Newport News City Council

To read more about local regulations (such as limitations on regulatory power) around coal dust, see Local Regulations.

Map showing the local jurisdictions the Hampton Roads region, with the City of Newport News in purple and the three coal terminals marked.

To read about Norfolk City Council, see: Norfolk City Council

The Newport News City Council (NNCC) is the elected legislative body that governs Newport News, Virginia. Operating under a council-manager form of government, the Council includes a mayor and six other members who are responsible for setting municipal policy, passing local laws, approving budgets, and overseeing land use and development. The Council wields considerable influence over issues related to economic development, environmental regulation, and public health, making it a key player in addressing community concerns about coal dust pollution. It also has jurisdiction over two of the three coal terminals in the Port of Virginia, Dominion Terminal Associates and the Kinder Morgan Terminal.

Council Members (in 2025)

• Mayor: Phillip Jones (Term: Jan 01 2023 - Dec 31 2026)
• Vice Mayor: Curtis D. Bethany III (Jan 01 2023 - Dec 31 2026)
• Councilman Robert Coleman (Jan 01 2025 - Dec 31 2028)
• Councilman John R. Eley III (Jan 01 2023 - Dec 31 2026)
• Councilman Marcellus L. Harris III, D. Div. (Jan 01 2025 - Dec 31 2028)
• Councilman Cleon M. Long, P.E. (Jan 01 2023 - Dec 31 2026)
• Councilwoman Tina L. Vick (Jan 01 2025 - Dec 31 2028)

Relevant Meetings

The city council has heard numerous complains about coal dust, and listened to activist solutions of coal dust mitigation. Further records are available on their site.

All council meetings are open to the public (but not all allow public comment). Placards, banners, and signs are banned at meetings. “Citizen comments on matters germane to the business of city council” are allowed as part of the prescribed agenda on every regular meeting, but not special meetings or work session meetings.

January 23, 2024

9 citizen comments total (5 about the coal dust)

• Ms. Yugonda Sample-Jones: strongly recommended that City Council encourage Dominion Terminal Associates, LLP to explore and implement effective measures such as a wind fence or domes to mitigate the spread of the coal dust
• Mr. Malcom Jones: urged City Council to take advantage of the opportunity to take environmental justice seriously for the legacy of the residents’ future for families and children, who all deserved quality of life
• Interjection from Mayor Jones: noted money from Inflation Reduction Act and EPA Community Change Grants
• Captain Patrick Wright: advised that positive action to protect the health of citizens and the environment should be taken.
• Ms. Ann Creasy: urged members of City Council to pursue any available pathways to address coal dust in Hampton Roads. She advised that she worked for the Sierra Club, who had submitted a petition to the EPA to enact stricter regulations regarding coal pollution from open-top rail cars which transported coal in larger open top rail cars which deposited coal into waterways.
• Reverend Lathaniel Kirts: mentioned high asthma rates and urged City Council to fight for the citizens by providing sensible regulations on Kinder Morgan coal terminals and Dominion Terminal Associates, LLP.

Sept 12, 2023

November 3, 2021

Public hearing on: change of zoning from R8 High Density Multiple-Family Dwelling to M1 Light Industrial with proffers for a 9.45 acre property at 2200 Terminal Avenue and a portion of 520 21st Street.

• Comment from Ms. Millie Taylor: Noted people moved out of the adjacent Dickerson Court area because kids were getting asthma and chronic illnesses. Ms. Taylor stated she understands this is an industry that builds one-story modular houses for low-income. She asked if building these houses will affect her air quality. Ms. Taylor stated she is already dealing with coal dust and shipyard dust inside and outside of her house. She stated her car is full of coal dust. Ms. Taylor asked what they are going to use to build these houses that could affect the air quality in downtown Newport News.

June 12, 2018

Citizen comments on coal dust:

• Mr. Ernest Thompson: hoped that City Council would commission a study to look at the coal dust issue, especially as the East End neighborhood has begun to expand under CNI grant.

May 22, 2018

Mr. Ernest Thompson: regarding the Choice Neighborhood Initiative, he hoped the City would address the issue of coal dust, as the Southeast Community was transformed

October 25, 2016

Discussion about FY 2018 — 2022 City Manager’s Recommended Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). $1.1 million was categorized as environmental, with subcategories of "Emergency Response/Environmental Remediation" and "HVAC System Environmental Assessment (to assess air quality in public buildings)".

• Councilwoman Cherry stated the Southeast Care Coalition had done a study on the air quality in the Southeast Community, and wanted to know whether a filter could be placed in the vicinity of the of the Dominion Coal Terminal using the CIP funding.
• After questions from Councilwoman Cherry, it was determined that the HVAC System funding could not be used to address the air quality issues at the Dominion Coal Terminal. No funding was included in the CIP for specific areas in the community. Dominion Terminal Associates, owner of the Coal Terminal, was controlled and operated under a State permit.
• Additionally, the Environmental Remediation CIP funding was related to City facilities and buildings, and could not be used to address concerns on coal dust emissions from the coal terminal.

September 26, 2011

• Introduced the Southeast Community plan, which acknowledges coal dust as one of the primary environmental challenges in the community.

Documents

• Newport News City Council. Work Session Agenda. September 27, 2011.
• Newport News City Council. Work Session Agenda. October 25, 2016.
• Newport News City Council. Regular Meeting Minutes. May 22, 2018.
• Newport News City Council. Regular Meeting Minutes. June 12, 2018.
• City Planning Commission Meeting Minutes, City of Newport News. November 3, 2021.
• Newport News City Council. Regular Meeting Minutes. January 23, 2024.
• Captain Wright, P. COAL and the SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY of NEWPORT NEWS. January 23, 2024.