Category: Regulations, Gov’t Oversight
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SCC Agrees Dominion Must Own Most Wind, Solar
By Steve Haner The State Corporation Commission has rejected arguments that the Virginia Clean Economy Act would allow Virginia’s dominant electric utility to get more than 35% of its new wind, solar and battery power from third party suppliers. Dominion Energy Virginia is guaranteed by law (actually, required is the better word) to own 65%…
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Youngkin Energy Reforms Killed Without Votes
By Steve Haner Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposal to ensure that any future wave of wind turbines built off Virginia must follow a real competitive bid process ended up dead as a beached whale. The General Assembly didn’t just kill his proposed amendment during its reconvened session April 12, it refused to even take up the…
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Too Much Sulfur Dioxide? Ah, Don’t Worry, It’s Just a Little Fine
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Today’s Richmond Times-Dispatch has a story that illustrates the importance and need for vigorous local journalism, while also illustrating the limitations of local journalism due to the lack of seasoned reporters and editors. The story deals with the violation of environmental regulations by a chemical plant in Hopewell. The plant, a cornerstone…
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How To Really, Really Tick Off Fairfax Taxpayers
People don’t understand! These political leadership jobs are hard! It is a great sacrifice to serve, and it is only fair that the taxpayers contribute to the comfort and convenience of those of us working so hard for their better future. They can be so ungrateful…. Did that go through Fairfax Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay’s…
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LifePoint Health Credit Ratings and Outlooks Signal Additional Challenges for its Virginia Hospitals
by James C. Sherlock One thing I watch about companies in industries I cover is the ratings and outlooks on their credit. In my experience, the SEC’S three largest nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs), Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch, tend to know as much about company finances as their boards do. Sometimes more. I recently…
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Virginia Hospital Profits Soared Far Above National Averages – Again – in 2021
by James C. Sherlock The predictions for hospital finances in 2021 forecast Armageddon. Then the actual financial data from 5,600 U.S. hospitals in 2021 were assessed. Based on those data the median operating margin for U.S. hospitals in 2021 was actually a loss of 1.5%. Meanwhile, the average operating margin for hospitals was a loss of…
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Continuing Turmoil at Danville and Martinsville Hospitals Raises Questions of Oversight – Again
by James C. Sherlock Beckers Hospital Review reports that Sovah Health hospitals in Danville and Martinsville have eliminated the Chief Operating Officer (COO) positions at both hospitals. Sovah announced that the responsibilities of those two positions will now be absorbed by “other members of the existing team.” Whatever that may mean. Management turmoil at Sovah…
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A More Appropriate Management Model for State Mental Health Facilities
by James C. Sherlock I always find it disturbing when state agencies operate institutions that they are also responsible for regulating and inspecting. It almost cannot work. I have brought this up with regards to the VDOE operation of a virtual learning program when that same agency oversees private providers of the exact same services.…
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Youngkin Seeks Bids on Future Offshore Wind
By Steve Haner Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) has proposed a stronger requirement in state law that any second wave of offshore wind serving Virginia be subjected to a competitive procurement process, rather than simply allowing Dominion Energy Virginia to build it with all the costs and risks imposed on its customers. The planned 176-turbine Coastal…
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Crime in Virginia — the Statistics of Race and their Causes
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in Children and Families, Civil Rights, Individual Liberties, Corruption and Scandals, Crime, Corrections, Law Enforcement, Culture wars, Democracy and Western Civilization, Demographics, Education (K-12), Efficiency in Government, General Assembly, Governance, Government Finance, Health Care, Housing, Land use & Development, Mental illness and substance abuse, Politics, Public safety & health, Race and Race Relations, Regulations, Gov’t Oversightby James C. Sherlock Crime, especially violent crime, is a constant topic in private conversations and in public politics, and thus here on Bacon’s Rebellion. Comments on BR crime-related articles turn quickly to race, often without basis in fact. I will offer below the actual crime statistics by race from 2021, the latest available year,…
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Arlington CPS Seizes Baby Girl Over Tylenol
by Asra Q. Nomani and Debra Tisler Late Wednesday afternoon, in Courtroom 4B of Arlington County’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Sean Jackson beamed widely as a judge granted him and his parents, Carlos Makle and Kim Jackson-Makle, joint custody of Sean’s baby girl, Amoria, instead of relegating her to foster care or instability with…
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APCO VCEA Plan Keeps Coal Until 2040 (In WVA)
by Steve Haner Appalachian Power Company (APCO), serving Western Virginia, has now filed its annual update on Virginia Clean Economy Act compliance, including long term bill impact estimates. As the State Corporation Commission begins its review process, here are some highlights: The projected increases in electric bills are little changed and perhaps a bit lower…
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The Registered Nurse Shortage
by James C. Sherlock I have reported often about the severe and increasing shortages of nurses both in Virginia and nationally. At some point in nearly everyone’s life, we literally will not be able to live without the help of a nurse, whether for injury or illness or just declining overall health. We need both…
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Lower Bills? Green Energy Keeps Them Climbing.
by Steve Haner Customer cost projections for compliance with the Virginia Clean Economy Act have increased again from the first such estimates made in 2020. The bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity from Dominion Energy Virginia to power a home for a month may rise almost $100, or 83%, by 2035. Dominion residential customers…
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“Cheap” Solar Costs More Than Offshore Wind?
by Steve Haner In preparing for the latest round of new additions to its solar generation assets, Dominion Energy Virginia rejected eight privately- developed projects which were substantially cheaper than the projects it wanted to build on its own with ratepayer money. Just how much more expensive the company-owned projects will be is not clear,…