The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) says 100% of Virginia's electricity must come from carbon-free sources by 2050, but local pushback on projects like solar farms has slowed that success.
Democrats in the House and Senate have tried to push bills that would revoke some local authority to deny such projects. But they were met with bitterness from even those in their own ranks. At a recent meeting of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, or CEUR, Republicans offered their own feedback on a new version of the bill.
“If the locality disagrees with the advisory board, the advisory board is deemed, correct?” said Delegate Michael Webert asking about the creation of a statewide nine-person board that would determine if a project is a “critical connection project.” Such projects would have to be 20 megawatts or greater, or as small as two megawatts but sited on previously disturbed lands like garbage dumps or parking lots.
The new bill, still not yet public, offers up two local seats when a board reviews a project, but they would have a final say.
Senator Mark Obenshain asked about removing public notice requirements once a project has been reviewed, approved and fails in an appeal, meaning it’s likely to happen. He worried the new law, “seems to deprive even local citizens of the opportunity to even know what's going on from that point forward.”
Still, there was some consensus. The state’s court system, not the State Corporation Commission, would review appeals - that may level the playing field some. And the focus on building on previously disturbed land instead of agricultural land may sway some rural holdouts as well. At least, that’s what Senator Creigh Deeds, who helped author the Virginia Clean Economy Act, hopes.
“I think we’re moving in the right direction with this bill,” Deeds said.
The next CEUR meeting happens January 6th where a final bill is expected to be advanced or denied to the full 2025 session.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
