Fairfax briefs

VDOT gears up for winter

Despite cuts and layoffs, the Virginia Department of Transportation's budget for snow removal is higher this winter than the previous year.

The agency has budgeted $79.6 million for snow removal, up from $75.8 million last year, but has fewer staff members and equipment to perform the work. The agency plans to increase its use of private contractors if needed.

"While VDOT is making tough decisions to balance a significant revenue shortfall, our snow- and ice-removal standards will not change," VDOT Commissioner David Eckern said in a statement. The agency aims to have all roads passable within 48 hours of a snowfall.

VDOT plans to expand its use of anti-icing chemicals, which are applied before a storm and help prevent ice and snow from bonding with the road surface.

State officials are likely to propose more cuts to VDOT's budget this month and will hold a public hearing Dec. 1.

Veterans to get 'green' training

Northern Virginia Community College and Virginia Tech are partnering with the nonprofit Veterans Green Jobs to train veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pursue energy-conservation jobs.

The main program is an intensive nine-week training session modeled after military training programs, said Veteran Green Jobs spokeswoman Kirsten Maynard.

The training is mostly hands-on, with a small classroom portion. At the end, participants are nationally certified to perform home-energy audits.

The Virginia program marks the first East Coast expansion for Veterans Green Jobs of Denver. Virginia students will begin training in 2010.

"Virginia has a pretty big veteran community, and the two colleges that we're partnering with both have wonderful natural resource and environmental training programs already," Maynard said.