Headshot of Virginia Mercury reporter, Shannon Heckt.

Shannon Heckt

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Shannon Heckt is an energy and environment reporter for the Virginia Mercury and is based in Richmond. She has seven years of reporting experience in Nebraska and Louisiana. Her previous experience is in the broadcast industry where she worked for several television stations. She is well known for her coverage of the Louisiana Legislature and disaster recovery. Shannon is a proud graduate of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. She's excited to call Virginia home and explore all it has to offer.

After eastern groundwater report detailed aquifer concerns, Va. lawmakers consider policy shifts
Virginia

After eastern groundwater report detailed aquifer concerns, Va. lawmakers consider policy shifts

Aug 21, 2026
Shannon Heckt
After the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released a 117-page report indicating that available groundwater east of Interstate-95 is “declining (in) availability in the near future,” the agency pitched recommendations on how to tackle the issue to lawmakers Thursday in...
USDA advances Roadless Rule repeal; advocates, lawmakers say it puts 400,000 acres in Va. at risk
Virginia

USDA advances Roadless Rule repeal; advocates, lawmakers say it puts 400,000 acres in Va. at risk

Aug 20, 2026
Shannon Heckt
The United States Department of Agriculture is nearing a full repeal of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule that protects millions of acres of virgin forestland nationwide. In Virginia, if the rule is repealed it would open up an estimated...
SCC commissioner, former NextEra attorney declines to recuse herself from merger case
Virginia

SCC commissioner, former NextEra attorney declines to recuse herself from merger case

Aug 19, 2026
Shannon Heckt
On Tuesday, Virginia lawmakers heard from utility regulation experts on the potential impact of the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. If approved, the merger would create the largest electric utility in the country. In the days preceding...
As Va. officials weigh data center pushback, report details industry’s public service funding
Virginia

As Va. officials weigh data center pushback, report details industry’s public service funding

Aug 17, 2026
Charlotte Rene Woods Shannon Heckt
As a single mother balancing work against earning a nursing degree, Yvettrise Hoskie thought homeownership was out of her reach. Now, she’s settling into a Henrico County townhome development. The county’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund helped with her downpayment, but...
Dominion asks SCC to recover an additional $922 million for fuel costs over multiple years
Virginia

Dominion asks SCC to recover an additional $922 million for fuel costs over multiple years

Aug 13, 2026
Shannon Heckt
Dominion Energy asked the State Corporation Commission for permission to recover an additional $922 million in fuel costs, citing extreme power demands during severe winter weather and a national rise in gas prices as reasons for the escalation beyond its...
Lt. Gov. Hashmi hits the road to hear from Virginians on Dominion-NextEra merger
Virginia

Lt. Gov. Hashmi hits the road to hear from Virginians on Dominion-NextEra merger

Aug 12, 2026
Shannon Heckt
With the clock ticking on the six-month window for the State Corporation Commission to decide whether Dominion Energy should be allowed to merge with the Florida-based NextEra Energy, Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi said this week she would host a statewide...
Menhaden management board advances addendum with potential cuts to Chesapeake Bay fishery limits
Virginia

Menhaden management board advances addendum with potential cuts to Chesapeake Bay fishery limits

Aug 06, 2026
Shannon Heckt
The regional board overseeing menhaden management along the Atlantic coast on Wednesday advanced a measure to implement new restrictions on Virginia’s only reduction fishery that harvests the oily forage fish within the Chesapeake Bay. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s...
SCC orders Dominion to develop tariff to assign more transmission costs to data centers
Virginia

SCC orders Dominion to develop tariff to assign more transmission costs to data centers

Aug 05, 2026
Shannon Heckt
More of the cost to build the high-voltage transmission lines that serve as power highways across the state could soon be covered by data centers, after a recent decision by state regulators. The State Corporation Commission has ordered Dominion Energy...
Virginia senators request special session to act on ’deeply alarming’ groundwater report
Virginia

Virginia senators request special session to act on ’deeply alarming’ groundwater report

Jul 31, 2026
Shannon Heckt
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released its 117-page legislative report on the state’s groundwater supply east of Interstate 95 this week, which revealed significant levels of strain on the eastern aquifers that could put clean drinking water at risk...
Spanberger administration seeks public input on new energy plan
Virginia

Spanberger administration seeks public input on new energy plan

Jul 31, 2026
Shannon Heckt
Every four years, Virginia law requires the governor’s administration to develop a new energy plan outlining the commonwealth’s energy needs and how the state intends to meet its power generation goals. Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond, Secretary of Commerce and...
Loudoun County, other Virginia localities consider hitting the brakes on data center development
Virginia

Loudoun County, other Virginia localities consider hitting the brakes on data center development

Jul 30, 2026
Shannon Heckt
Loudoun County, ground zero of Data Center Alley and home to over 250 of the power-hungry digital warehouse facilities, is considering a pause on all new data center project applications, officials said this week. “The community has basically been begging...
Brown water, dust and loud noises: Louisa homeowner sues Amazon over data center construction
Virginia

Brown water, dust and loud noises: Louisa homeowner sues Amazon over data center construction

Jul 28, 2026
Shannon Heckt
From the driveway of his Louisa home and business, Austin Newsome sees dozens of dump trucks barrel down Route 33 most days, hauling dirt and other debris. The road is stained rusty red from the soil displaced by the construction...