Sierra Club - Virginia Piedmont Group

06/14/2026

The Piedmont Group’s ExCom met today to hash out priorities and goals for the year. (The chicken was standing in for the aptly named Wren). We’ll be focusing on two issues this year: biosolids and fossil fuels. Stay tuned!

06/12/2026

Time to let the Governor know how we feel.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲.

Governor Spanberger's administration has launched a public survey to gather input on Virginia's 2026 Energy Plan, which will help shape energy policy and infrastructure decisions across the Commonwealth for years to come.

https://energy.virginia.gov/va-energy-plan.shtml?fbclid=IwY2xjawSZAHRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-BSpyZcBoDitg1Q2RpxL_ZpVaS6JxnZetSqYqv9On5tW6srUl8doxoFFMwE_aem_iSsfzkXaBeVC0Q5G9pBjrw

𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲. https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=qeUKYsFOoE-GQV2fOGxzCW59Aw4RUuFOs0N9nZhe0ppUNDEyRDNQWFhORkRSS1RPT08wR0FBM1JGVy4u&route=shorturl

According to Virginia Energy, the Plan will focus on three priorities:

* Affordability – keeping energy costs manageable for families and businesses
* Reliability – ensuring the electric grid can meet demand
* Resiliency – preparing Virginia's energy system for future challenges and changing conditions

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

Whether your priorities are affordability, reliability, environmental stewardship, property rights, or community health, this is your chance to help shape Virginia's energy future.

06/11/2026

What a perfect speech about data centers.

06/10/2026

Terrible news.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved a last-minute amendment by Sen. Mike Lee to erase the 2001 Roadless Rule.

06/10/2026

06/02/2026

Last night we attended the DEQ info meeting about the application to spread biosolids in Albemarle. The good news is that thanks to Stuart Overby, the great founder of Don’t Spread On Me, the proposed area is only 50 acres. She called the owners of the 5,000 acre plot, noticing that they were trying to sell it, and pointed out that they couldn’t really advertise it as pristine with sewage sludge on it. So they withdrew. Other factoids: a local coalition is pushing Albemarle to create an ordinance for this issue as well as concentrated feedlots (happening in southern Albemarle now), which are polluting land and water with extras like antibiotics and growth hormones. The League of Women Voters will be holding a meeting about this issue on June 23rd - stay tuned for details.

05/29/2026

Our group, and the environmental community as a whole, are mourning Kirk Bowers, who passed away on May 21st. Kirk was a dedicated advocate for conservation and someone whose work had a lasting impact on impact on environmental efforts throughout central Virginia. Shortly before his passing he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his many years of service and advocacy.

Kirk served as Conservation Chair of the Piedmont Group for eleven years and was also a valuable member of the Virginia Chapter staff. Drawing from his background in civil engineering, he brought tremendous technical expertise, careful research and thoughtful analysis to our work.

Kirk was especially well known for his work opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline. He used both his technical knowledge and his passion for organizing and advocacy to educate the public, support environmental protections and help mobilize opposition to the projects. He also worked on a wide range of other environmental and development issues over the years, including climate resiliency planning, coal ash concerns, river and floodplain protection, land use issues, solar development, cell tower ordinances and organizing around data center construction issues.
In addition to his technical and advocacy work, Kirk cared deeply about community organizing and public outreach. He helped spread awareness at tabling events, gathered volunteers, attended rallies and encouraged people of all ages to get involved in environmental advocacy.

Kirk’s contributions to environmental advocacy and conservation will have a lasting impact on the Virginia environmental community. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and all those whose lives he touched h the rough history work and dedication. Thank you, Kirk, for your many years of service, advocacy and commitment to protecting Virginia’s natural resources.

05/29/2026

Our program on Environmental Justice drew a diverse crowd this week. We started with the 5,000 mile view with Mark Sabath of the Southern Environmental Law Center, then heard from Dr. Lakshmi Fjord talking about issues in Virginia and then heard from Deacon Don Gathers about new housing in Cville that disproportionately affects Black neighborhoods. The mark of a good program is when you have to shoo folks out after two hours and even then the discussions continued on the sidewalk afterward So great to have some diversity in our audience.

The folks who came for traditional environmental justice learned about a Cville justice issue and vice versa. A good learning experience for everyone.

05/28/2026

China win(d)s.

02/25/2026

Do we look happy? The Fluvanna Planning Commission just said “no” to the SUP request by Tenaska to build a second gas-fired power plant. What a great surprise!