Month: March 2023

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

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The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide Environmental News Roundup for March 2023

Energy

In CAAV’s March 12 perspectives article, we provided summaries of important energy legislation that the 2023 General Assembly (GA) considered. To learn more about energy and other legislation, see also Virginia Conservation Network’s (VCN) General Assembly Review 2023 and its 2023 Bill Tracker. Governor Youngkin signed several energy bills—focused on nuclear, methane, gas, and coal—announcing on March 23 his delivery “ on his All-American All-Of-The-Above Energy Plan Priorities”. Not everyone agrees with the plan or the priorities. The governor remains committed to his “quest to put [the] nation’s first commercial small modular nuclear reactor in Southwest Virginia.”

Some updates about the GA session:

• The GA “approved a bill … that proponents say would guarantee more energy efficiency savings for low‑income, elderly, disabled and veteran customers of Dominion Energy. SB 1323 awaits the Governor’s action; his deadline is March 27.
• The GA’s passage of bi-partisan utility reform legislation, SB 1265/HB 1770, was hailed by Virginia energy policy advocates as a restoration of “full regulatory oversight of the monopoly [Dominion], which lawmakers had rolled back significantly over the past two decades.” This legislation also awaits the Governor’s action by March 27.
• Following “legislation in 2022 allowing natural gas companies to use biogas, a form of gas made from waste, state regulators have approved the first project developed under the new law. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) approved plans by Roanoke Gas Company to construct a facility that will convert biogas sourced from a wastewater treatment facility to pipeline-quality natural gas. The approval came as the [GA] sent a bill {HB 2026 /SB 1231] to Gov. Glenn Youngkin making it Virginia’s policy ‘to encourage the capture and beneficial use of coal mine methane.’ The bill initially sought to define that type of gas as a renewable energy source but was scaled back to have the Department of Energy evaluate ways to encourage its use while considering its environmental benefits and economic development potential.” It awaits the Governor’s action by March 27.

A May 2022 Dominion shareholders meeting saw a shareholder proposal pass, requiring Dominion to issue a report on its potential “stranded assets”, the first type of proposal like it to pass. Fast forward to February 2023 when, without much fanfare, the company issued the report, titled “Dominion Energy’s Natural Gas Assets: A Stranded Risk Assessment.” It assures shareholders and customers that “the risk of natural gas infrastructure becoming stranded is duly considered as part of the company’s robust risk management protocols. We believe the many voluntary methane reduction strategies Dominion Energy is employing across its natural gas distribution system, in conjunction with the promising future of RNG and hydrogen, substantially mitigate that risk.” The report says it doesn’t represent the company’s “final word”…, [declaring that the company is] charged with navigating a path toward a sustainable clean‑energy future—one which respects both our public service obligations and our responsibility to shareholders—in a rapidly evolving technological and policy landscape.” A recent Forbes piece declared that “99% Of U.S. Coal Plants Are More Expensive Than New Renewables. A Coal-To-Clean Transition Is Worth $589 Billion, Mostly In Red States.”

Dominion’s offshore wind project, which the company says is “on track,” may be facing some headwinds because of deaths of several whales along the Atlantic Coast. Some believe the sonar deployed may have contributed to the whale deaths; others disagree. “However, according to several federal agencies and scientists, there’s no connection between offshore wind development and what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls an “unusual mortality event” that’s been afflicting whales up and down the East Coast, from Maine to Florida, since 2016, before the vast majority of Atlantic coast wind development began.”  Another offshore wind project, this one by a Portland Oregon company and off the North Carolina coast, is facing opposition from area residents who are unhappy with the plan to run cables from the wind turbines underground through a city-owned parking lot in Sandbridge Virginia.

The growing numbers of proposals for data centers, including in Prince William County, continue to generate controversy. “[A] mix of national and regional organizations who joined local citizens at a Virginia Department of Environmental Quality [DEQ] public hearing on Monday, Feb. 27 … [protested] a new DEQ proposal to let more than 100 data centers in Northern Virginia use their emergency generators to power themselves when the electrical grid is struggling. Opponents called the proposal … a violation of the DEQ’s stated mission “to promote the health and well-being of the Commonwealth’s citizens, residents and visitors in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.” There is opposition to Amazon’s Warrenton data center: “A contractor hired by Amazon Web Services has cut down hundreds of trees at the … site in Warrenton…. A lawsuit filed by Citizens for Fauquier County and 10 town residents last week claims that Amazon Web Services did not supply the town with required tree‑preservation information in its application for a special-use permit …[and] the lawsuit lists [that failure] as one of the reasons the permit approved by the town council should be invalidated.… Local residents … argued that the town is not enforcing its own zoning ordinance….” Another Warrenton area data center project (Devlin) is on hold. An opinion writer from the Data Center Coalition argued in favor of such facilities, pointing out economic benefits to localities and noting that “By centralizing computing resources, data centers have been able to leverage innovations in design, equipment, and technology to maximize energy efficiency.” He added that “we should also not lose sight of the energy and climate benefits unlocked by data centers.” “After hearing objections and complaints from scores of citizens and environmental watchdogs, [DEQ] … modified a proposed change to state rules that would allow data centers to run their generators as needed when the electric grid is strained.” DEQ limited “the geographic scope to just Loudoun [County].” Two bloggers offered their takes on the influence of Amazon during the 2023 GA session.

The 12 Prince William County schools going solar under an agreement with a solar developer are those with “with roofs in the best condition…. [A spokesman said:] ‘Each school’s output of energy will differ according to their roof’s orientation, but … about 50% of each school’s energy will be provided by its solar panels. Altogether, the solar panels are predicted to generate 10 million kilowatt-hours of electric energy per year.” “The American Institute of Architects …[(AIA) donated] $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity Virginia [HforHVA] to help launch a two-year project to install solar energy systems on up to 80 homes in Washington, DC, and Virginia…. AIA’s donation will be combined with funding from other donors, a small investment from each family, and other sources to install solar systems at a fraction of the retail cost of solar.” Give Solar, a Harrisonburg non-profit, initiated the first HforHVA venture into solar, working with the local affiliate.

 “The Charlottesville-based Community Climate Collaborative recently introduced its Solar Climate Justice Scorecard, rating proposed projects on a variety of factors related to their social and environmental impacts.” “Across the country, a big backlash to new renewables is mounting [including in rural Virginia].” Recent examples include Franklin County, Isle of Wight County, Mecklenburg County, Halifax County, Surry County, Pittsylvania County, Amherst County, and Patrick County.

“Five federally protected species of bats, fish and a plant are not likely to be jeopardized by running a large natural gas pipeline through their habitats, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS] … determined. A 297‑page biological opinion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s [MVP] impact on threatened and endangered species … marked the third time … [FWS] has studied the issue. Two earlier opinions reached the same conclusion in 2017 and 2020, but were invalidated by a federal appeals court.” FWS “reissued a permit” for the MVP, which still lacks other necessary permits.

Climate and Environment

“The tree canopy in Charlottesville is [in] a situation that could worsen so-called “heat islands” and harm the health of residents. Trees covered about 50% of the city in 2004, but the canopy shrank to 45% in 2014 and fell to 40% in 2018. And now leaders of the Charlottesville Tree Commission fear that the canopy has shrunk to just 35% of the city.” The city’s utility department offered 200 free trees to residents “to plant on their property to help conserve energy and reduce energy bills.” The “Arbor Day Foundation [recognized] Staunton as a Tree City USA for [the] 27th year.”

“Experiences and information from the [innovative] Harrisonburg Pollinator Program will be included in the new Parks and Pollinators: Taking Action and Advancing Sustainability. This resource is published by the National Recreation and Park Association. The Harrisonburg community has been strengthened by efforts of the city’s public works department to protect pollinators while advancing key sustainability plans and practices.”

“The Richmond City Council adopted a lengthy ‘action plan’ that will serve as the city’s blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate-related impacts.”

The “18-member coalition of towns, counties, planning district commissions and several nonprofits share the vision” of making the Shenandoah Rail Trail a reality. “The vision is to transform an unused single-track railroad corridor into a multi-use trail re-connecting communities, businesses, schools and cultural and historic resources.” The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley is part of the project’s coalition.

“The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) said this year’s Virginia oyster harvest could be the biggest in more than three decades since the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) has extended the oyster season in certain waters.”

After reviewing public comments received, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Director, Air Pollution Control Board, Waste Management Board, and the City of Bristol filed a motion to enter a judicial consent decree memorializing the terms of a negotiated settlement to resolve issues at the Bristol Landfill. Additional information, including the Expert Panel report, is available on the Bristol Landfill webpage.

WHRO’s Center for Virginia Investigative Journalism has examined issues surrounding PFAS, toxic and potentially harmful so‑called “forever chemicals” found in its waters. This report, Forever Chemicals—A Perpetual Threat to Virginia’s Drinking Water, describes past and current efforts to identify, understand and address the associated problems. DEQ, Virginia Health Department of Health, and Henrico County collaborated on a study of PFAS in the Middle Chickahominy River, reporting their results in this storymap. The Roanoke area has been dealing with an identified leak for some time; the EPA is developing regulations governing PFAS in drinking water, including for the Roanoke area. PFAS are found everywhere and endanger both humans and wildlife. DEQ is also tracking and studying the presence of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), another group of highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that, even though banned since the 1970s, are still being found in Virginia waters between Richmond and the Chesapeake Bay.

A news story that “U.S. utilities find water pollution at coal-burning power plants” cited the opinion of Dominion Virginia’s chief environmental officer for Richmond who “said the company …conducts surface water tests near its facilities and was confident that the groundwater impacts were not having an effect on public drinking water or public safety offsite.” Grist recently concluded that “Coal plant pollution can be deadly — even hundreds of miles downwind [and] the coal industry may be dying in the U.S., but its health impacts are not…”

ACTION ALERT: Governor Youngkin is facing a “ flood of opposition to withdrawal from climate agreement, known as Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).” You can add your voice but you need to act quickly. Contact DEQ and…

Demand — RGGI must continue to help reduce energy bills and reduce the financial harms of flooding.

Insist — Withdrawing from RGGI would give a free pass to polluters while wasting opportunities to lift up the lives of all Virginians by shifting to clean energy sources as soon as possible.

Make it clear — Trying to repeal RGGI is shortsighted, cruel, and a betrayal of Virginians, present and future.

Comment by March 31 at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?stageid=9879.

Check out…

• Blue Ridge PRISM’s two April online “Spring/Summer Invasive Plant Workshops”? Both events will be recorded and available to registrants. Each costs $10.
• April 10, 1 to 3 pm, Identification. Register here.
• April 12, 1 to 3 pm, Management and Control. Register here.
• Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance’s event, Rocktown Beer & Musical Festival, Turner Pavilion, April 22, Earth Day, 3 pm til…. CAAV will be tabling. Tickets here.
• Climate Action VA’s online Eco Book Club’s discussion about Richard Powers’ The Overstory! – Even if you haven’t yet read this great book. It’s happening Thursday, March 30, 5:30 – 6:30pm EDT. This discussion will cover topics covered in the first half of the book, with plenty of room for a broader conversation relating to topics in the story. Reach out to kflanagan@climateactionlcv.org if you have any questions. Register here.
• The Annual Native Plant Sale, April 30, 1:00 – 3:00, at Ivy Creek Natural Area’s Barn Lawn, 1780 Earlysville Road, Charlottesville, VA. Choose from over 50 species of native perennials, trees, shrubs, wetland plants and a large selection of spring wildflowers and groundcovers, mid/late season flowering species, and woodies including spicebush, red osier dogwood, and red mulberry.
• Riverfest Waynesboro 2023, April 29, Saturday, April 29, 2023, 10 – 4:30, Conservation Park. This is the Year of the River Otter! Website: https://riverfestwaynesboro.org/.
• Charlottesville’s C3 Collaborative’s Annual Open House, April 27, 5-6:30 pm at 415 8th St NE (Tarleton Square Building). Learn about its current projects and priorities, and talk about anything and everything climate! Get some ideas for what you can do for the climate in your community, Details here.
• “A new documentary film showcasing communities who helped stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline [that] will be screened … April 13, 7 pm at The Paramount Theater in Charlottesville.”
• This article describing how you can find remedies for aches and pains in the “garden, farmer’s market, or refrigerator.” Think mint, sage, hot peppers, cherries, and ginger.

Why not…

• Celebrate spring and visit these three “natural wonders” in VA, profiled in Blue Ridge Country magazine?
• “McAfee Knob. A “moderately challenging … hike … to one of the most visited, photographed and famous spots on the Appalachian Trail.… Avoid parking lot headaches and take the weekend (Fri-Sun) shuttle to the trailhead. Find nearby attractions and lodgings. 4440 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba.
• Crabtree Falls. Six “miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway to see the ‘highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River.’ Five large falls and several smaller ones create a 1,200-foot drop! There are five overlooks of the falls and Tye River Valley—the first is accessible for all abilities via a paved trail.” Find nearby attractions and lodgings. 11581 Crabtree Falls Highway, Montebello.
• The Channels Natural Area Preserve. Wind through a maze of 400-million-year-old sandstone crevices and boulders. The singularly unique 20-acre labyrinth is an otherworldly destination formed during the last ice age. The remoteness of this high-elevation forest requires planning ahead for food, drinks and sufficient time to explore. Find nearby attractions and lodgings. 4250 Hayters Gap Road, Saltville.
• Go camping in one of Virginia’s State Parks, most of which opened March 3?
• Join Climate Ride in the Blue Ridge Mountains, April 28-30? Bike or hike through the mountains for a good cause: our climate! Join the team that Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is forming and be part of a weekend of cycling, hiking, camping, and bonding. Cyclists can choose from three different levels and hikers can choose to hit the Appalachian Trail. You’ll be fully supported along the way, plus bike mechanics, campgrounds setup and meals. Register here. Use “CCAN” promo code when signing up and select “CCAN” to join its team. Check out CCAN’s Facebook page.
• Attend Virginia League of Conservation Voters’ (LCV) virtual event, Farmers to the Table, April 19, Wednesday, April 19, 6:30 – 7:30pm EDT? Join LCV’s climate action team and a round table of farmers and agricultural workers to learn how our food supply can help protect the environment, what we can do to help our friends in agriculture, and to advocate for a more sustainable future. Register here.
• Tell DEQ what you think of its draft guidance, Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process, which it’s released for an informal comment period? The guidance outlines a permit evaluation process for all DEQ permitting actions and establishes processes for further evaluation of permits of particular concern to environmental justice communities. DEQ will accept informal public comments until May 1, followed by a formal public comment period after internal review. Submit comments here.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley is pleased to provide Harrisonburg’s The Citizen with a monthly survey of energy and environmental news stories about Virginia.

With their permission, we are re-posting these pieces here after they appear in the Citizen.

---

The link to this piece as first published by the Citizen is HERE.

Statewide environmental news roundup: 2023 General Assembly recap

A contributed perspectives piece by the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV)

Editor’s Note: This is a special edition of a regular series of contributed news roundups about statewide environmental and energy news. This piece highlights, with links to further coverage in various media outlets, some of the energy, transportation, and utility bills introduced during the recently-ended 2023 General Assembly (GA) session. Not all-inclusive, the bills noted include actions by area legislators (Delegates Avoli, Runion, Wilt; State Senators Hanger, Obenshain). This GA session saw many bills introduced in these categories. CAAV selected those we consider most noteworthy. At this writing, some (perhaps most) of the following bills are awaiting the Governor’s action. There will be a special session soon to finalize the budget; there could be more surprises in the offing. In addition to the links below, here are some additional items about the GA session, developed by various bloggers and organizations: CCAN, Ivy Main, VPAP, Utility Dive, VPM, Washington Post, Steve Haner of Bacon’s Rebellion, and Associated Press.  

Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA)

The VCEA (HB 1526 and SB 851) passed in 2020, establishing requirements for clean energy to reduce Virginia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions very significantly by 2050. There were a number of bills introduced in 2023 targeting one or more of the VCEA provisions for repeal or to lessen requirements. Results were mixed; while the VCEA was perhaps somewhat weakened, overall it remained intact.

• HB 1430 would have exempted some large energy buyers and manufacturers from paying their proportionate costs of VCEA’s costs. Area delegates voted in favor; the bill passed the House of Delegates but was later pulled by its patron, because of the expectation of failure in the State Senate.
• HB 2130 would have authorized the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to weaken utilities’ Renewable Performance Standards (RPS) obligations. Area delegates voted in favor; the bill passed the House of Delegates but failed in the Senate.

Other bills would have expanded the statutory definition of renewable energy (RE) to include coal mine methane (HB 1643/SB 1121 and HB 2178), biomass (HB 2026 and SB 1231), nuclear and hydrogen (HB 2311 and HB 2197).

• HB 1643/SB 1121 were amended to encourage a policy “to encourage capture & beneficial use” of methane; they passed both House and Senate and area delegates and senators voted in favor. HB 2178 added methane to the definition of “green jobs”, thereby making tax credits available for methane extraction jobs. It pass both House and Senate and all five area legislators voted in favor.
• HB 2026/SB 1231, as amended, will allow Dominion’s “biomass-fired facilities to qualify as RE standard eligible sources” and thus continue in operation past the VCEA deadline of December 31, 2028. The bills passed both House and Senate; area legislators voted in favor.
• HB 2311/HB 2197 would have added both nuclear and hydrogen to the RE definition. HB 2311 failed in the House while HB 2197 passed, with support from area delegates. It failed in a Senate committee; Senator Obenshain voted against “killing” the bill.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

SB 1001 would have repealed the law authorizing Virginia’s participation in RGGI. It was voted down in committee; Senator Hanger abstained and Senator Obenshain opposed killing it. The Governor’s attempt to withdraw Virginia through regulatory action continues, however. Public comment on the regulation is possible through March 31 at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?stageid=9879. CAAV opposes the regulatory action and will submit comments before the deadline.

Transportation

There were numerous bills to repeal Virginia’s Clean Car Standards, passed during special GA session 1 in 2021. At that time, all area delegates and senators voted against establishing the standards, which tie “the state to emissions standards set by California that will ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035.” The standards require that “the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.”

• HB 1378, which Delegate Wilt sponsored in 2023, was one of many bills to repeal the standards. All repeal attempts failed, including HB 1378, which passed the House, with all area delegates supporting the repeal. It was voted down in a Senate committee; both area senators opposed killing it.
• HB 1588/SB 1466 would have authorized a grant program for electric vehicle (EV) chargers in rural areas. Both area senators supported SB 1466 when it passed the Senate. Delegates Runion and Wilt supported HB 1588/SB1466 in committee, but it died in another committee.
• SB 1312 would have allowed localities to require EV chargers in certain circumstances, through their zoning authority. SB 1312 passed the Senate over the opposition of both area Senators, but failed in the House; area delegates voted against the bill.

Energy Efficiency

SB 1323 requires the SCC “to establish for Dominion Energy Virginia annual energy efficiency savings targets for customers who are low-income, elderly, disabled, or veterans of military service. The bill requires the Commission, in establishing such targets, to seek to optimize energy efficiency and the health and safety benefits of utility energy efficiency programs.” There is already a requirement that 15% of program investment be directed to low-income customers. The bill passed both chambers with broad, bipartisan support, including from area legislators.

Solar

Solar bills, in contrast, didn’t fare as well and generally didn’t receive bipartisan support.

• SB 848 was looking to help make school buildings cheaper by deploying more solar panels to power them. It would have led to standards for local school systems to follow. It passed unanimously in the Senate but failed in a House committee, reportedly because of concerns over the respective roles of local versus state government.
• HJ545, a resolution, sought to request a VA Department of Energy study of ways local governments could overcome barriers to purchasing solar for themselves and their constituents. It failed in a House committee; Delegate Wilt voted to “kill” it.
• SB 1333 proposed to create a “Commonwealth Solar and Economic Development Program for low-income and moderate-income Virginians [, expanding] the Low to Moderate Income Solar Loan and Rebate Fund to extend grants in addition to loans or paying rebates to electric customers who complete solar installations or energy efficiency improvements subject to certain requirements….” It passed the Senate, with Senator Hanger supporting and Senator Obenshain opposing. It passed in one House committee, with Delegate Wilt supporting and Delegate Runion opposing; it later failed in another House committee.
• Resolution HJ487 sought a study and report on solar panel installation and use in divided highways’ medians. Assigned to the House Rules committee of which Delegate Wilt was a member, it wasn’t acted upon.
• SB 2355 wanted to establish “a stakeholder work group to develop recommendations [in its report] for consumer protection regulations regarding the sale or lease of solar energy generation facilities … under 25 kilowatts in capacity.” It failed in a House subcommittee.
• SB984 would have clarified “the legality of solar leases; although it passed the Senate unanimously, and in one House subcommittee, with Delegate Wilt supporting, it was not acted upon by the house committee.
• SB949 proposed to extend C-PACE (Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy) loans to residences including condominiums. C-PACE is “a voluntary special assessment lien that secures a loan for the initial acquisition and installation of clean energy, resiliency, or stormwater management improvement.” A Senate committee decided to “kill” the bill, with Senator Hanger’s agreement.
• SB 1083 was a bipartisan effort to improve the results of earlier legislation that allowed Dominion to establish a shared solar program resulted in the SCC authorized $55 as the “minimum” amount Dominion could charge shared solar customers. The shared solar utility program “allows customers … to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility.” The authorized minimum would disincentivize customer participation. SB 1266 wanted to expand shared solar in Appalachian Power territory (Southwest Virginia).

The two bills would have required “that a customer’s net bill for participation in the shared solar program …[would] not exceed the [SCC-approved] minimum bill … [and would have included SCC] considerations … such as minimizing the costs shifted to non-participating customers, and … the calculation of a customer’s minimum bill …. They [also included convening] a stakeholder workgroup to evaluate incentives for certain shared solar projects and … a report of its recommendations.” Both bills passed the Senate with Senator Hanger’s support; Senator Obenshain opposed. They both died in House sub-committees.

• SB 1419 would have permitted “individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from RE from any licensed supplier.” In other words, it would have given Virginia utility customers a choice about their RE sources. It died in a Senate committee; Senator Obenshain voted to “kill” it.

Wind

• HB 1797 would have held Dominion customers “harmless” if Dominion’s project underperformed based on Dominion’s projected net capacity of 42 percent. Dominion lobbied against the bill, which nonetheless passed the House, with area delegates’ support. It died in a Senate subcommittee; Senator Obenshain voted in the bill’s favor.
• SB 1477 allows “Dominion Energy Virginia, in connection with certain offshore wind projects, to establish an offshore wind affiliate … [to obtain an] equity financing partner for the project [that could] operate as a public utility in association with the utility.” As amended in both Senate and House, and with support from area delegates, the bill passed.
• SB 1441/HB 2444 requires the SCC to “duly” consider, during its cost recovery proceedings, “economic development benefits” [to the state from Dominion’s offshore wind project], including capital investments and job creation…. The bills [would have moved forward the timeline] from 2034 to 2032 for public utilities to construct or purchase one or more offshore wind generation facilities.” They passed House and Senate on a bipartisan basis, with support from area legislators.
• On the other hand, HB 1854, which would have required the SCC “to submit … [annual status reports about approved] offshore wind energy projects …. The bill [would have required] electric utilities proposing offshore wind development to consider and incorporate information [and recommendations] from the Commission’s annual reports….” Such recommendations could have saved ratepayers money. The bill failed in a House subcommittee.

Natural Gas

HB 1783 would have stopped localities from limiting customer access to “natural gas service and supply from both utility and non-utility gas companies, … from denying building permits solely based on a proposed utility provider…,[or from restricting] an applicant’s ability to use the services of an authorized utility provider.” It passed the House with the support of area delegates but failed in a Senate Committee, with Senator Obenshain voting in favor of the bill.

Nuclear

• HB 1779 proposed establishing a “Nuclear Education Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, … [to provide competitive] grants … to any public [or private]institution of higher education … that seeks to establish or expand a nuclear education program….” It passed the House and the Senate on a bipartisan basis, including support from area legislators.
• HB 2333 would have authorized the SCC “to establish a small modular nuclear reactors [SMR] pilot program [within 10 years].” It passed the House, with support by area delegates; the Senate added an SCC requirements to look at costs as compared to alternatives and to protect ratepayer risks if the SMR never went live. The Senate voted unanimously for the bill as amended, but it failed in the House, with area delegates voting against the Senate version.

Utility Reform

Bills around this policy subject were a major focus of attention and efforts by legislators, lobbyists, environmental and other organizations, and Dominion. Results were mixed, with ratepayers gaining some relief and Dominion getting some of what it wanted, though not all.

• Considered pro-consumer, HB 1604/SB 1321 were a bipartisan effort that succeeded, passing unanimously as amended in both Houses. Called The Affordable Energy Act, the legislation is arguably a major energy reform bill because it restored the SCC’s authority to lower a utility’s base rate if/when it determines that the utility has overcharged customers. That authority had been removed several years ago by the GA.
• Another bipartisan effort at the behest of Dominion, SB 1265/HB 1770 wanted to increase Dominion’s guaranteed rate of return, thereby ultimately raising customer rates, though offering some initial “savings” that would have been more than offset in the longer term. The bills’ effect would also have been to greatly lessen Virginia’s ability to meet its VCEA goals. With active interest from the Governor, as well as many stakeholders, the bills’ final language reduced negative effects on ratepayers, strengthened SCC authority, and removed the threat to the VCEA. They passed the Senate unanimously and with only one negative vote in the House; area legislators voted in support.
• SB 1166/HB 2275 was yet another bipartisan effort—this one to reactivate and reform the long-dormant Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, with its purpose being to conduct legislative “energy planning & electric utility oversight.” With amendments, both House and Senate approved the final version unanimously. Going forward, the Commission is tasked with overseeing Virginia’s utility policy and do so in a proactive way that avoids presentation of type of sweeping bills like SB 1265/HB 1770 at the outset of a GA session, whose duration doesn’t allow for adequate exploration and debate of ideas, consideration of expert opinion, and, perhaps most significant, formulation of utility policy with appropriate analysis. In theory, the Commission—made up of GA members—should provide much needed, and timely, support to the entire GA.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) is a non-profit, grassroots group in the Central Shenandoah Valley that educates legislators and the public about the implications of the Earth’s worsening climate crisis.