Attention Virginia Climate and Clean Energy Advocates!

The work to decarbonize Virginia’s economy begins in earnest on Monday, January 13. The Senate’s Commerce and Labor Sub-Committee on Energy meets in Senate Room A of the Pocahontas Building (900 E Main St, Richmond) and will take up a number of bills key to decarbonizing Virginia’s economy. 

Senator Favola’s SB 94 Virginia Energy Plan; relating to the Commonwealth Energy Policy updates Title 67 of the Code of Virginia to be focused on planning for a carbon-free future in Virginia. ZCV helped develop this bill and recommends supporting it.

Senator Petersen’s SB 504 Virginia Energy Plan; covenants regarding solar power, reasonable restrictions, clears the way for wider use of residential roof-top solar. ZCV recommends supporting this bill.

Senator Newman’s SB 549 Nuclear energy; strategic plan, requires that the VA DMME develop a plan for the role of nuclear in getting Virginia to carbon-free energy. Nuclear will be a critical part of getting to zero carbon and ZCV recommends supporting this bill. 

Senator Saslaw’s SB 782 Undergrounding electric transmission lines; pilot program and SB 784 Transmission lines; relocation and undergrounding, address grid modernization. ZCV is neutral on these bills.

Senator Lewis’s SB 817 Nuclear energy; considered a clean energy source and SB 828 Carbon-free energy and clean energy would define nuclear as a clean energy source and require that nuclear be included in clean energy initiatives or carbon-free energy initiatives. ZCV recommends supporting these bills.

Take action now to support bills that move us forward. Email or call subcommittee members to let them know your views. If you can make it to Richmond on Monday afternoon, attend the sub-committee meeting and provide testimony. The subcommittee on Energy meets upon adjournment of the full committee, which meets 15 minutes after the day’s general session ends. Since it is early in the 2020 session, the subcommittee meeting could get started relatively early in the afternoon. You can learn more about testifying before a General Assembly Committee at this link.