www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-19 12:35:00
Over $15 million in federal funding is allocated to Virginia’s coastline to combat rising seas, erosion, and flooding. Democratic U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced $10.3 million for Tangier Island’s dredging and shoreline work and $4.95 million for a coastal storm risk management study in Virginia Beach and nearby cities. Tangier Island faces rapid erosion, losing over three feet of land annually, threatening homes and docks. Virginia Beach has over 60,000 flood-prone homes and vulnerable evacuation routes. The study aims to map flood risks and explore solutions like shoreline barriers. The funding builds on long-standing efforts to protect the region from flooding.
(The Center Square) – Over $15 million in new federal funding is heading to Virginia’s coastline to help protect communities facing rising seas, crumbling shorelines and mounting flood risks.
The investment, announced by Democratic U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, includes $10.3 million for dredging and shoreline work on Tangier Island and $4.95 million for a coastal storm risk management study in Virginia Beach and nearby cities.
Tangier Island has been losing over three feet of land each year to erosion,according to federal reports— a pace that’s already carved away much of its shoreline and left homes and working docks dangerously close to the water.
Tangier is home to just over 400 people and is only accessible by boat or small plane, making it one of the most isolated communities in Virginia.Many residents rely on commercial crabbing for income, and over 70% lack health insurance, according to U.S. Census data.
The $4.95 million study will help the region prepare for rising water by mapping flood risks and testing long-term solutions like shoreline barriers and building elevations.
City planners say more than60,000 peoplein Virginia Beach live in flood-prone homes, and about 35% of the city’s evacuation routes are already vulnerable during heavy rain or tidal flooding.
Federal officials have studied erosion threats to Tangier Island formore than50 years, recommending a seawall as early as 1976. That project, along with other shoreline protections, was never built.
In Virginia Beach, the latest study builds on years of work between the city and the Army Corps of Engineers, including a 2022 federal partnership to model storm surge, erosion and long-term flood risk.
“Coastal Virginia has longbeen identifiedas one of themost vulnerable regions of the countryto flooding,” Warner and Kaine said in a joint statement.“Thanks to smart federal investments, we’re not just worrying about it anymore—we’re doing something about it.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily reports on the allocation of federal funding for flood protection and erosion control in Virginia, particularly for Tangier Island and Virginia Beach. The content remains factual and focuses on the actions of Democratic U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. While the article highlights their announcement of the investment, the language is neutral and does not attempt to persuade readers toward a specific political stance. The framing of the situation emphasizes the challenges of erosion and rising seas, but it does not promote an ideological position on these issues. The coverage sticks to factual details and provides information on the needs of the communities involved.
www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-07-04 17:28:02
SUMMARY: Statistics reveal the dangers of Fourth of July fireworks, with 14,700 people treated in ERs for injuries in 2024 and 11 deaths reported, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Dr. Kara Kowalczyk, a pediatric emergency specialist, highlights common injuries to hands, fingers, eyes, and the head, face, and ears, with burns accounting for 37% of cases. Certain fireworks are illegal in parts of Virginia and North Carolina, yet many still use them. Safety advice includes keeping fireworks away from children and flammable materials and soaking used fireworks in water before disposal. For burns, rinse with cool water and call 911 for serious injuries.
Burns to the hands and face increase due to unsafe handling practices over the holiday weekend.
www.youtube.com – NBC4 Washington – 2025-07-04 12:39:16
SUMMARY: Tick season is arriving earlier, lasting longer, and spreading to new areas, including backyards, due to rising temperatures and changing climate patterns. To keep your yard tick-free, experts recommend keeping grass trimmed to about three inches and removing leaves and debris that provide tick shade. Installing a fence can help block deer, which carry ticks, or create a three-foot barrier of dry wood chips or gravel to deter ticks. Avoid spraying pesticides broadly; instead, use tick tubes to target mice that carry ticks. Always check yourself and pets after outdoor activities to remove ticks promptly.
Your backyard could be a prime place for ticks to live during the summer, so here are some tips to keep them out. News4 Consumer Reporter Susan Hogan reports.
_______
NBC4 Washington / WRC-TV is the No. 1 broadcast television station and the home of the most-watched local news in Washington, D.C. The station leads the market in providing timely and breaking news and information in text, video and graphics across more than 15 platforms including NBCWashington.com, the NBC4 app, NBC4 streaming news channel, newsletters, and social media.
Congress passed a major spending package called the “one big beautiful bill,” a key victory for President Trump. The final bill removed a proposed tax on solar and wind power but eliminated the electric vehicle tax credit and shortened the window for renewable projects to qualify for solar and wind credits, requiring construction within a year and operation by 2027. Clean energy advocates warn these tighter deadlines could derail ongoing community and renewable projects. Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner criticized the rollbacks amid Virginia’s clean energy progress. Conversely, the bill benefits the fossil fuel industry with new tax credits for metallurgical coal mines.
Congress on Thursday afternoon passed the sweeping spending package dubbed the “one big beautiful bill,” marking a major legislative win for President Donald Trump — but clean energy advocates say it could derail future renewable projects.
The House approved the measure after the Senate significantly revised the original proposal. For a moment, the renewable energy industry was stunned by provisions that included a proposed tax on solar and wind power, along with an accelerated phase out of Biden-era tax credits.
Although the final version of the bill dropped the proposed tax, it also eliminated the electric vehicle tax credit established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. It further shortened the window for renewable energy projects to qualify for solar and wind credits. Under the new rules, eligible projects must begin construction within a year of the bill’s passage and be placed in service by the end of 2027.
“I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act to help position Virginia as a leader in clean energy technology, putting us on a path toward 20,000 new jobs and lower energy costs,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a statement.
“…Why would President Trump and congressional Republicans undo such historic and effective legislation, and go even further to hurt clean energy by imposing new requirements many wind and solar projects won’t be able to meet?”
The tighter deadlines have raised alarms for projects still in the approval pipeline across several states. Appalachian Voices, an environmental advocacy group, said the bill could jeopardize local and community-led initiatives.
“If you start that project and you have an unexpected delay, but you’re still relying on the credits to get through the end of financing, then you’re just put in a really bad position,” said Kevin Zedack, government affairs specialist for Appalachian Voices. “Especially if you have that project currently moving, and already understand that it’s not going to be placed in service by the deadlines that were imposed. Then you’re just maybe a community organization or a church just left holding the bag.”
Zedack said the tax credits don’t just benefit large scale solar and wind farms for utilities, emphasizing that there have been a number of small community solar projects that were boosted by the credit.
For example, Lee County Public Schools implemented 1.4 megawatt panels across seven schools, along with job training programs. Appalachian Voices reports the school district saved over $3 million over the lifetime of the project.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., stated he is deeply disappointed by the roll backs of renewable energy incentives in the bill, especially after Virginia has made significant strides under the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
The fossil fuel industry, however, came out ahead in the bill. In the final Senate version, metallurgical mines are eligible for a 2.5% tax credit for production. While Virginia has steadily reduced coal production in recent years, there are still more than 100 active mines, mostly in the southwestern part of the state.
“A lot of most of the metallurgical coal that is produced in the United States comes from Appalachia, and most of that product is exported to other countries like India and China to produce cheaper steel,” Zedack said.
The bill passed the house with a margin of 218-214 with all Democrats and two Republicans voting against the measure. The measure now heads to the president’s desk for his signature — ahead of the July 4 deadline imposed by Trump.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
SUBSCRIBE
Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article presents a factual overview of the Republican-led spending bill while emphasizing concerns from clean energy advocates and Democratic senators about rollbacks on renewable energy incentives. The inclusion of critical quotes from Democratic figures like Sen. Tim Kaine and Sen. Mark Warner, and environmental groups highlights a skeptical stance toward the bill’s environmental impact. The article also points out benefits to the fossil fuel industry, suggesting a critique of the legislation’s priorities. The tone and framing lean toward supporting renewable energy policies, characteristic of a center-left perspective, though it remains primarily informative and not overtly partisan.
