Green New Deal Act, HB 77 versus Virginia Clean Economy Act

Item Green New Deal Act HB 77 Virginia Clean Economy Act

Moratorium on new Yes. Comprehensive moratorium starting 1/1/21 on No. Air Pollution Control Board to recommend to GA by
fossil fuel projects? all new fossil fuel projects, pipelines, import or 1/1/21 whether GA should revoke certificates of public
export terminals OR expansion of any existing convenience and necessity for carbon emitting facilities.
facility. Moratorium prohibits any state agency from SCC to not issue certificate for any new facility until the
issuing approvals for such projects. recommendation is sent to GA. SCC is free to proceed
regardless of what the recommendation is as soon as it is
physically submitted to GA on or before 1/1/21.
Renewable Portfolio 80% by 2028 Annual targets, including
Standards 100% by 2036 35% by 2028
61% by 2036
Requires Yes. Draft for public comment due 3/31/21, Final No Climate Action Plan mentioned.
development of a report due 1/1/22. Must address all aspects of No mention of agriculture or transportation.
comprehensive climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, and Only deals with electric generation ad energy efficiency.
Climate Action Plan resiliency, as well as agriculture, heating, cooling
to deal with climate and transportation.
change?
Requirements for Yes. Specific requirements with targets. No energy efficiency standards for buildings.
energy efficiency in
buildings?
Provisions None Yes. Much of existing energy law (presumably written by
protecting Dominion Energy) reenacted.
Dominion Energy? Utilities get a performance incentive equal to their usual
rate of return for complying with standards
Provisions No. Yes. All costs are deemed reasonable and may be
guaranteeing full recovered from ratepayers.
cost recovery for
renewable energy
companies?
Strong protections Yes, requires transition assistance to displaced No protections for workers in fossil fuel industry.
for workers in fossil workers in fossil fuel sector. No protections for workers in clean energy or energy
fuel and clean Yes, requires development of trade programs in high efficiency sectors.
energy sectors? schools and community colleges and scholarships
and forgivable loans for workers seeking to enter
clean energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Strong protections Yes. Requires use of project labor agreements and No. No protections for unions or workers trying to join
for organized labor? payment of prevailing wages in clean energy and unions. No provision for project labor agreements.
energy efficiency sectors. Protects right of workers Limited prevailing wage protections for “harbor” workers
to join unions. in some wind power projects.
Strong Yes. 40% of all expenditures on energy efficiency 15% of EE costs and 50% of RGGI payments targeted to
environmental must be targeted to EJ communities. Scholarships, low income and other communities. No additional
justice provisions? low interest loans and training for EJ assistance.
communities
Penalties to Failure to meet RPS goals results in civil penalty Deficiency payments per megawatt-hour shortfall if goals
Dominion for equal to twice the cost of the investment that would not met.
failure to meet RPS have been required and triple the cost for failure to
targets meet goals in EJ communities.
Can meet targets No Yes. Supplier can use REC’s in excess of any annual goal
using Renewable to apply to future goals for 5 years.
Energy Credits
from out of state?
Process by which Public process involving 60 plus grass roots, social In secret by industry group Advanced Energy Economy,
bill was written justice, community and labor organizations over the whose “leaders” include at least four companies invested
course of one year in natural gas and at least one company that has a Director
who sits on the Board of Directors of Dominion Energy.
No input from organized labor.