Madam Chair and members of the Committee:
My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, an organization that supports the vast military and federal presence in our region. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty.
Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
I am here today to express our support for House Bill 12697.
Wind energy production in Virginia has the potential to help meet renewable energy goals in the Commonwealth. However, windfarm construction could have unintended detrimental consequences and threaten military missions in Virginia if not properly coordinated with the Department of Defense (DoD). Wind energy projects can have significant adverse impacts on aviation operations and radar and satellite communications systems if not sited in a coordinated manner. The issue of establishing procedures for permitting renewable energy development in consideration of military compatibility was identified in the 2018 Virginia Regional Joint Land Use Study. It is imperative that developers obtain coordination from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DoD prior to the Commonwealth or localities allowing construction of a windfarm. The DoD established a Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse in 2011 to provide “timely, transparent, and repeatable processes to evaluate potential impacts and mitigation options related to alternative energy production. The Clearinghouse works with private industry and developers, state and local government, regulators, and non-governmental organizations to minimized adverse impacts to military training, testing, and operations.” Virginia must ensure this coordination takes place at the onset of project development to ensure windfarms do not adversely impact the many military missions in Virginia which account for 19% of the Commonwealth’s economy.
This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB2697.
Thank you.
Madam Chair and members of the Committee: My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, an organization that supports the vast military and federal presence in our region. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty. Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. I am here today to express our support for House Bill 12697. Wind energy production in Virginia has the potential to help meet renewable energy goals in the Commonwealth. However, windfarm construction could have unintended detrimental consequences and threaten military missions in Virginia if not properly coordinated with the Department of Defense (DoD). Wind energy projects can have significant adverse impacts on aviation operations and radar and satellite communications systems if not sited in a coordinated manner. The issue of establishing procedures for permitting renewable energy development in consideration of military compatibility was identified in the 2018 Virginia Regional Joint Land Use Study. It is imperative that developers obtain coordination from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DoD prior to the Commonwealth or localities allowing construction of a windfarm. The DoD established a Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse in 2011 to provide “timely, transparent, and repeatable processes to evaluate potential impacts and mitigation options related to alternative energy production. The Clearinghouse works with private industry and developers, state and local government, regulators, and non-governmental organizations to minimized adverse impacts to military training, testing, and operations.” Virginia must ensure this coordination takes place at the onset of project development to ensure windfarms do not adversely impact the many military missions in Virginia which account for 19% of the Commonwealth’s economy. This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB2697. Thank you.