A combination of environmental factors exposes Virginia’s coastal dwellers to some of the nation’s most severe climate change-related hazards, yet the state has almost zero plans for adaptation. Could that be about to change?
John Upton details Virginia's climate change risks (e.g., subsiding costal areas, shifting currents, and rising seas) before asking the question of the state is preparing to do in response to these risks. "According to James McGarry, the chief policy analyst at the non-profit Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the answer to that question is pretty much 'Nada.' Despite the severe risks that Virginia faces from a warming climate, McGarry said that the state’s leadership is doing less than the leaders of many other states to address the problems.
Fortunately, however, there have been recent signs of life from the state. "On July 1,Governor Terry McAuliffe reconvened a commission of experts to make recommendations about how the state could address climate change. Coincidentally, a week later, McGarry’s group published a 60-page report that could help guide those efforts."
The report includes 10 recommendations: five for greenhouse gas emission reductions; five for climate change adaptation.
FULL STORY: How to Keep Virginia From Sinking

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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