Bill Text: VA HJR36 | 2024 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Clean energy; Dept. of Energy to study barriers for local governments to purchase.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-01 - Continued to 2025 in Rules by voice vote [HJR36 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HJR36-Prefiled.html
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Commonwealth to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 in all sectors, including the electric power, transportation, industrial, agricultural, building, and infrastructure sectors; and
WHEREAS, both direct purchases of clean energy by local governments and local governments facilitating the purchase of clean energy by their constituents are in the public interest pursuant to the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy; and
WHEREAS, local governments face barriers to both directly purchasing clean energy and facilitating the purchase of clean energy by their constituents; and
WHEREAS, identifying and reducing the barriers for local governments and their constituents to purchase and access clean energy will help to better serve the residents, economy, and natural environment of the Commonwealth and advance the goals of the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Energy be requested to study the barriers for local governments to directly purchase clean energy or to facilitate the purchase of clean energy by their constituents.
In conducting its study, the Department of Energy shall consider (i) existing authority and methods for local governments to purchase clean energy and promote access to clean energy for their constituents; (ii) barriers for local governments to directly purchase clean energy or to facilitate the purchase of clean energy by their constituents; (iii) recommendations relating to reducing such barriers and encouraging the purchase of and access to clean energy by local governments and their constituents; (iv) specific local government programs, such as local green banks, that promote investments in clean energy technologies at the local level; and (v) any other information that the Department of Energy deems necessary to achieve the objectives of the study. In conducting its study, the Department of Energy shall consult with stakeholders as needed, including representatives from governing bodies of localities across the Commonwealth; constituents of localities seeking clean energy options; and developers and electric utilities providing options for the purchase or lease of clean energy or clean energy generation facilities by local governments or their constituents.
Technical assistance shall be provided to Department of Energy by the State Corporation Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department of Energy for this study, upon request.
The Department of Energy shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2024, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.
