Pass Climate Action in the 2024 Virginia General Assembly
APRIL 2024 UPDATE:
The Virginia 2024 General Assembly Session has just wrapped up, and CCAN Action Fund is working to pass several policies for clean energy and climate justice. Several of the bills we supported below have passed through the General Assembly! Read all about it here.
But their success is not assured until Governor Youngkin’s veto session has ended.
In the meantime, here are two quick actions you can take to make this year’s budget as climate-friendly as possible:
Read on to learn what we’ve been fighting for this session.
Protect our Climate Progress
The General Assembly has made Virginia a climate leader by passing the Virginia Clean Economy Act, enjoining us to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and adopting Clean Car Standards. All three are critical to put us on a path to climate stability. We adamantly oppose any efforts to repeal or weaken these laws.
This includes ensuring only truly clean and market-ready technologies may benefit from Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and maintaining the fossil fuel generator retirement schedule.
CCAN Action Fund OPPOSES HB 397 (anti-RGGI and VCEA), HB1074 (anti-VCEA), HB3, HB7, HB693, SB3, SB53, SB160 (Clean Cars repeal)
Reform and Expand Shared Solar
Dominion was required to create a shared solar program, which allows people who cannot obtain rooftop solar the ability to choose clean energy and access its financial benefits. The SCC imposed a $55 minimum monthly bill (not including an expected $10 – $20 administrative fee), rendering the program inaccessible to most Virginians. We support setting reasonable minimum savings for the shared solar program, as well as expanding the program to ApCo territory.
CCAN Action Fund SUPPORTS HB106/SB253 (Dominion) and HB108/SB255 (ApCo)
Update: This bill passed! Read more here.
Reform Solar Siting
Utility scale solar is by far the cheapest source of electricity overall – it can cost as low as $16 per unit of electricity, called a Megawatt-hour, compared to around $62 for existing gas facilities – or over $100 for new gas facilities. The math is simple: we must invest heavily in utility scale solar to enact a just transition to a climate-stable, clean energy future.
Unfortunately, many localities have been plagued by misinformation about solar and passed local solar bans.
To do our part to get off fossil fuels, Virginia’s localities need to leave the option for solar open. That means projects should be reviewed by localities on their merits, on a case-by-case basis. That’s what SB697 does – ensure that every solar project gets a fair review from local government.
We need clean energy, and we need it now. So let’s make sure clean energy projects get the chance for a fair review.
CCAN Action Fund SUPPORTS SB 697.
Update: This bill did NOT pass.
Require Data Centers to Meet Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Standards
Big tech companies are requesting large amounts of electricity in Virginia to operate data centers clustered in Northern Virginia. While many of these data centers are supporting necessary technology, this has perpetuated a false narrative that new fossil fuel facilities are necessary to meet this demand.
It’s simple: massive companies, which are currently eligible for large tax breaks from the state, should be required to meet their electricity demands efficiently and with clean energy in order to qualify for those benefits. Some of these companies have informal green energy pledges – but the state should ensure that all facilities meet these same standards.
CCAN Action Fund SUPPORTS SB192/HB116
Update: This bill did NOT pass.
