Virginia senate panel moves to consider renewable bill in 2007

Philadelphia (Platts)--14Feb2006

The Virginia State Senate's Commerce and Labor Committee on Tuesday voted
unanimously to "continue" to the 2007 legislative session further deliberation
on SB 278.
     The bill calls for electricity providers to secure increasing shares of
their overall needs from wind farms, biomass-fired plants and other renewable
sources over the next several years and to secure 15% of their needs from
renewables within 10 years of the measure's enactment. 
     The House Finance Committee voted 18-2 in favor of HB 1153, which calls
for the development of a state energy plan, and for the State Corporation
Commission to develop numerical "scoring systems" to identify optimal sites
for nuclear plants, wind farms and LNG facilities, and for state siting boards
to provide "one-stop permitting" for such projects. 
     The bill also includes an .85 cts/kWh grant or tax credit for wind power
production and directs state officials to push for federal executive action
and federal legislation that would give Virginia "exclusive jurisdiction" over
the development of offshore wind farms. 
     The Virginia State Senate's Finance Committee is considering an identical
bill.

For more renewables news, request a free trial to Platts Renewable Report at
http://www.platts.com/Request%20More%20Information/

Please visit: www.platts.com

Their coverage of energy matters is extensive!!.