake.

The monarchs return on their way home after consecutive weeks to host the WKU for the homecoming. The competition will take place at 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3. Fans can also tune in to ESPN Radio 94.1 and 100.5 WJFN to hear Ted Alexander, Andy Mashaw and James Witham.

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Chesapeake

Shortlist unveiled for Social Worker of the Year Awards

The Social Worker of the Year Awards 2021 will be presented virtually in November

The finalists for this year’s Social Worker of the Year Award have been announced.

In total, the jurors selected 52 practitioners, teams and organizations to compete in the 11 categories.

The winners will be announced in a virtual ceremony on November 17th.

Peter Hay, chairman of the Social Work Awards, the charity running the program, said, “Thank you to the hundreds of people who have taken the time to meet a friend, colleague or team for an award this year nominate.

“And congratulations to everyone who has been nominated for an award. To be nominated for a national award while helping others navigate the turmoil caused by the pandemic is a remarkable achievement that you can be very proud of. “

Selection list for awards

Student Social Worker of the Year (sponsored by Dorset Council):
Sarah Mail, Kingston University
Carrie Evans, University of Lancaster
Justine Bishop, University of Warwick
Lucy Collier, University of Winchester
Abigail Davey, Anglia Ruskin University

New Qualified Social Worker of the Year (supported by Waltham Forest Council):
Rosemarie Connor, Devon County Council
Guy Blacklock, Warwickshire County Council
Finn Jarvis, Gloucestershire County Council
Anna O’Brien, Hull councilor
Florina Rice, Devon County Council
Christine Norman, Dorset Council
Michelle Pullen, Shropshire Council
Marie-Anne Holland, Cafcass

Adult Social Worker of the Year (sponsored by Wandsworth Borough Council):

Chris Vass, Stockton-on-Tees Alderman
Melanie Noel, Essex County Council
Natasha Karmali, London Borough of Hillingdon
James Thomas, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Lucy Law, Essex County Council

Child Social Worker of the Year (funded by Child Social Work Matters):
Paige McMahon, Derbyshire County Council
Marissa Langley, Surrey County Council
Liam Mills, Portsmouth City Councilor
Alexandra Capitani, Coventry City Councilor

Team Leader of the Year (sponsored by Devon County Council):
Sam Roper, Knowsley Council
Kudakwashe Kurashwa, London Borough of Hillingdon
Dianne Fossey, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
Amanda Haylock, Portsmouth City Councilor
Zakia Bouyis Loughead, Birmingham City Councilor

Mental Health Social Worker of the Year (supported by Essex County Council):
Rebecca Owen, Somerset County Council
John Leavey, performance for children
Daniel Wilding, Livewell Southwest
Tulane Chiarletti, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Kevin Waggott, Northumberland County Council

Practical Pedagogue of the Year (funded by BASW):
Laura Lowe, Dorset Council
Elaine Sharpe, Stockton-on-Tees Town Councilor
Claire Skilleter, Norfolk County Council
Anne Cooper, Gloucestershire County Council
Peter Walker, Worcestershire County Council

Award for lawyer for social justice (funded by BASW):
Unaccompanied Child Asylum Seekers Team, Norfolk County Council
Aedan Wolton, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Vivian Okeze-Tirado, West Sussex District Councilor
Cynthia Minett and Eniola Obikoya, Gloucestershire County Council
Wayne Reid, British Association of Social Workers
Sensory Support Team, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Team of the year (including MDTs) (supported by UNISON):
Adult Service Preparation, Bradford Council
Farewell Nursing Service, Derbyshire County Council
Families stick together, Darlington Borough Council
Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw Children’s Hospice
Integrated discharge team, Derbyshire County Council

University of the Year (supported by the Torbay Council):
Durham University
Bournemouth University

Social Work Employer of the Year (supported by Sanctuary Personnel):
Essex County Council
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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Chesapeake

Chesapeake Executive Council acts on climate change | Green

Representatives from the states of Chesapeake Bay, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently met to discuss the effects of climate change on the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed – Cooperstown, NY, to their meeting point at the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

At the meeting, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, and CBC Chairman David Bulova, along with their colleagues, signed a guideline committing the Chesapeake Bay Program to addressing the increasing threats of climate change in all Address aspects of partnership work.

In particular, the Bay Program partners will leverage their world-class scientific, modeling, monitoring and planning capabilities to prioritize the communities, work areas and habitats most vulnerable to the risks climate change poses to the region.

“I firmly believe that through non-partisan cooperation as a region, we can and will find real, sensible solutions to combat climate change and protect Chesapeake Bay,” said Hogan. “These challenges are too important to miss this opportunity to take action now.”

Prior to the public meeting at which the Directive was signed, Council members, commissioners and guests joined Pamela Northam, First Lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and educators, including Imani Black, the founder of Minorities in Aquaculture; Melissa Deas, acting chief resilience officer for the District of Columbia; and Mark Luckenbach, Assistant Dean of Research and Advice at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) aboard a VIMS ship for their own Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience – a term used only in the Chesapeake Bay Program to describe students will environmental education above and in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

On board, participants were able to see firsthand an area that is considered the zero point for climate change. The Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads area is experiencing some of the highest rates of sea level rise and coastal flooding on the east coast.

The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework notes that sea level in the area has seen a relative rise in sea level of more than 18 inches over the past 100 years and is expected to rise even faster in the future due to heavier rainfall and other extreme weather conditions.

Members, officers and guests also looked at possible solutions for managing climate impacts, including tree canopy, a living shoreline and an oyster restoration site.

The talks also revolved around climate inequality and reaffirmed the actions taken by the council from the previous year when they signed a declaration in which diversity, equity, inclusion and equity are a priority in all of the work of the Bay program. In the newly enacted Guideline No. 21-1 Collective Action for Climate Change, the Bay program specifically commits to prioritizing marginalized communities in providing the necessary resources, including an emphasis on wetlands, canopy and environmental literacy, to make the impact a changing. adapt climate.

“The climate directive we are signing today is the latest example of why this partnership is so important,” said David Bulova, chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “Collective action enables us to apply the best science possible so that we can understand and mitigate the effects of changing climates and prioritize resources for our most vulnerable communities. We have to do this if we want a more resilient landscape and watershed. “

In June 2014, the Executive Board signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement with the vision of creating an environmentally and economically sustainable drainage basin with clean water, abundant life, protected land and access to water, a vibrant cultural heritage, and a diverse range of committed citizens and stakeholders.

Established more than 37 years ago, the Chesapeake Executive Council is responsible for running the policy agenda and setting conservation and restoration goals for the regional watershed partnership, the Chesapeake Bay Program. Members include the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chairman of the CBC, and the administrator of the EPA on behalf of the federal government. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam currently chairs the Chesapeake Executive Council, which will meet in Richmond, Virginia in December 2021.

“Over the past year we have seen more land being preserved along the Nanticoke River, leading to the opening of new parks, including Nanticoke Crossing, and increased public access to our waterways,” said Delaware governor John Carney in one Explanation. “With ongoing water quality projects supported by our state’s adoption of the Clean Water for Delaware Act and sustainable water collection practices, our residents and visitors will find more recreational and economic opportunities in Delaware’s section of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”

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Chesapeake

Missing man from Tennessee possibly in Chesapeake

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia (WAVY) – A missing Tennessee man is believed to be in Chesapeake.

David Edward Dareing, 53, was last seen on September 1 leaving a sober residential facility to visit his brother in Richmond, according to Knoxville Police Department.

His vehicle, a white Land Rover with TX tag NTL-0553, was last seen on September 6th in Chesapeake on S. Military Highway.

Dareing’s bank account has not been accessed since August 10, police said, and he has not contacted family members since leaving the facility.

Dareing is described as a white man, with brown hair, hazel eyes, six feet tall, about 190 pounds, and most likely facial hair.

If you’ve seen David Dareing or know where he is, contact East TN Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online HERE.

David Edward Dareing, Oct 5, 2021 (Courtesy Knoxville Police Department)

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Chesapeake

Governor Hochul Joins Chesapeake Executive Council in Signing Historic Climate Directive | WIVT

Posted: Oct 4, 2021 / 10:58 AM EDTUpdated: October 4, 2021 / 10:58 AM EDT

From the Chesapeake Bay program:

At the meeting, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, and CBC Chairman David Bulova, along with their colleagues, signed a guideline committing the Chesapeake Bay Program to address the growing threats of climate change in address all aspects of the work of the partnership. In particular, the Bay Program partners will leverage their world-class scientific, modeling, monitoring and planning capabilities to prioritize the communities, work areas and habitats most vulnerable to the risks climate change poses to the region.

“I firmly believe that through non-partisan collaboration as a region, we can and will find real, sensible solutions to tackle climate change and protect Chesapeake Bay,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. “These challenges are too important to miss this opportunity to take action now.”

Prior to the public session at which the policy was signed, Council members, appointees and guests joined Pamela Northam, First Lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and educators, including Imani Black, Founder of Minorities in Aquaculture, Melissa Deas, acting Head of Resilience Officer from the District of Columbia and Mark Luckenbach, Assistant Dean of Research and Advisory at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) aboard a VIMS ship for her own meaningful watershed educational experience – a term unique to the Chesapeake applies Bay program describing student environmental education above and in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

On board, participants were able to see firsthand an area that is considered the zero point for climate change. The Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads area is experiencing some of the highest rates of sea level rise and coastal flooding on the east coast. The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework notes that sea levels in the area have seen a relative rise in sea level of more than 18 inches over the past 100 years and are expected to rise even faster in the future due to heavier rainfall and other extreme weather. Members, officers and guests also looked at possible solutions for managing climate impacts, including tree canopy, a living shoreline and an oyster restoration site.

The talks also revolved around climate inequality and reaffirmed the actions taken by the council from the previous year when they signed a declaration in which diversity, equity, inclusion and equity are a priority in all of the work of the Bay program. In the newly enacted Guideline No. 21-1 Collective Action for Climate Change, the Bay program specifically commits to prioritizing marginalized communities in providing the necessary resources, including an emphasis on wetlands, canopy and environmental literacy, to address the impact of a climate change.

“The climate directive we are signing today is the latest example of why this partnership is so important,” said David Bulova, chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “Collective action enables us to apply the best science possible so that we can understand and mitigate the effects of changing climates and prioritize resources for our most vulnerable communities. We have to do this if we want a more resilient landscape and watershed. “

In June 2014, the Executive Board signed the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement with the vision of creating an environmentally and economically sustainable drainage basin with clean water, abundant life, protected land and access to water, a vibrant cultural heritage, and a diverse range of committed citizens and stakeholders.

Established over 37 years ago, the Chesapeake Executive Council is responsible for running the policy agenda and setting conservation and restoration goals for the regional watershed partnership, the Chesapeake Bay Program. Members include the governors of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chairman of the CBC, and the administrator of the EPA on behalf of the federal government. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam currently chairs the Chesapeake Executive Council, which will meet in Richmond, Virginia in December 2021.

“A healthier Chesapeake Bay depends on a focused, science-based approach that takes climate change into account. It takes bold and urgent action to achieve our goal of a fully restored bay by 2025, “said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. “Virginia is committed to working carefully with our watershed partners to meet this commitment in a resilient, practical, and cost-effective way that benefits our vast waterways, our environment, and our economy.”

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Chesapeake

Landmark EJ ruling sparks legislative reckoning in Va.

Mehr als ein Jahr nach einem einschneidenden Urteil eines Bundesgerichts wird Virginia zu einer Fallstudie darüber, ob der Schutz der Umweltgerechtigkeit gesetzlich verankert oder durch rechtliche und behördliche Auseinandersetzungen behindert werden kann.

Im Januar 2020 verurteilte das 4. US-Berufungsgericht das Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), weil es die Risiken des Baus einer Erdgaskompressorstation entlang der inzwischen eingestellten Atlantikküstenpipeline in einer von befreiten Sklaven gegründeten Gemeinde nicht ausreichend untersucht hatte nach dem Bürgerkrieg. Die wegweisende Entscheidung veranlasste DEQ, einen Regelsetzungsprozess einzuleiten, um die Eignung des Standorts für Projekte zur Erlangung von Luftgenehmigungen zu bestimmen.

Das Gerichtsurteil stärkt nun auch allmählich die Bemühungen der Gesetzgeber von Virginia, einkommensschwache und Minderheitengemeinschaften im Bundesstaat zu schützen, sagen Unterstützer.

“Umweltgerechtigkeit hat eine große Priorität”, sagte Senatorin Jennifer McClellan (D) kürzlich in einem Interview gegenüber E&E News. “Wenn man weiß, dass es Gemeinden gibt, die von diesen Projekten unverhältnismäßig stark betroffen sind und nichts dagegen unternehmen, ist das definitiv nicht gerecht.”

“Ich denke, es ist das, was uns der Fall des 4. Bezirks ohne weitere Anweisungen der Legislative gezeigt hat. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob sie es ganz schaffen werden”, sagte sie.

Ein Gesetzentwurf, den McClellan in diesem Jahr von der Generalversammlung von Virginia mitgetragen hatte, hätte Unternehmen, die neue große industrielle Verschmutzungsquellen wie Kompressorstationen und Mülldeponien planen, nachweisen müssen, dass sie vor der Beantragung einer DEQ-Genehmigung Kontakt zu Gemeinden für Umweltgerechtigkeit aufgenommen haben.

Der Gesetzentwurf war auf eine Empfehlung des Council on Environmental Justice des Staates zurückzuführen, einem Beratungsgremium, das die Bedenken von einkommensschwachen und Minderheitengemeinschaften untersuchen sollte.

„Man muss die Auswirkungen des vorgeschlagenen Projekts auf die Gemeinde wirklich bedenken“, sagte McClellan, der Richmond vertritt. Der Gesetzentwurf kam nicht aus dem Ausschuss heraus, aber McClellan sagte, sie sei optimistisch, was die Zukunft der Reform der Umweltgerechtigkeit in Virginia angeht.

In den letzten Jahren hat der Gesetzgeber Definitionen von Begriffen wie “Umweltgerechtigkeitsgemeinschaft” kodifiziert und den Rat für Umweltgerechtigkeit zu einer festen Einrichtung gemacht.

Im Rahmen des Haushaltsverfahrens haben die Gesetzgeber auch die behördenübergreifende Arbeitsgruppe für Umweltgerechtigkeit eingerichtet. Seine 10 Koordinatoren für Umweltgerechtigkeit weisen staatliche Stellen an, der Generalversammlung Pläne zur Ausarbeitung und Umsetzung von Umweltgerechtigkeitsstrategien vorzulegen.

Diese Schritte haben Virginia den Grundstein gelegt, sich in die „Nähe“ einzutauchen, um benachteiligten Gemeinden Schaden zuzufügen – aber es gibt noch viel zu tun, sagte Jay Ford, Outreach-Koordinator bei der Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“Diese Grundsatzerklärungen sind jetzt das Gesetz von Virginia”, sagte Peggy Sanner, Geschäftsführerin der Stiftung. “Aber sie schaffen nur wenige konkrete Bestätigungspflichten seitens der Agenturen.”

„Umweltungerecht“

Trotz der legislativen Schritte drängen Befürworter Virginia, mit neuen Schutzmaßnahmen für die Umweltgerechtigkeit weiter zu gehen.

Die Chesapeake Bay Foundation hat den Staat gedrängt, seine Methoden zur Untersuchung von Risiken von der Energieinfrastruktur bis hin zu Vierteln mit niedrigem Einkommen und farbigen Gemeinschaften zu verbessern.

Die Kompressorstation an der Atlantikküste, die in der Gemeinde Union Hill im Buckingham County in Virginia gebaut werden soll, war das Projekt, das letztes Jahr die Entscheidung des 4. Kreises beflügelte.

Das Gericht ermahnte die staatlichen Aufsichtsbehörden und warnte, dass Umweltgerechtigkeit “nicht nur ein zu überprüfendes Kästchen” ist (Energywire, 8. Januar 2020).

In jüngerer Zeit hat die Chesapeake Bay Foundation Widerstand gegen eine Kompressorstation erhoben, die Erdgas entlang der Mountain Valley-Pipeline transportieren soll, die einer Route durch Virginia und West Virginia folgt, ähnlich der geplanten Route der Atlantikküste.

Wie beim Buckingham County-Projekt befindet sich die Lambert-Station von Mountain Valley im Banister District von Pittsylvania County in einer Gemeinde, die zuerst von befreiten versklavten Menschen gegründet wurde.

Das Projekt für fossile Brennstoffe soll Erdgas aus der noch unvollständigen Mountain Valley-Pipeline in die geplante Southgate-Erweiterung des Projekts nach North Carolina fördern. Anwohner sind einem erhöhten Verschmutzungsrisiko durch die geplante Anlage ausgesetzt, die sich in der Nähe von zwei anderen bestehenden Kompressorstationen befinden würde (Energywire, 14. Juni).

Die Chesapeake Bay Foundation und andere Gegner des Lambert-Projekts sagen, dass Entwickler und staatliche Aufsichtsbehörden die kumulativen Auswirkungen der Einrichtungen nicht berücksichtigt und eine Analyse der erwarteten Emissionsauswirkungen unsachgemäß auf einen Umkreis von 1 Meile um die Kompressorstation beschränkt haben (Energywire, 20. Juli) .

Kritiker des Projekts sagten auch, dass die Genehmigung einer Genehmigung für eine Kompressorstation, die Gas aus der noch unvollständigen Mountain Valley-Pipeline fördern soll, verfrüht ist.

Trotz des Urteils des 4. Bezirks über die Station in Buckingham County sei das Verfahren des DEQ für das öffentliche Engagement „ökologisch ungerecht“ geblieben, sagte Kay Ferguson, Co-Direktor von ARTivism Virginia, in einer virtuellen öffentlichen Anhörung, die Anfang des Jahres von staatlichen Aufsichtsbehörden abgehalten wurde. DEQ reagierte nicht auf eine Bitte um Stellungnahme.

Der Analyseentwurf von DEQ ergab, dass die Lambert-Station voraussichtlich die Feinstaubbelastung um fast 30 Prozent erhöhen und die zulässigen Schwellenwerte überschreiten wird, sagte Jolene Mafnas, eine Organisatorin von Food & Water Watch in Virginia, den staatlichen Aufsichtsbehörden in derselben öffentlichen Anhörung.

Emissionen von Feinstaub, Benzol, Formaldehyd und Lachgas können das Risiko von Gesundheitsproblemen wie Asthma, Herzinfarkt und manchmal Krebs erhöhen, sagte sie.

Der Schutz der Umweltgerechtigkeit, der derzeit in der Gesetzgebung von Virginia geprüft wird, würde wahrscheinlich zu spät kommen, um den Verlauf der Lambert-Anlage in Mountain Valley zu ändern, sagte Ford von der Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Fortschritte bei der Gesetzgebung seien jedoch ein wichtiger Schritt für die Bewohner des Bundesstaates.

“Wo der Gummi auf die Straße trifft, sind wir jetzt”, sagte er.

„Jobkiller“?

Bemühungen, den Schutz für gefährdete Gemeinschaften auszuweiten, stoßen auf wirtschaftliche Bedenken, die von einigen Gesetzgebern in der Generalversammlung von Virginia geäußert wurden.

Zu dieser Gruppe gehört der staatliche Senator Chap Petersen (D), der den Ausschuss leitet, in dem McClellans Gesetzentwurf, der die Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für Umweltgerechtigkeit als Bedingung für einen DEQ-Genehmigungsantrag forderte, starb.

“Eine große stationäre Quelle von Luftverschmutzung klingt nach einer schlechten Sache”, wurde Petersen in der Virginia Mercury in einer Anhörung über den Gesetzentwurf zitiert. „Es ist auch ein Job für jemanden. Es ist auch eine Produktionsstätte.

“Und wenn wir dieses Gesetz in seiner jetzigen Form verabschieden”, fuhr er fort, “befürchte ich, dass es in ländlichen Gegenden ein Jobkiller wird, wie Sie ihn noch nie zuvor gesehen haben.”

Petersen war zum Zeitpunkt der Veröffentlichung nicht erreichbar, um diesen Artikel zu kommentieren.

Seine Besorgnis wird von lokalen Beamten geteilt, die auf das Potenzial von Industrieinvestitionen zur Stützung knapper Budgets hingewiesen werden.

Im Fall der geplanten Kompressorstation Lambert nannten lokale Beamte und einige Anwohner die erwarteten Steuereinnahmen des Landkreises als Hauptgrund für die Unterstützung des Projekts.

Die Einrichtung soll dem Landkreis jährlich 1,4 Millionen US-Dollar an Steuereinnahmen einbringen, sagte Charles Miller, der den Banister District im Pittsylvania Board of County Supervisors vertritt, den staatlichen Aufsichtsbehörden während einer öffentlichen Anhörung.

“Dies könnte uns helfen, große Arbeitgeber für den Landkreis zu gewinnen”, sagte er.

Der Bau der Kompressorstation wäre eine wichtige wirtschaftliche Entwicklung für einen Teil von Virginia, der um die jetzt schwindende Kohleindustrie herum gebaut worden war, sagte Chadwick Dotson, ein Juraprofessor und pensionierter Richter, der in Pittsylvania County lebte.

„Wir brauchen dringend ein Denken über den Tellerrand hinaus, um eine Wirtschaft aufrechtzuerhalten, die es unseren Kindern, einschließlich meiner beiden, ermöglicht, hier zu leben und zu gedeihen“, sagte Dotson in öffentlichen Kommentaren.

Bedenken hinsichtlich der wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen der Kodifizierung von Umweltgerechtigkeitsstandards könnten übertrieben sein und potenzielle Vorteile für Entwickler ignorieren, sagte Julius Redd, Direktor der Firma Beveridge & Diamond PC.

“Ein Teil der Ironie der Opposition ist, dass eine klare Gesetzgebung einen Teil dieser Unsicherheit in standardisierten Genehmigungs- und Analyseprozessen beseitigen kann”, sagte Redd.

Er fügte hinzu, dass es wichtig sei, den Beitrag der Industrie bei der Vorlage und Umsetzung von Umweltgerechtigkeitsgesetzen zu erhalten.

Das Urteil des 4. Bezirks im vergangenen Jahr hat einige Unternehmen dazu veranlasst, ihre eigenen Geschäftspraktiken zu überprüfen und zu überarbeiten, um „ihr Risiko, ähnlichen Herausforderungen ausgesetzt zu sein, zu mindern“, sagte er.

“Anekdotisch hat es eine Wirkung gezeigt”, sagte Redd über die Entscheidung des Gerichts.

Unternehmen wie Mountain Valley haben erklärt, dass sie Virginias Bemühungen begrüßen, die Anforderungen an die Umweltgerechtigkeit zu klären.

„Trotz der Unklarheiten in den aktuellen Regulierungsprozessen hat sich Mountain Valley verpflichtet, eine umfassende und gründliche regulatorische Überprüfung durchzuführen“, schrieb Natalie Cox, Sprecherin von Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, in einer E-Mail.

„Dazu gehört eine solide Gelegenheit zur Beteiligung der Öffentlichkeit, beginnend mit dem Start von Projekten bis hin zu deren Entwicklung“, sagte sie.

Cox sagte, das Unternehmen habe vier Stipendien in Höhe von 5.000 US-Dollar für High-School-Studenten für den Besuch eines örtlichen Community College übernommen und versucht, „langfristige Beziehungen“ mit Bewohnern der mehrheitlich schwarzen Gemeinde aufzubauen, in der die Lambert-Station gebaut werden würde.

„Wir sind stolz darauf, mit allen Parteien kooperativ und kollaborativ zusammenzuarbeiten und bleiben bereit, mit Gegnern zusammenzuarbeiten, um ihre Bedenken auszuräumen“, schrieb Cox.

NICHT reformieren

McClellan unterstützt derzeit einen Gesetzentwurf, der dauerhaft eine behördenübergreifende Arbeitsgruppe einrichten soll, die für die Untersuchung der Arbeit der staatlichen Behörden zuständig ist, um Bedenken hinsichtlich der Umweltgerechtigkeit anzugehen.

Sie hofft, dass die Gesetzgebung – und eine Version des DEQ-Genehmigungsgesetzes, das sie mitfinanziert hatte – im nächsten Jahr in irgendeiner Form verabschiedet werden könnte.

DEQ überdenkt auch seinen eigenen Ansatz zur Genehmigung von Projekten als Reaktion auf die Entscheidung des 4. Bezirks im letzten Jahr.

Das Gericht stellte fest, dass es für DEQ nicht ausreicht, festzustellen, dass ein Projekt den nationalen Luftqualitätsstandards oder den Emissionsstandards von Virginia entspricht. Stattdessen, so das Gericht, hätte die Behörde prüfen sollen, wie sich die Emissionen speziell auf die Bewohner von Union Hill ausgewirkt hätten, wo sich die Kompressorstation von Buckingham County befunden hätte.

DEQ befindet sich noch in der Anfangsphase der Entwicklung einer Regel, um die Bedenken des Gerichts auszuräumen, sagte Sanner von der Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“Meine Kristallkugel zeigt noch nicht, was dabei passieren wird”, sagte Sanner. “Die Frage für die Regulierungsbehörden wird sein, wie die Standorteignung so definiert werden kann, dass die kumulierten Auswirkungen auf die Bürger ausgeglichen oder angemessen berücksichtigt werden.”

DEQ kündigte im April auch die Schaffung eines neuen Büros für Umweltgerechtigkeit an, das von Renee Hoyos geleitet wird, die sich jahrelang in Tennessee für Umweltgerechtigkeit eingesetzt hatte.

McClellan sagte, wenn staatliche Aufsichtsbehörden ernsthaft Umweltgerechtigkeit angehen wollen, müssen sie die sozialen und gesundheitlichen Kosten – nicht nur die wirtschaftlichen Folgen – für die umliegende Gemeinschaft berücksichtigen, bevor sie entscheiden, ob ein Projekt vorangetrieben werden soll.

Unternehmen stehen auch unter Druck von Kunden, Entscheidungen zu treffen, die weniger Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt haben, fügte McClellan hinzu.

„Letztendlich ist der Klimawandel nicht nur ein ernstes Thema – es ist ein existenzielles Thema“, sagte sie. “Auf Kosten der Gesundheit unseres Planeten Geschäfte anzuziehen, ist sehr kurzsichtig.”

Categories
Chesapeake

Stunt driving leads to drug charges for 27-year-old

Links to the breadcrumb trail

Categories
Chesapeake

Northam appoints new Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam named Ann Jennings as the new Secretary of State for Natural and Historical Resources on Wednesday.

“Virginia’s water and air are cleaner today because we’ve made historic investments in Virginia’s natural resources over the past four years.” said Governor Northam. “We have secured more funding for Chesapeake Bay than any other government before. We’re committed to clean energy with the largest offshore wind farm in the country being built off the coast of Virginia Beach. We are breaking new ground in terms of coastal resilience and environmental justice. Ann Jennings has been a leader in this work, and as Secretary, she will ensure that Virginia continues that dynamic. “

Jennings was Assistant Secretary for Natural and Historical Resources with primary responsibility for Chesapeake Bay. She was also the director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission in Virginia, a three-state legislative commission created to advise the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia general assemblies on matters of Bay-wide concern.

The appointment comes as the Chesapeake Executive Council prepares for a meeting in Virginia Beach next week. The council includes the governors of the six river basins, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The committee sets the guidelines for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay.

Prior to joining the state government, Jennings served as the Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Her career also includes working as a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Jennings is originally from Virginia Beach and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Texas A&M University. She is a graduate of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute and the Political Leaders Program of the Sorensen Institute.

Matt Strickler, the outgoing Secretary of State for Natural and Historical Resources, is pursuing new opportunities where he will continue his excellent work of protecting our nation’s resources. He began working with the governor in 2008 as a legislative assistant in the office of then Senator Northam. Strickler has served in the cabinet since Governor Northam took office in 2018.

“We will miss Secretary Strickler and wish him all the best in his future endeavors”, said Governor Northam. “I want to thank Matt for everything he has done for the people of the Commonwealth during his time in this administration. His work to purify the air and water in Virginia over the past four years has directly benefited the health, well-being and life of everyone who lives here. “

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