Typically these are direct links to the original media sites. If those sites remove their documents all I can do is delete the links. Please inform me of broken links via e-mail (bottom of this page). Detailed information on the bills discussed in these articles can be found further down on this page.
- The ‘go fly a kite’ energy bill – The Roanoke Times, 30 January 2006, criticizing SB 262 for taking away all local authority in the siting of energy facilities.
- Wagner ignites energy contest – The Virginian-Pilot, 15 January 2006. An editorial lauding Sen. Frank Wagner for presenting a state energy bill, while not endorsing all of his proposals.
- Enough fumbling in the dark – The Roanoke Times, 10 January 2006. Another editorial lauding Wagner’s state energy bill, while not endorsing all of his proposals.
- Lawmaker sees bill as the future of energy in Va. – by Scott Harper, The Virginian-Pilot, 9 January 2006. A report on the state energy bill introduced by Sen. Frank Wagner. This refers to SB 262: Virginia Energy Plan.
- Legislators seek to expand renewable energy use – by Carolyn Shapiro, The Virginian-Pilot, 7 January 2006. A report on a bill introduced by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, SB 278: Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards. Sen. Whipple has also introduced SB 63, providing for grants and tax refunds for producing and using clean and efficient energy.
The legislature has reconvened in a special session so not everything is yet final.
If any of the following links fail just go to http://leg1.state.va.us/
and search for the specific bill number within the 2006 session.
Clean Smokestack Act
- SB 242 Clean Smokestack Act; phased schedule for electric generating units to reduce emissions – Patricia S. Ticer
01/10/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 067241828
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
01/24/06 Senate: Assigned ACNR sub: Emission Control
02/06/06 Senate: Incorporated by Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (SB651-Puckett) (14-Y 0-N) See SB 651, below.
- SB 651 Air emissions control; Department of Environmental Quality shall promulgate regulations – Phillip P. Puckett
01/18/06 Senate: Presented and ordered printed 063876792
01/18/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
01/24/06 Senate: Assigned ACNR sub: Emission Control
02/06/06 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (14-Y 0-N)
02/06/06 Senate: Committee substitute printed 067273792-S1
02/08/06 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 067273792-S1
02/08/06 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB651S1
02/09/06 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
02/09/06 Senate: VOTE: (39-Y 0-N)
02/09/06 Senate: Communicated to House
02/14/06 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
02/22/06 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
02/22/06 House: Committee substitute printed 067283792-H1
02/27/06 House: Committee substitute agreed to 067283792-H1
02/27/06 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB651H1
02/27/06 House: Passed House with substitute (100-Y 0-N)
03/01/06 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
03/01/06 Senate: VOTE: (40-Y 0-N)
03/08/06 Senate: Enrolled
03/08/06 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB651ER)
03/09/06 Senate: Signed by President
03/09/06 House: Signed by Speaker
04/11/06 Senate: Governor’s recommendation received by Senate
Awaiting final action on minor amendments proposed by the Governor.
HB 1055, sponsored by John S. Reid, was essentially identical to SB 651 and was merged into that bill in committee. These are not directly wind related but it is incumbent upon those of us interested in blocking industrial wind turbines in the Appalachians to support alternate means of reducing the environmental impact of fossil-fuel power generation. These bills establish a schedule for specific reductions in emissions of SO2, NOx, and mercury from power plants in Virginia.
Virginia Energy Plan
- HB 1153 Virginia Energy Plan – L. Scott Lingamfelter
01/11/06 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062828380
01/11/06 House: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/07/06 House: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (18-Y 4-N)
02/07/06 House: Referred to Committee on Finance
02/08/06 House: Committee substitute printed 062760380-H1
02/13/06 House: Reported from Finance with substitute (18-Y 2-N)
02/13/06 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/13/06 House: Committee substitute printed 067377380-H2
02/15/06 House: Left in Appropriations — This is all it says on the summary page but the Appropriations Committee page reports it as failed.
- HB 1292 Virginia Energy Plan – Christopher B. Saxman
01/11/06 House: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/07/06 House: Incorporated by Commerce and Labor into HB1153-Lingamfelter – see above.
- SB 262 Virginia Energy Plan – Frank W. Wagner
01/10/06 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062601832
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/24/06 Senate: Assigned C&L sub: Special on SB262
02/06/06 Senate: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 1-N)
02/06/06 Senate: Rereferred to Finance
02/07/06 Senate: Committee substitute printed 062730832-S1
02/14/06 Senate: Passed Senate (31-Y 6-N)
02/14/06 Senate: Communicated to House
02/15/06 House: Read first time
02/15/06 House: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/21/06 House: Assigned C & L sub: Utilities/Employment (Byron)
03/06/06 House: Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 7-N)
03/07/06 House: Committee substitute printed 062777832-H1
03/08/06 House: Committee substitute agreed to 062777832-H1
03/08/06 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB262H1
03/08/06 House: Passed House with substitute (74-Y 21-N)
03/09/06 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (36-Y 1-N 1-A)
03/15/06 Senate: Enrolled
03/15/06 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB262ER)
03/15/06 House: Signed by Speaker
03/16/06 Senate: Signed by President
04/11/06 Senate: Governor’s recommendation received by Senate
04/11/06 Senate: Governor’s substitute printed 062787129-S3
Awaiting final action on minor amendments proposed by the Governor.
- SB 63 Grants and tax refunds; awarded for producing and using clean and efficient energy – Mary Margaret Whipple
01/05/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 060838844
01/05/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance
02/14/06 Senate: Left in Finance (15-Y 0-N) – [I think this means it is tabled.]
- SB 270 Grants and tax refunds; awarded for producing and using clean and efficient energy – Mary Margaret Whipple
01/10/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062652844
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance
01/25/06 Senate: Stricken at request of Patron in Finance (15-Y 0-N)
- SJ 80 Energy plan, comprehensive; Secretary of Natural Resources to study development thereof – Mary Margaret Whipple
01/10/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062654844
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Rules
02/03/06 Senate: Incorporated by Rules into SB 261-Wagner. See SB 261, below.
- SB 261 Manufacturing Development Commission; created, report – Frank W. Wagner
01/10/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062630832
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Rules
02/03/06 Senate: Reported from Rules with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
02/06/06 Senate: Committee substitute printed 064457832-S1
02/06/06 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
02/07/06 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 064457832-S1
02/07/06 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB261S1
02/08/06 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
02/08/06 Senate: Communicated to House
02/14/06 House: Placed on Calendar
02/14/06 House: Read first time
02/14/06 House: Referred to Committee on Rules
02/22/06 House: Reported from Rules with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
02/24/06 House: Committee amendments agreed to
02/24/06 House: Engrossed by House as amended
02/24/06 House: Passed House with amendments (98-Y 0-N)
02/28/06 Senate: House amendments agreed to by Senate (33-Y 7-N)
03/06/06 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB261ER)
03/07/06 Senate: Enrolled
03/07/06 House: Signed by Speaker
03/08/06 Senate: Signed by President
04/11/06 Senate: Governor’s recommendation received by Senate
Awaiting final action on minor amendments proposed by the Governor.
SB 262 and HB 1153 appear to differ only slightly. Most of the provisions of SB 63 are included in the more detailed SB 262. SJ 80 suggests an energy plan but offers no details and is now incorporated into a bill to set up a commission to study manufacturing in Virginia. These energy plans are a good idea in principle but, as written, they excessively promote industrial wind development and bypass any local control or oversight of this industry. For additional commentary see Energy bill generates heat, The Roanoke Times, 28 February 2006.
Renewable Portfolio Standards
- SB 278 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards – Mary Margaret Whipple
01/10/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/13/06 Senate: Continued to 2007 in Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N)
RPS legislation puts the cart before the horse. The only means to meet much of the renewable goal is with wind energy. RPS will mandate the construction of wind turbines without first studying the environmental and social issues they raise and developing siting criteria for them. It is build first, study later legislation. I have prepared a position paper that develops these thoughts in more detail.
Local Taxation of Wind Turbines
- SB 404 Personal property taxes; rate for generating equipment of electric suppliers – Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.
01/11/06 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 069143732
01/11/06 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance
01/24/06 Senate: Reported from Finance (15-Y 0-N)
01/26/06 Senate: Read second time and engrossed
01/27/06 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 0-N 1-A)
01/27/06 Senate: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (36-Y 1-N)
01/27/06 Senate: Passed Senate (36-Y 0-N 2-A)
01/27/06 Senate: Communicated to House
02/13/06 House: Placed on Calendar
02/13/06 House: Read first time
02/13/06 House: Referred to Committee on Finance
02/27/06 House: Reported from Finance with substitute (14-Y 8-N)
02/27/06 House: Committee substitute printed 065229732-H1
03/06/06 House: Committee substitute agreed to 065229732-H1
03/06/06 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB404H1
03/06/06 House: Passed House with substitute (53-Y 43-N)
03/08/06 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 1-A)
03/15/06 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB404ER)
03/15/06 Senate: Enrolled
03/15/06 House: Signed by Speaker
03/16/06 Senate: Signed by President
04/04/06 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 517 (effective 1/1/07)
04/12/06 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter 517
The relevant part of Chapter 517 reads, “[G]enerating equipment that is reported to the Commission by electric suppliers utilizing wind turbines may be taxed by the locality at a rate that exceeds the real estate rate, but that does not exceed the general class of personal property tax rate applicable in the respective localities.” In Highland County in 2005 the real estate tax rate was $0.73 and the personal property rate was $1.50 per $100 of assessed value. It is not clear how the assessed value is determined.
John R. Sweet, Mustoe, VA
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