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The Virginia Resdistricting Coalition joins a bipartisan group of legislators in supporting redistricting reform.
The Virginia State Senate unanimously passed the Bipartisan Redistricting Reform bill yesterday. SB 926 would establish a "bipartisan redistricting commission" that would help prevent the gerrymandered districts that have polarized are elections and government in Virginia. Governor Tim Kaine held a press conference, with members of both parties and members of the Virginia Redistricting Coalition, to show support for this measure.
In a recent legislative update, Virginia Beach Delegate Joe Bouchard outlined his priorities for the session, which includes "implementing the Climate Change Commission's recommendations with programs that create new jobs in the growing clean energy industries".
I have four bills implementing the Climate Change Commission's recommendations with programs that create new jobs in the growing clean energy industries. I served on the Climate Change Commission and saw several studies showing the tremendous economic opportunities for Virginia in renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. Initiatives in this area not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they contribute to economic growth and help reduce our dependence on imported oil.
The most important of my bills (HB 2562) would exempt purchases of renewable energy systems, including solar energy systems (photovoltaic panels and solar heating) and wind-powered electrical generators of less than 10 kilowatts from the state sales and use tax. This will help stimulate sales of this equipment and attract interest from manufacturers in investing in Virginia. Sales of these systems today are very small, so this tax exemption will not significantly reduce state tax revenues.
I have two other bills increasing the ability of local governments to permit solar energy systems in new housing developments and preventing them from being prohibited where they are currently allowed.
Another bill I introduced (HB 2420) expands the authority of the existing Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment to identify integrated transportation solutions covering all transportation modes that promote economic development, intermodal connectivity, environmental quality, accessibility for people and freight, and transportation safety. Currently, highway, rail and transit plans are developed independently, leaving gaps in transportation capacity in some areas and redundant capacity in others. HB 2420 addresses this problem by having the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment coordinate actions of the agencies of Virginia's Transportation Secretariat to develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-modal transportation policy, establish standards for the coordination of transportation investments and land use planning to promote commuter choice and transportation system efficiency, establish goals, objectives and priorities in the Statewide Transportation Plan covering at least a 20-year planning horizon, in accordance with the federal transportation planning requirements. These changes will help ensure that taxpayer dollars invested in transportation are spent wisely, resulting in optimum enhancements across all transportation modes.
Energy efficiency is the most prominent, and perhaps the most important set of legislation before the General Assembly this year. Of course, often the biggest hurdle is getting such bills through their assigned committee, and in the Senate, it is the Commerce and Labor Committee headed by majority leader Dick Saslaw (D, Springfield). The Senator has a cumulative LCV score of 53%, including 75% for the 2008 session.
In a recent meeting with constituents to discuss efficiency bills coming up, Sen. Saslaw said he objected to "penalizing" Dominion and was concerned that budget pressures made it impossible to spend money because it could sacrifice (other priorities).
As far as penalizing Dominion, a quick scan of the most prominent legislation, SB 1447 by Sen.McEachin, shows that any expenses for implementing program elements can be put into the rate base. If a utility does not provide the required amount of efficiency, they do have to make a $0.03 per kilowatthour "alternative compliance payment". That is what most efficiency measure would cost, so it serves as a safety valve for them. The money is directed to a fund managed by the state for their efficiency programs.
Regarding the budget, it sounds like the Senator didn't grasp that efficiency measures do not impose a burden on the state budget, nor does it "penalize" one of his biggest contributors. Energy efficiency is cheap, fast and clean and the public is far ahead of Senator Saslaw on that score.
Kicking off our Statewide Call-In Day for Energy Efficiency today is a special press conference with Senator Donald McEachin, 11:00am, in House Briefing Room #1. (Space is limited, but courtesy of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, we'll be posting video of the press conference here later.)
Initiated by the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN), Senator McEachin is sponsoring SB1447, an omnibus energy efficiency bill. The VCN is also supporting Senator Herring's SB1440 which mandates 19% energy efficiency goal by 2025, and Delegate Pollard's HB2506 which allows electric utilities to recover fair rates through efficiency programs.
Governor Kaine is also pushing forward energy efficiency bills through Senators Northam (SB1248) and Herring (SB1339), Delegates Plum (HB2176) and McClellan (HB2105). While VCN and the Governor AGREE and support similar general goals, including: 1. a 19% mandated goal; 2. a strong definition of energy efficiency that will reduce global warming pollution; and, 3. a fair-rate of return/economic incentive for utilities investing in energy efficiency programs, there are notable differences.
VCN's and the Governor's initiated legislation DIFFER on these details:
1. The mechanism by which the 19% mandate is calculated: Sen. McEachin and Sen. Herring's VCN supported bills would allow more transparency for our groups and citizenry to "watchdog" efficiency program process. The Governor's bills (SB1248/ HB2176) could aid utilities in not reaching 19% target by 2025 with no penalty.
2. The type of utilities that must participate in the energy efficiency program: Sen. McEachin and Sen. Herring's VCN bills include investor-owned utilities (Dominion and Appalachian Power) and electric co-ops (Old Dominion Electric Cooperative). The Governor's bills (SB1248/ HB2176) only included investor-owned utilities.
And, as Lauren and Susanna from CCAN have indicated in this post ("Efficiency bills, explained"), there are additional competing efficiency bills that VCN opposes as they do not adopt either the VCN's or the Governor's stated goals as outlined above.
Which brings us to the subject of Senator Dick Saslaw...
We are calling on especially the citizens of the 35th Senate district to contact Senator Saslaw and urge his support of SB1447, SB1440 and HB2506. The Senator has stated that he was opposed to any bill that put a penalty on Dominion for non-compliance and would prevent it getting out of committee. Once again it would appear that Dominion wants to lead certain legislators around by the ring through their noses. It happened once before as Dominion was allowed to strong-arm a voluntary RPS bill out of the Senate instead of a mandatory one, and they appear ready to do again with the strong-arming. We can't allow this to happen.
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In a recent legislative update, Virginia Beach 
Energy efficiency is the most prominent, and perhaps the most important set of legislation before the General Assembly this year. Of course, often the biggest hurdle is getting such bills through their assigned committee, and in the Senate, it is the Commerce and Labor Committee headed by majority leader Dick Saslaw (D, Springfield). The Senator has a cumulative LCV score of 53%, including 75% for the 2008 session.
Kicking off our Statewide Call-In Day for Energy Efficiency today is a special press conference with Senator Donald McEachin, 11:00am, in House Briefing Room #1. (Space is limited, but courtesy of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, we'll be posting video of the press conference here later.)
