by Jim Pierobon, Founder and principal writer of The Energy Fix.
Complete article available at The Energy Collective.

Few, if any, Virginians believe working on sustainability initiatives in the southwestern part of the state is an easy task. Many people who live or work there know some elected officials who are openly skeptical about human-influenced global warming, and with it doubts about the benefits of conserving energy, curbing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and cleaning up local waste streams.

Part of that is due to the region’s long-standing conservative politics and heavy reliance on mining coal and burning it to generate electricity. But as coal-fired power plants become obsolete with ever-tightening restrictions on their emissions, lower cost natural gas and coal mines facing heightened scrutiny over their mining practices, the future of the Roanoke Valley can be seen through two very different lenses by city and county officials.

Click here to read the full article on The Energy Collective.

Jim Pierobon is Founder and principal writer of The Energy Fix. He is a policy, marketing, and social media strategist who has reported on, testified, and consulted about smarter grids, cyber-security as it affects the power grid, fossil fuel shortages, price spikes, energy efficiency, and the rise and fall — and the rise again of nuclear and renewable energy sources. Visit The Energy Fix at www.theenergyfix.com.