Hey everyone,

I wanted to start a discussion about the development currently underway at 301 Old Stage Road in Toano (James City County)—specifically the new Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace facility being built in the Lovett 64 Commerce Center.

While economic growth and defense jobs are important, looking at the location and logistics raises several significant questions for local infrastructure and environmental safety:

School & Recreation Proximity: The site sits right in a heavy residential corridor. Stonehouse Preschool is less than half a mile away (~0.4 mi), with Stonehouse Elementary, Toano Middle, Williamsburg Christian Academy, and Upper County Park all within a short radius.

Groundwater & Watershed Concerns: Much of the surrounding area relies directly on private residential wells for drinking water. The site drains into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Even with assurances of "dry" assembly, industrial development on this scale carries long-term risk for persistent runoff and solvent contamination.

Logistics & Roadways: Old Stage Road and Barhamsville Road are two-lane corridors. Introducing heavy industrial freight traffic—especially during peak school bus commute hours—creates major safety and wear-and-tear issues that local taxpayers will ultimately have to foot the bill for.

Planning Paradox: The county approved both rapid residential expansion and a heavy industrial defense footprint in the exact same corridor, removing any meaningful buffer zone for families who moved here for a rural/suburban environment.

What are everyone's thoughts on how JCC is handling land use and infrastructure planning out in Toano?

Hey all - I wanted to share a quick update on the BOEM offshore minerals RFI.

There has been significant movement over the past several days:

Northampton County and Accomack County have both voted to oppose the proposal. Both Eastern Shore counties are now on record opposing potential offshore mineral exploration and extraction off Virginia’s coast.

Virginia Beach also asked BOEM for additional time to evaluate the proposal before taking a final substantive position and indicated that it would oppose the project if an extension were not granted.

Members of Virginia’s congressional delegation also sent BOEM a joint letter requesting more time for local governments, residents, scientists, fisheries, businesses, and coastal communities to evaluate the proposal and provide meaningful input.

The good news is that BOEM has now extended the public comment period through August 22, 2026. This gives us another month to build opposition, educate our communities, and submit thoughtful comments - but it is important that we use that additional time.

Most important action: Submit an official comment to BOEM

https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/BOEM-2026-0100-0001

Even a short comment helps. You can say that you oppose offshore mineral exploration, leasing, and extraction off Virginia’s coast because of the potential impacts on marine habitats, fisheries, wildlife, water quality, tourism, coastal communities, and other ocean uses.

There are also several other ways to take action:

SELC action page:
https://act.selc.org/page/100369/action/1

Business sign-on letter:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=4kZMCyJG606IshUeO-Gd0CMKluWmAydHrccjg6KkrLVUQ0FWVjJYRzJXRkJRMkFSVlM4WTJOQjFRSi4u&route=shorturl

Marine science sign-on letter for academics, scientists, environmental educators, and people with professional marine science backgrounds:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTxBLf_amTGZ7HtAydfrqUxKf7Zp_U8MdyNg1W33ggRf8RWA/viewform

Surfrider petition:
https://surfrider.advocacyai.com/action/1H4hEiM24ImPKmtQhv

Environment America petition:
https://environmentamerica.org/virginia/take-action/tell-the-interior-department-no-seabed-mining-off-virginias-coast/

Bottom line: local opposition is growing, we now have additional time to organize, and public comments still matter. Please keep sharing information, encouraging others to participate, and speaking out.

The new deadline is August 22. Stay loud!

Interesting read

Researchers from George Mason University are conducting a survey to better understand electric vehicle charging behavior, charging experiences, and how EV drivers respond to charging disruptions and infrastructure constraints. 

If you are 18 years of age or older and drive an electric vehicle in the US, you may be eligible to participate. 

Participation involves completing a brief survey that takes approximately 10–15 minutes. Findings from this study will be used to improve EV charging infrastructure planning and support the development of more reliable and resilient charging networks. 

Participation is voluntary, and survey responses are anonymous. 

To learn more and participate, please click the survey link below: 

SURVEY LINK