Activate Virginia

Activate Virginia Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Activate Virginia, Richmond, VA.

Activate Virginia now serves as an all-volunteer network of researchers and activists who focus on uncovering corruption in Virginia and taking on undemocratic features of Virginia government.

"But for Virginians, the central question is simple: Will this make electricity cheaper or more expensive?"
06/14/2026

"But for Virginians, the central question is simple: Will this make electricity cheaper or more expensive?"

The planned acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy brings together two multi-billion-dollar utilities. Here’s how they compare, and what consumers might see ahead.

"In 2023, Chesterfield County leaders asked Virginia regulators for the authority to help oversee and enforce environmen...
06/14/2026

"In 2023, Chesterfield County leaders asked Virginia regulators for the authority to help oversee and enforce environmental laws at the Shoosmith Landfill, after the county determined the landfill was illegally dumping untreated wastewater into the sewer.

But state officials refused, saying there was no legal way to delegate that responsibility to a locality.

Now, the landfill has declared bankruptcy and state officials are facing an estimated $173 million cleanup. Chesterfield leaders say the rejection shows a broader failure in oversight that left them without the tools to intervene."

In 2022, Chesterfield asked for the power to help regulate the Shoosmith Landfill, which authorities say was poorly managed and leaking wastewater. Youngkin's administration rejected the request.

"The Library of Virginia has been offering training for public library staff around the Commonwealth to help them better...
06/13/2026

"The Library of Virginia has been offering training for public library staff around the Commonwealth to help them better understand what the current state of the field is, and how to best help public library users who are coming in with questions about AI’s safety, ethics, environmental impacts, and more. These questions often reflect a high level of concern about the effects of the development and use of AI tools."

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic these days, to say the least, and it seems that there are new developments happening weekly if not daily in the field. It can be a real challenge to keep up with what is going on and to separate reality from hype.

"Most data centers in Virginia are permitted to discharge water into municipal wastewater systems, the same place househ...
06/12/2026

"Most data centers in Virginia are permitted to discharge water into municipal wastewater systems, the same place household water goes to be treated and recycled for consumption. But there’s limited data tracking of potential chemicals in data centers’ discharge water."

Louisa residents share concerns about water discharge from data centers into local creeks. Data is lacking to know if PFAS is present in that water.

"Under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are, for the most part, responsible for the living co...
06/12/2026

"Under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords are, for the most part, responsible for the living conditions in their properties. But that law offers no way for a tenant to force a landlord to address maintenance issues. So when a landlord is unresponsive, or fails outright to maintain a safe living environment, tenants in Virginia have few options, attorneys say."

Against all odds, one Park's Edge tenant got a case into court. It didn't go the way she thought it would.

"Today, DroneUp’s growth and promise have stalled. Walmart ended its relationship in 2025. The company did not meet the ...
06/11/2026

"Today, DroneUp’s growth and promise have stalled. Walmart ended its relationship in 2025. The company did not meet the employment goals pledged to the state. Plans to build a drone training facility at Richard Bland College never materialized. The state and Virginia Beach recently cancelled their public funding of the company, which was contingent on job creation."

DroneUp, started by a Navy veteran, launched with high praise – and up to $6 million in incentives – from state and local leaders. But the commercial drone company has failed to rise to expectations.

"She is worried that with NextEra's backing, it will be even harder for regulators and legislators to resist any Dominio...
06/11/2026

"She is worried that with NextEra's backing, it will be even harder for regulators and legislators to resist any Dominion proposals that might affect customer rates or the kind of generating plants the company builds.

“It’s a disaster,” said Irene Leech, a Virginia Tech consumer studies professor who serves as president of the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council.

“Dominion already has too much political power,” she said. “This means even more.”"

The explosive growth of data centers may upset many Virginians but it looked like an opportunity to Wall Street -- one that NextEra Energy is reaching for by merging with Dominion Energy.

"The Cosner Tech Campus data center development in Spotsylvania County isn’t yet operable.But last year, the project was...
06/11/2026

"The Cosner Tech Campus data center development in Spotsylvania County isn’t yet operable.

But last year, the project was flagged by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for violations relating to the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

Amazon Data Services (ADS) owns and operates the facility, which is still under construction at 3901 Massaponax Church Road.

According to a DEQ notice of enforcement action, the DEQ fined ADS $72,067.80 for violating three conditions of its minor New Source Permit (mNSR) that was issued Oct. 30, 2024, and allows for 186 non-emergency and 15 emergency generators."

But last year, the project was flagged by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for violations relating to the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

“I’m, like, freaking out,” Morgan said. “We bought our forever home. I’ve got little kids and I don’t want a data center...
06/10/2026

“I’m, like, freaking out,” Morgan said. “We bought our forever home. I’ve got little kids and I don’t want a data center in my backyard. I found this out on Sunday and was spinning. What are we going to do with the animals? Where are they going to go? The forest? It’s so sad, and, like, I don’t know, are we going to get any more say from here on out? What’s going on? Where do we go from here, is my question.”

The public comment portion of the King George County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night turned into an impromptu town hall.

"One thing is abundantly clear: NextEra and Dominion are focused on data centers, not residential ratepayers. But the Ge...
06/09/2026

"One thing is abundantly clear: NextEra and Dominion are focused on data centers, not residential ratepayers. But the General Assembly is pushing utilities to see residents as part of the solution to the energy crunch. Many of the bills passed this year expand opportunities for residents and businesses to invest in solar and storage, relieving grid constraints.

We’ve seen nothing so far to reassure us that the energy giants are committed to doing their part to further Virginia’s carbon-cutting mandate. Regulated utilities enjoy monopolies, after all. In return, they are expected to serve the public good.

That’s a point Dominion often misses. The question on the minds of Virginians now is whether we can expect better from NextEra."

The impressive clean energy portfolio notwithstanding, anyone who expects a NewEra takeover to end Dominion’s infatuation with fossil gas is mistaken, columnist Ivy Main writes.

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