Going Green: Local lawmakers embrace green building standards

September 10, 2008

Whether in the congested suburbs of major urban centers or in smaller communities around the country, local lawmakers have embraced green building standards. Those standards are exemplified, if not defined outright, by the LEED criteria adopted by the private U.S. Green Building Council.
LEED – it stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.”
Local officials are […]

Written by Peter Vieth · Filed Under Environmental | Leave a Comment 

Arlington seeks to LEED the way in green building

September 10, 2008

How far can Virginia local governments go in requiring developers to build environmentally friendly buildings?
At least one Virginia county is deliberately pushing the legal limit to force builders to “go green.”
Arlington County officials now require every developer seeking planning approval to provide a “sustainable design” scorecard with its application. The scorecard would use the criteria […]

Written by Peter Vieth · Filed Under Environmental | 1 Comment 

Environmental groups challenge coal plant on two fronts

July 29, 2008

Environmental groups launched a two-pronged legal attack last week on a planned $8-billion coal-burning power plant in Wise County.The Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of four other groups, sued in both Richmond Circuit Court and the Supreme Court of Virginia.  Two actions filed in the circuit court are administrative appeals of decisions by the […]

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Coal company can’t dump waste water into mine

June 27, 2008

RE puzzle: When two parties own different rights to a piece of land
Consolidation Coal Co.’s Buchanan No. 1 mine is by far the largest in the state.
Big enough, in fact, that the mine accumulates so much water that pumping it directly into the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River would put more chloride and […]

Written by Alan Cooper · Filed Under Environmental | Leave a Comment