VCU news

By Patrick Kane and Sunni Brown

The University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University will cohost the Virginia Power Dialog on April 8.

The Virginia Power Dialog will engage college students and state officials in meaningful conversations on clean energy. The event was inspired by the commitment made by President Obama at the U.N. climate summit in Paris to reduce global warming emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030.

The program includes an overview of the federal Clean Power Plan, poster sessions and panel discussions with students and representatives of local agencies, including the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Department of Environmental Quality and Dominion Power. Students, faculty and staff from 12 Virginia colleges and universities are participating in the event.

This event gives them the medium to do both.

“We know our state officials care what students have to say, but they don’t always have access to this part of their constituency,” said Rob Andrejewski, director of sustainability at UR. “Power Dialog will make sure Virginia students have a chance to share their concerns on climate change and clean energy with the people who have the ability to do something about it.”

“Our students often times feel as though something like the Clean Power Plan, which is at this massive federal level, can be difficult to comprehend, let alone have an influence on,” said Erin Stanforth, director of sustainability at VCU. “This event gives them the medium to do both.”

The first half of the event will be held at VCU's University Student Commons Theater, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The second half of the event will be held at UR, Robins Center from 2-5 p.m. The afternoon will kick off with keynote speakers, DEQ Director David K. Paylor and Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources Angela Navarro. UR President Ronald A. Crutcher will introduce the event. 

The Virginia Power Dialog is one of several statewide dialogs coordinated by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy.

The event is free and open to the public but registration is requested. Registration and a more detailed program can be found on the Virginia Power Dialog website.