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.

September 26, 2011

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

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.

May 22, 2018

Citizen comments on coal dust:

• 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

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.

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.

September 12, 2023

Citizen comments on coal dust

• Ms. Bianka Wilson: raised concerns about coal dust pollution in the East End, showing a cloth covered in dust from a package left at her home. She noted health impacts such as elevated lead levels in children and elderly residents unable to sit outside, and questioned what steps were being taken to address long-standing air quality issues. While recognizing the city’s revitalization efforts, she also highlighted the potential impact of pollution on prospective homebuyers in the Southeast Community.
• Councilman Long extended thanks to everyone for their attendance and participation, and sharing their concerns, particularly those addressing the issue of coal dust. He advised there were plans with the Department of Environmental Quality to learn the type of pollution created in the Southeast Community. Regarding the coal dust issue, Councilwoman Woodbury believed there was a way to find more solutions to eradicate the issue the coal dust matter.  She promised to perform additional research on the issue and believed the City should partner with officials from the state or federal level.

January 23, 2024

5 citizen comments on 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.

February 7-8, 2024

Newport News City Council Retreat. "Addressing coal dust" was listed in response to the question about what the City was not doing so well, or could be doing better.

August 13, 2024

Mayor Jones advised that the City was working on the grant application for $2 million for Environmental Justice.  He indicated that on Monday, August 12, 2024, all the Community Partners, the Universities, Yugonda Sample-Jones - EmPower All, and all the non-profits were really going after the track one grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Mayor Jones advised there had been a lot of work done behind the scenes and he was hoping for good news.  He shared that track one of the grants would be able to look at coal dust concerns and ways to mitigate it.  The City could not perform this work on its own and would need the federal government.

November 26, 2024

City Manager Archer shared an update on the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities (BASC) initiative. Mayor Jones highlighted that the City was seeking a Track I federal grant of up to $20 million to address coal dust issues in the Southeast Community. Possible remediation efforts could include building a coal fence or dome, though he stressed that the solution would be costly. The funding would come from a $2 billion pool dedicated to environmental justice, with the City awaiting a response to its rolling application.

Councilwoman Vick asked about the level of cooperation from coal companies in these efforts. The committee had not yet formally engaged with the companies, though some initial conversations had taken place. They hoped the DEQ’s air monitoring approach would help create opportunities for continued dialogue and collaboration.

March 11, 2025

City Manager Archer shared an update on the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities (BASC) initiative. Mayor Jones stated that coal dust mitigation would be a major expense for the City, but in-house consultants improved the chances of winning grants to support those efforts. An example of one of the upcoming grant applications specifically focused on a feasibility study for a coal fence as a potential solution.

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.
• Newport News City Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. November 3, 2021.
• Newport News City Council. Regular Meeting Minutes. September 12, 2023.
• Newport News City Council. Regular Meeting Minutes. January 23, 2024.
• Captain Wright, P. COAL and the SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY of NEWPORT NEWS. January 23, 2024.
• Newport News City Council. Retreat Minutes. February 7-8, 2024.
• Newport News City Council. Work Session Minutes. August 13, 2024.
• Newport News City Council. Work Session Minutes. November 26, 2024.
• Newport News City Council. Work Session Minutes. March 11, 2025.