Author: Gage Harter

Joint Commission on Health Care Concludes 2024 Work, Plots Course for 2025

The Joint Commission on Health Care held its final meeting of 2024 on December 17, discussing and voting on policy options from staff studies on expanding access to sickle cell disease treatment and strengthening the anesthesia workforce, as well as finalizing recommendations from staff’s study of extending health care to vulnerable populations and adopting a […]

VDOT Updates on Hurricane Helene Recovery

During the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) meeting on December 4, 2024, VDOT staff gave a presentation outlining the details and path of Hurricane Helene, how the agency prepared for the storm, the aftermath of the storm and the ongoing response and recovery effort. Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage in Southwest Virginia.  This is portrayed, not […]

Comprehensive JLARC Study on Data Centers Highlights Positive Impacts to Virginia Economy, But Forecasted Demand to Provide Electricity will be Difficult to Meet

74,000 jobs, $5.5 billion in labor income, $9.1 billion in annual GDP, these are the findings in a recently released Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC) report “Data Centers in Virginia.” The majority of this economic activity is derived from the construction phase rather than in ongoing operations, and with more data centers being planned it […]

VACo County Pulse Podcast – Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch | Episode 6

Season 4Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch Energy Landscape of Virginia Episode 6 | Legislative Outlook Update – Proposals to Preempt County Authority on Siting of Solar Facilities Listen to the Podcast Legislative Outlook Update – Proposals to Preempt County Authority on Siting of Solar Facilities. Joe Lerch and VACo Executive Director Dean […]

VACo Opposes New Proposal to Preempt Local Decisions on Siting of Solar Facilities

On November 26 the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (CEUR) was presented a draft legislative proposal, that if adopted, would signal the state’s intention to override a decision by any county that denies certain applications for a utility-scale solar or battery storage project more than 20 megawatts (MW) in generation/storage capacity (NOTE: On average, a […]

Visit Prince William County and the Prince William County Historic Courthouse

The Old Manassas Courthouse is located at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Lee Avenue in Old Town Manassas. It is the fifth County Courthouse and County seat in Prince William County. The County seat was moved to Manassas in 1894 and this building was used as the County courthouse until 1982. The Old Manassas […]

PFAS Expert Advisory Committee Begins Meeting

On November 8, 2024 the first meeting of the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee took place. Legislation passed during the 2024 Session required the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to transfer data to the Virginia Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) on a quarterly basis all validated monitoring test results that indicate Per and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Maximum […]

“Money Committees” Prepare for 2025 at Annual Retreats

The General Assembly’s “money committees” received generally positive reports about state revenues, tempered with uncertainty about broader economic factors, at their annual pre-session retreats in late November.  The House Appropriations and House Finance Committees met in Abingdon on November 19, and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee held its event in Harrisonburg on November 21-22.  […]

Congressman Gerry Connolly Speaks at the Region 8 Meeting

VACo held its last regional meeting for 2024 on September 26th in service of VACo Region 8 county members.  VACo staff had the honor of hosting local, state and federal elected officials and staff during this virtual meeting. These regional meetings allow VACo staff to hear directly from county staff and elected officials on the […]

Visit Powhatan County and the Powhatan County Historic Courthouse

PHOTO SOURCE: Virginia Department of Historic Resources Location: 3880 Old Buckingham Road / Scottsville RoadBuilt: 1848 – 1849Style: Greek RevivalArchitect: Alexander Jackson DavisContractor: K Lewis Johnson Description: The building faces west and is a two story cream colored stucco structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Powhatan. The original […]

VACo Releases Its 2025 Legislative Program

VACo has released its 2025 Legislative Program, which was adopted by membership on November 12 at the Annual Business Meeting. The 2025 Legislative Program was drafted through VACo’s steering committee process. The document has a host of important and timely proposed policy statements, including language pertaining to K-12 education funding, local taxing authority, stormwater regulations, […]

VACo Provides Public Testimony at Federal Hearing on OSHA’s Proposed Emergency Response Standard for Fire Brigades

On Wednesday, November 20, VACo staff provided testimony at a public hearing for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed rule to update regulations regarding emergency response workers, who often face substantial occupational hazards. VACo staff stressed to the OSHA panel and presiding Judge how additional unfunded mandates proposed in the rule could pose yet […]

JLARC Report Outlines Serious Concerns with Virginia Department of Health’s Financial Management, Staffing, Workplace Culture

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) received a report from its staff on November 7 outlining serious problems with the Virginia Department of Health’s financial management, staffing, and workplace culture. JLARC members had directed this review in fall 2023, directing staff to review the operations and management of the Virginia Department of Health […]