Activate Virginia

"Staff at the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) say Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy’s merger should not be approved, as the utility companies have not been able to prove their merger will not harm Virginians’ wallets."

"Chief Financial Officer Bruno Fernandes said at the time of the sale that several interested buyers approached GW about purchasing the property, prompting officials to “capitalize” on the rising land prices."

"It was early October when Dare and her fellow neighbors found out about four data center campuses proposed in Eastern Goochland that would be located nearby or right along the county’s border with Henrico."

"Staff at the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) say Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy’s merger should not be approved, as the utility companies have not been able to prove their merger will not harm Virginians’ wallets."

"Hempling also said it’s concerning that NextEra — an out-of-state holding company with extensive assets, and therefore risks, in utilities without regulated rates — would have control over Dominion."

Spanberger’s energy plan dazzles – and disappoints

"Over the seven months that NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy talked about merging, without mentioning it to any ratepayers, word that the Richmond energy giant might be on the market slipped out far enough to attract another bidder."

"Loudoun has 233 data centers, with 100 more on the way, and there are hundreds of others across the state. Today, from the data center capital of the world, we say enough is enough,” Mummert said.

"The political fighting reflects the outsized attention the criminal case drew and the high stakes of the congressional race, in which Taylor is trying to flip a seat long held by Wittman."

"The city’s relationship with Flock may be coming to an end in June, but that doesn’t necessarily spell the end of automatic license plate readers in Richmond."

"Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Monday called on the State Corporation Commission to reject Dominion’s proposed $67 billion merger with Florida-based NextEra, absent additional conditions that would sweeten the deal."

"Monitoring Analytics, an independent market monitor for PJM, has informed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it opposes the Dominion - Next Era merger."

"Dominion Energy has filed an emergency lawsuit against Prince William County, claiming the board of supervisors broke the law when it rejected a controversial expansion of the electric switching station on Vint Hill Road in Nokesville."

“We'll go to a meeting in a lower-income community or a community that's experiencing a lot of violence, and people are clamoring for more police participation, more surveillance, and so there are very different messages that are emerging...” he said.

Five Ways November Could Go

"Pittsylvania County’s Berry Hill megasite will eventually have 21 data center buildings, built in phases over 15 years, according to permits filed by Stack Infrastructure."

"Protesters gathered in downtown Danville to call for a statewide pause on approvals for new data centers, raising concerns about rising utility costs, water use and the long-term effects of large-scale development on local communities."

“It has to do with the campus that is being proposed and the behavior of the data center when it comes to a moment where they want to locate somewhere,” Ferreira said. “So for me, it’s always about transparency before the local approval.”

"In this case, the publication of this video helps our community better understand a high-profile tragedy, information that should motivate us to continue pushing for reforms that can help keep our children, educators and school staff safer."

“We rely on our elected officials to make smart decisions when major development proposals come to town, and that requires following the law. But that’s not what happened here. Doubling down on industrial pollution with a new gas plant is reckless..."

"Lynchburg voters applying to vote absentee by mail are being urged to check their return envelopes after a third-party mailing error sent some applications to the wrong post office box."

"The names of nearly all the companies and trade associations that sponsored the Aug. 5, 2025 event remain a mystery, shrouded by an interpretation of state ethics laws that some lobbyists believe exempts Virginia Night expenses from disclosure."

“The Plaza 500 proposal exposes the full danger of unchecked data center expansion,” said Tyler Ray, founder of the Save Bren Mar Coalition. “We need an immediate moratorium, so state and local leaders can establish tough guardrails.”

"Campaigns have spent more than $35 million on more than 160 ads referencing Epstein this cycle, according to a CNN analysis. In 2024, there were just three such ads, all in local Florida races."

"We've seen tremendous improvement in overall river health, but concerning indicators in the lower James, notably poor water clarity and underwater grass scores," James River Association advocacy director Jamie Brunkow tells Axios.

"Leaders at Richmond's Department of Public Utilities (DPU) raised "urgent" concerns amid the flawed rollout of its new billing system but seemingly struggled to get help from a vendor, according to internal communications reviewed by CBS 6."

"Norfolk signed a 5-year contract with Flock in 2023. Upward of 200 Flock cameras are used across the city, including 175 operated by the Norfolk Police Department, 24 by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and 17 by Norfolk State University."

"He also called the Virginia Israel Advisory Board a redundant entity that “diverts millions of dollars each year in state, federal, and private grants towards Israeli corporations.”"

"A 3-2 split decision Monday night ended Gordonsville’s 287(g) ICE agreement established earlier this year after the appointment of new police chief Christopher Votaw."

"Other regulators have viewed the legacy of NextEra and said no. NextEra has failed to close at least five acquisitions — Oncor in Texas, Hawaiian Electric, Maryland’s Constellation Energy, and Jacksonville (Florida) Electric Authority..."

"Other regulators have viewed the legacy of NextEra and said no. NextEra has failed to close at least five acquisitions — Oncor in Texas, Hawaiian Electric, Maryland’s Constellation Energy, and Jacksonville (Florida) Electric Authority..."

"As Florida Power & Light’s parent company, NextEra, seeks a massive merger with Dominion Energy in Virginia, pressure is building for NextEra to disclose more information about its past Florida political scandals."

"Carol Myers, of the Commission’s Division of Utility Accounting and Finance, wrote in the 201-page testimony that the Dominion–NextEra proposal fails to satisfy the Utility Transfers Act."

"Newer stones tend to be made of granite, which is more durable. But Norfolk’s historic cemeteries, such as the second-oldest Elmwood, are full of marble stones... “Marble is the most porous thing, it gets very brittle, quick,” Dill said."

"Concerns about personal information have also been raised, Kamras said, adding that officials are working determine whether personal information have been affected. If any information was impacted, Kamras said the division will “notify those impacted..."

🚨Early Bird 🦅 In 2027, Va. will elect members in 140 state LDs, 40 SDs & 100 HDs. (D)s have already filed in 134/140 of these LDs. “’…that is how Democrats go on offense: begin recruiting immediately… …give the next group opportunities to learn…’” davidphelps2015.substack.com/p/countdown-...

Proposed electric rate increase of 23% for parts of Southwest Virginia heads to commonwealth regulators

"He also questioned what NextEra’s record in other markets could mean for Virginia, saying public trust requires decision-makers to show up and that the review process should not feel like a formality."

No Data Center in Pulaski County VA

"The bill says such nondisclosure agreements are against public policy and that nondisclosure agreements reached after July 1, 2027, would be void and unenforceable."

"While political ads remain impossible to avoid, the traditional debate stage — where candidates stand side-by-side fielding unscripted questions and drawing direct contrasts — has grown increasingly rare across the Commonwealth."

"When Virginia first began to offer a 100% real estate tax exemption to disabled veterans in 2011, fewer than 600 Hampton Roads properties were enrolled. But the number of tax-exempt properties is projected to exceed 34,000 next year..."

"All Flock cameras on public property in Arlington have been removed, but that doesn’t mean the technology is gone entirely, county staff say."

ATTENTION LAWMAKERS: Wondering how to respond to the growing public backlash against ALPR mass surveillance with real policy change? EFF’s new State Legislative Agenda outlines how states can ban these camera networks or strictly curtail their abuse.

Pro-data center industry group behind ad campaign in Oregon, Virginia, five other states

"NextEra’s $4M Trump ballroom donation muddies Dominion merger debate, watchdogs say"

"For well over a century," Gibney wrote, "the Commonwealth of Virginia has disobeyed a federal law designed to protect the right of former enslaved people to vote."

“We’re standing on the ledge,” said Jay Ford, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia policy manager.

"To have it in a room where you can't take notes, you can only look at it, it's only select people, so what's so explosive that's in there? With this coming into Virginia, we need to know," Wolfe said.

"Richmond Mayor Danny Avula on Tuesday wouldn’t rule out signing a contract with a new automatic license plate reader vendor once the city’s deal with Flock Safety ends next July."