First Up: We’re thrilled to share some GOOD news this week from Richmond! 

Richmond shoppers will pay tax on disposable plastic bags starting in 2026 – ABC8 News, June 2, 2025

Earlier this week, members of the City Council in Richmond passed an ordinance that will require a $0.05 fee to be charged for every single-use plastic shopping bag provided by grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores within city limits. The fee will go into effect on January 1, 2026. Monies collected from the fee will be used by the City to provide reusable bags for SNAP and WIC recipients, as well as other environmental projects that support plastic pollution reduction. Bag fee ordinances like this one encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags, reduce waste, and prevent litter. Most of Northern Virginia adopted the $.05 ordinance in the last 4 years. 

JUST IN: Youngkin schedules special election to replace Rep. Gerry Connolly – FFX Now, June 3, 2025

On September 9th, voters in Virginia’s 11th District (which covers most of Fairfax County) will elect a new U.S. Representative to take the place of Gerry Connolly, who passed away last month. Candidates have until July 11th to declare for the race, which already comprises a field of 10 from major parties. 

Tariffs stack more pressure on U.S. craft breweries, according to GlobalData report – Craft Brewing Business, June 2, 2025

This Administration’s tariff policies will increase the cost to produce local craft beers. As aluminum and steel tariffs go from 25% to 50% this week, small American breweries will have to navigate the significantly higher costs. According to this article, “Aluminum cans make up 75% of packaged craft beer by volume. Canada, the largest supplier of U.S. aluminum and steel, is now included in these tariffs. Costs for kegs, brewhouses, tanks, and even building infrastructure are climbing fast.” With at least 80 craft breweries in Northern Virginia and more than 300 across the Commonwealth, this tariff increase will be felt acutely in our region. Meanwhile, tariffs and inflation have already raised costs for other imported beer ingredients such as barley and malt. Of course, businesses facing tariffs that raise production costs cannot help but pass along at least some of the increases to consumers. Higher tariffs mean higher prices, at least in the short term. However, this could be an opportunity for more creative labeling for craft brewing cans, to increase aluminum can recycling rates in this sector. 

The AI of the storm – The Ecologist, May 30, 2025

The growth of online activity in recent decades has given rise to enormous data centers needed to store the world’s data. Northern Virginia is the world’s leading data center market, with over 575 data centers operational or under construction. All of these data centers require space, enormous amounts of electricity, and water to cool the servers, which puts increasing environmental pressure on their host communities. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the already huge energy needs are becoming nearly insatiable. This article highlights the issue, noting that – incredibly – “data centres worldwide already consume as much electricity as entire countries like France or Germany. [The International Monetary Fund] forecasts that by 2030, the worldwide energy demand from data centres will be the same as India’s total electricity consumption.” Here in Virginia, a 2024 study by the state legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) also concluded that the explosive energy demands required by new data center construction will be very difficult to meet with associated power generation and transmission infrastructure. It remains to be seen how local governments here in our region will tackle AI’s environmental and energy impacts as they relate to data center expansion.