The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Virginia General Assembly session just wrapped up and your legislators have headed back to their districts. Here’s a run down on what happened in the last 46 days:

The Good
These bills had our full support and passed this session:
HB 2191 and SB 975 Patroned by Delegate Adam Ebbin and Senator Mary Margaret Whipple:
You have heard from us frequently throughout session about this legislation, which establishes a voluntary solar resource development fund. Through this fund, Virginia homeowners can apply for low-interest loans to put solar PV or solar thermal on their rooftops. This fund will help homeowners with the upfront costs associated with these installations while creating jobs in the clean energy sector in the Commonwealth. Anyone can contribute to this fund once the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy creates it later this year.

HB 1686 Patroned by Delegate David Toscano:
This legislation will promote distributed solar generation by setting up a pilot program for utility-owned facilities. It also allows utilities to create a tariff to encourage citizens to own distributed solar generation.

HB 2389 Patroned by Delegate Albert Pollard:
The Virginia Resource Authority (VRA) provides cost-effective financing to Virginia municipalities for various projects. HB 2389 allows the VRA to add more renewable energy projects to its list of projects it can already finance for municipalities. Continue reading

Let's Fast-Track VA & MD Offshore Wind Energy

In Norfolk last week, the Obama administration announced a plan for rapid development of offshore wind energy, including high priority Wind Energy Areas off the coast of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The Department of the Interior (DOI) said it could begin leasing these areas for wind energy projects as early as the end of this year. Opening these areas to wind energy development will be a great step in our transition to clean, renewable energy and should happen as soon as possible!

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), the agency within the DOI that oversees the development of energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, has opened a public comment period on the Wind Energy Areas, which lasts until Friday, March 11. Please show your support for wind energy off the coast of Virginia and Maryland by signing our petition. We’ll deliver it to BOEMRE by the end of the comment period.

Virginia Residents: Take action here

Maryland Residents: Take action here Continue reading

Great day for renewables in Virginia: Onward & upward!

On the heels of Secretary Salazar’s offshore wind energy announcement yesterday in Norfolk, both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly passed the Voluntary Solar Resource Fund Bill (HB 2191 and SB 975), which aims to set up a revolving loan fund for residential solar energy projects. The loan program will promote economic development and the production of clean, renewable energy at no cost to the state.

Solar Panels on a roof

This bill is a win-win-win for all major parties involved: the citizens of Virginia who will receive the loans, the commonwealth’s solar energy industry, and utilities with an interest in distributed solar power.

“Renewable energy has had two major boosts today: first the announcement that Virginia could begin leasing offshore wind sites by the end of this year, and also from the passing of the Voluntary Solar Resource Fund bill in the Virginia General Assembly,” said Chelsea Harnish, Virginia Policy Coordinator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Continue reading

Virginia General Assembly vote will weaken state

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

www.WiseEnergyForVirginia.org

Chesapeake Climate Action Network Jamie Nolan (240) 396-2022

Appalachian Voices Tom Cormons (301) 910-8973

Southern Environmental Law Center Marirose Pratt (434) 977-4090

Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter JR Tolbert (706) 594-5487

Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards Jane Branham (276) 679-7505

The Virginia Senate today passed legislation (SB 1025) that will severely restrict state regulators’ ability to protect public health and the environment from pollution from surface coal mines under the Clean Water Act. An identical bill (HB 2123) passed in the House of Delegates last month, and Governor Bob McDonnell is expected to sign the legislation into law.

This legislation limits the ability of state regulators to use water quality testing to make permitting and enforcement decisions involving pollution discharges from coal strip mines. In addition, the bills revoke the citizen State Water Control Board’s primary authority for administering the Clean Water Act’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for surface mining discharges, transferring this authority to the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.

Senators Ticer, Whipple, McEachin, Petersen, and Marsden stood up for clean water and opposed the Senate bill in committee on Monday.

“Stream monitoring and testing for toxic discharges are indispensable tools for enforcing clean water laws, and that is precisely why Big Coal is going all out to curtail their use,” said Tom Cormons, Virginia Director for Appalachian Voices. “What’s astounding is that the General Assembly has passed this coal industry bill, tying our own state regulators’ hands by restricting their ability to use standard water testing.”

There is also serious concern about potential legal repercussions for the state as a result of this legislation. “By hamstringing the Director’s ability to adequately test water quality, this bill removes safeguards for clean water,” said Marirose Pratt, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. “It conflicts with Virginia’s longstanding agreement with EPA and places Virginia in jeopardy of losing authority to administer our own Clean Water Act program.”

Pollution discharges from strip mines pose a major threat to downstream waterways. Discharges from mountaintop removal mining operations, which are prevalent in the state, are of particular concern. Strip mining – including mountaintop removal – is more widespread in Southwest Virginia’s Wise County than all but one other county in Appalachia.

More than 150 miles of headwater streams in the state have been eliminated by the practice and downstream waterways are also severely impacted.

“Our waterways are already so toxic, it’s hard to believe the state is taking tools away from those charged with safeguarding them,” says Jane Branham of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards. “Many of our streams are already loaded with black sediment from these mines and are void of life.” The reputable journal Science cited Virginia in a peer-reviewed paper last year on mountaintop mining impacts. The paper describes declines in stream life and high levels of toxic metals below mine sites, as well as elevated rates of human mortality, and heart, lung, and kidney disease in the vicinity of mountaintop removal operations.

“Big Coal wants to operate above the law,” said Chelsea Harnish, Virginia policy coordinator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “The coal industry is already fighting clean air regulations at the federal level, and now here in Virginia the industry is close to being granted its own loophole allowing coal mining to pollute our waterways, completely unchecked.”

“Clean water and clean air have been assaulted from day one of this General Assembly session. Whether it’s loopholes in the permitting process for coal mines, or extending coal subsidies in Virginia, this General Assembly has done all they can to create a safety net for the coal industry,” said J.R. Tolbert, assistant director of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. “If we didn’t know any better, you’d think Virginia had become a corporate welfare state.”

Great Day for Renewable Energy in Virginia: General Assembly Passes Solar Legislation, Offshore Wind Sites Announced

Measure will provide low-cost loans for residential solar energy projects

RICHMOND – On the heels of Secretary Salazar’s offshore wind energy announcement today in Norfolk, both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly have passed the Voluntary Solar Resource Fund Bill (HB 2191 and SB 975), which aims to set up a revolving loan fund for residential solar energy projects. The loan program will promote economic development and the production of clean, renewable energy at no cost to the state.

Continue reading

Offshore Drilling: Virginia's General Assembly still doesn't get it

Yesterday was (supposed) to be a big day for energy bills in the Senate but many of the bills were “passed by” for the day, which means they have been postponed until next week’s committee hearing. However, one of CCAN’s priority bills, SB 814, which would have stopped the potential for offshore drilling in its tracts, died a valiant death. This was no surprise to us; the purpose of the bill this year was to educate our legislators on the threat of offshore drilling. While not immediate, this threat is still very real. Suffice it to say, we accomplished our goal big time. There was a tremendous, healthy debate centered around our bill that lasted more than 20 minutes whereas most of the other bills in committee were quickly discussed and voted upon. I was able to point out to the committee members that drilling can and will most likely begin after 2017 when the federal government revisits opening our coast to offshore drilling. We must continue to keep the pressure on our state and federal legislators about this threat.

Today though, we are reversing gears a little bit by working hard to promote our renewable energy bill that is on today’s committee docket. This bill would establish a voluntary solar fund for Virginia homeowners to apply for. By all early indications, this bill has a good shot today. Stay tuned for details!

Solar bill a 'no brainer' at lobby day

Monday was an important day of reflection for our country and, for over 200 Virginians, it was a chance to come together to speak out at Virginia Conservation Lobby Day. The day was jam packed with trainings, speakers presenting on pieces of legislation and, most important of all, lobby visits that covered a wide range of conservation issues for Virginia.

There was a wide ranger of participants, including high school students and students from the University of Mary Washington. For many of them, it was their first time lobbying and they were excited at the impact their visit had.

Abbie Rogers's Photos - twentyeleven.

Students from the UMW met with their delegate, Republican Speaker of the House William Howell, to discuss HB 2191 (SB 975) the Voluntary Solar Resources Development Fund. Speaker Howell called it a ‘no brainer’ and he’s right, which is why this bill is receiving bipartisan support.

This bill is a Win-Win-Win for Virginia. It’s a Win for Virginia because it creates a source of funding for residential solar installations at no cost to taxpayers, instead is funded by opt-in donations of $1 or more by utility consumers. It’s a Win for Business because it will grow the Virginia solar industry locally instead of being forced to travel to neighboring states that already have similar solar incentives. And it’s a Win for Utilities because, according to Dominion Virginia Power, distributed solar power reduced the need for the more expensive types of power generation, which are old natural gas peaking facilities.

Abbie Rogers's Photos - twentyeleven.