RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia House and Senate passed sweeping energy legislation Tuesday that would overhaul how Virginia’s utilities generate electricity and, supporters say, move the state from the back of the pack to the forefront of renewable energy policy in the United States.
Critics, though, warned that the legislation, drafted privately by a group that included industry representatives and environmental advocates, strips state regulators of some oversight and leaves ratepayers on the hook for what could be excessive costs.
A note on Simpson’s Paradox: A trend can appear in groups of data but disappear when these groups are combined. This effect can easily be exploited by limiting a dataset so that it shows exactly what one wants it to show. Beware of even the strongest correlations. Beware of basing extreme policy on correlations.
The measure, called the Clean Economy Act, lays out a plan to get Virginia to 100% renewable generation. The House version would demand that goal be met by 2045 and the Senate’s version sets a deadline of 2050, in line with a goal Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam set in an executive order in September.
Differences between the two versions will have to be worked out before the measure can be sent to Northam, whose administration has been involved in negotiating the bill.
In a floor speech, House sponsor Del. Rip Sullivan called the bill “transformative,” saying it would propel Virginia “into the future and into the top tier of states in terms of climate and energy policy.”
The legislation paves the way for an enormous expansion of solar and offshore wind generation plus battery storage , and sets an energy efficiency standard that utilities must meet. It also includes language that would add Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a carbon cap-and-trade program.
Both the House and Senate versions would effectively block new fossil fuel generation facilities in the short term while state officials study whether a permanent ban should be enacted. The House version contains a provision that says if state officials determine by 2028 that the greenhouse gas reductions are not on target, then there will be a moratorium on the issuance of permits for new fossil fuel-fired generating facilities by 2030.
Bill sponsors said in committee hearings that hundreds of hours of negotiations had gone into crafting the legislation. Participants in those talks included Dominion Energy, influential environmental groups including the Virginia League of Conservation Voters and the Southern Environmental Law Center, plus solar interests and Advanced Energy Economy, a national association of businesses.
The lawmakers carrying the measure have said it will help address climate change by moving Virginia toward a carbon-free future while creating thousands of good-paying jobs at the same time.
The bill clears the way for the development of up to 5,200 megawatts of offshore wind, which is costlier than other forms of renewable energy, by declaring it in the public interest. Dominion currently has a small pilot project underway and has previously announced plans for a 220-turbine project in federal waters.
About the Author
Does everyone remember when ObamaCare was rolled out by Nancy Pelosi ? No one knew details, Congress and the public were told it would have to be passed at the deadline to find out what it was. You all know why, right ? Legislators did not write ObamaCare. The medical industry did. The lobbyists. It’s the way this kind of thing is done many times now. The fix comes in, the legislators step aside, they let the companies and lobbyists write the laws, and BINGO, payback comes down the pike.
So how does this legislation look ? Written by all the big players in The Va. Energy Business ? Looks to me like the got Ralph to convince our Legislators to give them a blank check.
So, when does this swamp get drained ? When does lobbying become illegal ? This is probably the biggest problem that all our state capitals and D.C. face. Money buys influence and taxpayers pay for the overdraft check. Bad, bad standard policy, and it got this way a along time ago.