Park Spraying Scheduled
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Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
Under the legislation, which has been carried by Oregon Hill’s representative, Del. Betsy Carr, D-Richmond, two years running, large restaurants and food vendors — defined as those that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations — will have until July 1, 2023, to stop dispensing food in polystyrene containers. Smaller businesses will have an extra two years to comply with the law, with a deadline of July 1, 2025. Violations would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $50 per day.
The General Assembly’s senate also amended the original bill to extend the ban from businesses to local governments, schools and nonprofits, a change Carr said would level the playing field. Keep in mind, if the Governor approves the bill, it will still be four years and four months before that takeout carton from your local diner is guaranteed to be polystyrene free. And containers with unprepared foods, like eggs, will not banned.
Seed Library Established
With the recent warm-up, lots of Richmonders are planning their spring planting. Holly Street neighbor Phaedra has announced that there is a now a small seed library in a alley off her street. Residents are encouraged to take seeds or leave seeds. It was built by Jake Urbanski with salvaged materials, including a handle from an old filing cabinet and a bus window from the GRTC. Lizzy Cox painted it.
OHNA Supports RCV For City Offices
While there was lots of important neighborhood-centric discussion at last night’s OHNA Zoom meeting, one other thing the neighborhood association did was vote to support ranked choice voting for City offices.
It should be noted that while OHNA has not yet had an occasion to use ranked choice voting for its own elections, it has been part of the organization’s bylaws for several years now.
As interest in ranked choice voting grows locally, voters may want to attend this upcoming webinar to learn more about it:
Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news, Recycling Today reports that interest in beverage packaging and electric vehicles has kept aluminum in demand.
In fact, CBS News says there is a looming aluminum can crisis.
Icy Thursday
More freezing rain expected tonight.
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Meeting Next Tuesday
We look forward to seeing you at the next OHNA meeting! We will send out the meeting URL ahead of the meeting on Tuesday. Please arrive ten minutes before 7pm, if possible, so we can admit everyone and allow for connection issues.
If you haven’t registered, and would like to attend, please fill out the survey:
https://forms.gle/pur5xCB3MKEPUfc69
RVA EFF Kicks Off Tonight With VCU Sponsored Film
The 11th Annual RVA Environmental Film Festival kicks off TONIGHT with the world premiere of the feature-length documentary Frozen Obsession, chronicling the expedition of the Swedish icebreaker Oden through 2,000 miles of the Arctic to study the impact of climate change. For even more insight into the findings of this amazing voyage, a panel discussion follows the screening with director and producer David Clark, Donglai Gong of Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the VCU students who were part of this historic research trip.
Be sure to check out the full schedule for the festival, February 12th – 26th, at RVAEFF.org. Read descriptions and see the trailers of over 20 carefully selected films covering a wide array of environmental issues – 5th graders taking on plastic pollution; the benefits of regenerative agriculture; the impact of sea level rise on our national security; the quest of Native Americans for food sovereignty, and so much more!
The entire festival is free to viewers thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. However, registration is required for all films, which is done through festival web page, www.rvaeff.org
Tell SCC: Support SRECs for Community Solar
TODAY is the deadline to send comments to the SCC to help increase VA SREC values.
Background:The VA State Corporation Commission is setting the rules for the implementation of the DG carveout for the Virginia Clean Economy Act as it relates to Dominion Energy filing. The carveout is the percentage of the 100% clean energy goal that will be allocated to distributed solar projects. The Commission will determine what kind of energy projects qualify for the carveout and ultimately how much SRECs are valued. The commission will decide the extent to which solar homeowners are eligible for these credits, and if so, how much these credits are worth. Their decision will affect the value of SREC’s, an important production-based incentive for solar on homes, businesses, and nonprofits in VA.
We’re asserting that to maintain a high value SREC, it’s important that the SCC reserves the solar carveout in the VCEA exclusively for net metered, customer-owned and sited solar. We also see the opportunity to ask the SCC to increase the floor of the carveout as well. But the biggie is making sure that the carveout is reserved for customer owned and sited generation. Solar United Neighbors is joining a number of industry groups to intervene in the proceeding but it’s important that as many VA solar advocates (you’ll) comment as well!
Submit Comments to the SCC before COB 2/12/21.
The commission is accepting public comments regarding Dominion Energy’s filing through Friday.
Go this link:
https://www.scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/comment/PUR-2020-00134
Follow the directions. Fill out the required information, including your name, address, email and other contact information.
In the section marked ‘Comments’, explain why the SCC should support Virginians’ ability to go solar. We’ve drafted a message below, but please personalize your message. If you have solar, tell the commission how it has benefited you and your family. If you don’t have solar, tell the commission you support expanding solar in Virginia.
Hit the submit button
Email to State Corporation Commission (feel free to customize based on your personal or organizational goals)
Dear State Corporation Commission Staff and Commissioners, RE: PUR-2020-00134
The solar installed on homes and businesses across the Commonwealth does more than provide electricity. It creates good local jobs. It makes our electric grid more reliable. And, it provides clean energy. Distributed solar owners deserve credits for these benefits.
Distributed solar energy must play a role in Virginia’s 100% clean energy goal as part of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. You can see that this happens by taking the following steps:
– Reserve the distributed generation carveout solely for customer-owned and sited,net metered solar systems.
– The 1% distributed generation carveout should be a minimum, not maximum amount. This will ensure that more Virginians are able to participate and receive a value for their role in Virginia’s clean energy transition.
– Increase the carve out by a minimum of 1% of the annual RPS requirement on a yearly basis to ensure maximum economic impact. This is consistent with the economic transition requirements contained in the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
Distributed solar is responsible for creating a majority of all solar jobs in Virginia. More distributed solar means more jobs and local economic growth in our communities. For every 1MW of residential solar, 31 jobs are created. Every kW of distributed solar brings $2,425 in economic activity.
Limiting the types of projects eligible for the distributed generation carveout will make solar more accessible to low-income families and support a more broad portfolio of projects in the Commonwealth.
Thank you for reading my letter. Please ensure customer-owned solar plays a role in our clean energy mix.
Regards,
Clogged Storm Drain On S. Laurel Street
Clogged storm drain reported at S. Laurel and China Streets.