Public Comments for 02/03/2022 Unknown Committee/Subcommittee
HB74 - Va. Clean Economy Act; non-bypassable charges, energy-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries.
EITE, formerly known as Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed Industries are prone to releasing excessive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, and become energy intensive. By exempting these companies from non-bypassable charges related to the development of renewable energy, it can result in smaller businesses/residential customers within Virginia becoming faced with a larger burden of costs as Virginia transitions to a carbon free energy sector. And it is for these reasons, NRDC opposes this bill HB74.
February 2, 2021 RE: Virginia Businesses Support the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Regional Greenhouse Gas Program (RGGI), and Clean Cars Dear Chair Byron and Members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee: Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with major companies and investors to build economic solutions to climate issues. We write today to share the position of the business community in Virginia on the bills before the Committee that propose to modify the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) as well as Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and Advanced Clean Cars ("Clean Cars") program. Members of Ceres BICEP Network* with operations in Virginia include Adobe, Ball Corporation, IKEA, JLL, Kaiser Permanente, Lyft, Mars Inc., McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nestle, Salesforce, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries. As large employers and energy users, businesses understand how Virginia’s energy policy affects the cost of doing business. Maintaining market-friendly climate policies like the VCEA, RGGI and Clean Cars will enable Virginia to make critical progress on pollution and decarbonization while investing in a competitive, resilient economy. The VCEA is an attractive policy for companies looking to power their operations with renewable energy to make investments in Virginia. Energy efficiency and renewable standards keep energy costs low, consistent, and predictable over the long-term, allowing companies to plan ahead. That’s why 97 companies in Virginia have committed to power all of their corporate operations with 100% renewable energy. Continuing to participate in RGGI will ensure that state’s clean energy transition includes critical financial support to vulnerable coastline communities through flood mitigation programs and to vulnerable households statewide through funding for low-income energy efficiency programs. Further, predictable, stable energy policy sends a signal to new businesses that Virginia is a good place to invest. On behalf of seven businesses and four higher education institutions, I am pleased to share the attached letter urging the Virginia Legislature to maintain and build upon the considerable progress made in recent years to confront the climate crisis and build a competitive in-state clean energy market. The following companies, Hannon Armstrong, Lutron, Mars, Inc., Nestlé, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries, and higher-ed institutions Sweet Briar College, University of Lynchburg, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and Virginia Wesleyan University share their support in the letter for the VCEA, RGGI, and Clean Cars, citing the significant business benefits of these policies, such as lower energy costs, new in-state investments, and programs that will help them meet their own climate goals. The signatories urge legislators to maintain a hospitable environment for clean energy investments going forward. Thank you for your time and consideration, and please be in touch with any questions. Sincerely, Mel Mackin Manager, State Policy Ceres mackin@ceres.org *The Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (“BICEP”) Network is a group of nearly 80 companies that support policies to prevent the dire financial and material risks of the climate crisis. BICEP members are committed to advocating for stronger climate and clean energy policies at the state and federal levels.
Written opposition from ACP to HB 74
Written opposition testimony for HB 73, HB 74, HB 118 and HB 172
AdvanSix is a leading manufacturer of Nylon 6, a polymer resin which is a synthetic material used by our customers to produce fibers, filaments, engineered plastics and films that, in turn, are used in such end-products as PPE, ventilator tubing, carpets, automotive and electronic components, sports apparel, food packaging and other industrial applications. It is also the world’s largest single-site producer of ammonia sulfate fertilizer with on-site agronomists and technical support. Several of the products produced by ASIX have been deemed essential by the Department of Homeland Security. In Virginia, AdvanSix operates two large Virginia operations with more than 1,200 employees in Hopewell and Chesterfield. AdvanSix supports House Bill 74 by Del. Ware. We compete internationally on the Nylon 6 market and are an energy-intensive trade-exposed industry (EITE). Preventing economic risk to Virginia EITE industries which face higher energy costs due to climate change regulation/legislation will avoid “emissions leakage” to more carbon-intensive competitors (foreign and domestic). The U.S. American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454 – 2009) established a structure whereby emission allowances to qualified EITE industries would counter economic risks against major competitors that have no Green House Gas emission caps.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
This is terribly detrimental to the economy and to all Virginians. This does nothing but raise energy prices for consumers AND cause severe environmental damage! Please don't allow Virginia to become a third world country this way. Please reject this piece of legislation entirely.
The climate has been changing for the past 4.7 billion years since the Earth came into being. Polymath climatologists, such as Dick Lindzen (MIT) & Will Happer (Princeton & former research leader at the Dept. of Energy) , have both stated that the impact of anthropogenic climate change due to CO2 is so minuscule as to not even be measurable. In short, massive Government funds going to address climate change are an absurd waste of money & time. It is not based on science but on faulty & inadequate climate models which are loaded with assumptions. The biggest green house gas by a country mile is water : vapor & clouds; it swamps CO2 & can’t be properly measured. And natural forces are the key to the changing climate. In fact, ice core data have shown that tropospheric CO2 when dinosaurs were around some 65 million years ago (of which some 40% were herbivores) & lots of greenery was needed as food, were as high as 9000 ppmV. And we are worried about 420 ppmV currently. It is scientifically insane. Furthermore, models are not data. And global temperatures, when dinosaurs inhabited the Earth, were similar to that of today despite exceptionally high CO2 levels. If we ignore properly determined data & evidence there is no Plan B. Peter
VCEA is not just a Virginia issue. Everywhere where government has shuttered efficient fossil fuel energy sources and forced people into wind and solar prices have risen, the environment suffers, and reliability is destroyed. VCEA: • Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. • Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. • Will hit poorer families the hardest. • Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. • Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. • Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
EITE, formerly known as Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed Industries are prone to releasing excessive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, and become energy intensive. By exempting these companies from non-bypassable charges related to the development of renewable energy, it can result in smaller businesses/residential customers within Virginia becoming faced with a larger burden of costs as Virginia transitions to a carbon free energy sector. And it is for these reasons, CCAN Action Fund opposes this bill HB74.
HB118 - Electric utilities; regulation, development of renewable energy facilities.
Businesses oppose HB 118. Testimony attached.
I believe HB118 will lead to higher energy prices and thus a lower standard of living, especially for those least able to pay.
Give the SCC the authority to decide wind and solar power decisions
I do not believe the actions proposed by this bill would provide the relief you’re looking for. There are many downsides to destroying farmland and wilderness just to put up a bunch of solar panels and windmills. We still have sufficient oil, gas, and coal and hydroelectric plants that do not pollute the air. Mother Earth would like you to leave her beautiful spaces as they are. Birds don’t like windmills or solar panels either.
Opposed.
Opposed.
Virginia Legislators: Please end the foolish VCEA. VCEA is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. It will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. It will hit poorer families the hardest. It will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. It will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. VCEA will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Thank you,
Dominion has no plan that complies with VCEA and provides reliable electricity. In their 2020 IRP they said they would have to import up to 10,000 MW in winter because solar was completely unreliable. But then in their 2021 IRP Update they say that imports like this are not feasible because everyone is going solar. The only alternative is huge amounts of storage, hundreds of thousands of MWh, costing hundreds of billions of dollars, but their plan only provides 16,000. It is completely unreliable, beginning next winter. VCEA simply cannot work. See my article for details: https://www.cfact.org/2022/01/21/vcea-makes-virginias-electric-grid-dangerously-unreliable/
This is a comment on HB 118 on the VCEA. I urge the legislature to modify VCEA so that DEQ and others can audit the review and oversight process for large-scale solar and assess environmental damage from projects already completed or in train, and not to continue blindly down the path of widespread industrial-scale solar. Several projects began construction even before DEQ reviewed and approved the submissions, contrary to law, with no subsequent penalty. Moreover, responsibility for assessing a project's impact on the environment, wildlife, archaeological sites, and watersheds rests solely with developers, per VCEA’s terms, with DEQ providing zero oversight to ensure that developers' submissions are accurate and include meaningful mitigation to environmental problems. Indeed, DEQ approval letters never require developers to actually do anything but merely "urge" them to mitigate potential damage and protect wildlife. Where are the checks in the system to ensure that the process is respected and followed? And why does DEQ not have the authority to compel compliance from developers in advance? A very concerning aspect of large-scale solar is its destruction of topsoil, as documented by the American Planning Association, that will prevent land used for solar from being restored to full agricultural or forestry uses after panels are removed, despite solar developers’ claims to the contrary. Solar panels are impermeable surfaces and have created massive runoff problems in every single large-scale project so far, silting up streams and lakes, and flooding (and damaging) neighboring properties, including in Louisa, Mecklenburg, Spotsylvania, and Essex Counties. Much runoff flows directly into the Chesapeake Bay watershed, undermining efforts to protect the bay. Heavy solar development is planned for southside and southwest Virginia, where the resulting runoff will damage the Nottoway, New, Banister, and Roanoke River basins. Yet few developers have been penalized in any meaningful way for their abject failures thus far. Where is the environmental oversight for watershed protection? Developers must file written plans and post security to defray future decommissioning costs yet are allowed to deduct what they claim are the monetary gains of salvaging or recycling the equipment, often resulting in zero money being posted. Yet recycling of these panels is very labor-intensive, with little demonstrated salvage value, making it unlikely to happen. Who will pay to remove literally millions of panels if developers are allowed to minimize and even eliminate their own financial commitments and cash-poor counties lack the financial resources to cover the costs? Written decommissioning plans also claim that used panels will be returned to their manufacturers, over 90% of whom are in China, but if those companies no longer exist in 30 years or refuse to accept the panels, where will they end up? Answer: in Virginia landfills, many of which adjoin historically black towns and communities, including at least one Rosenwald school. Where is the environmental justice for them? Enough projects have been completed to allow us to halt further development and audit every single project to revalidate the process, tighten compliance and enforcement, and provide the oversight needed to protect Virginia’s precious natural resources. True environmental responsibility demands nothing less of Virginia's General Assembly and State Senate.
February 2, 2021 RE: Virginia Businesses Support the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Regional Greenhouse Gas Program (RGGI), and Clean Cars Dear Chair Byron and Members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee: Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with major companies and investors to build economic solutions to climate issues. We write today to share the position of the business community in Virginia on the bills before the Committee that propose to modify the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) as well as Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and Advanced Clean Cars ("Clean Cars") program. Members of Ceres BICEP Network* with operations in Virginia include Adobe, Ball Corporation, IKEA, JLL, Kaiser Permanente, Lyft, Mars Inc., McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nestle, Salesforce, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries. As large employers and energy users, businesses understand how Virginia’s energy policy affects the cost of doing business. Maintaining market-friendly climate policies like the VCEA, RGGI and Clean Cars will enable Virginia to make critical progress on pollution and decarbonization while investing in a competitive, resilient economy. The VCEA is an attractive policy for companies looking to power their operations with renewable energy to make investments in Virginia. Energy efficiency and renewable standards keep energy costs low, consistent, and predictable over the long-term, allowing companies to plan ahead. That’s why 97 companies in Virginia have committed to power all of their corporate operations with 100% renewable energy. Continuing to participate in RGGI will ensure that state’s clean energy transition includes critical financial support to vulnerable coastline communities through flood mitigation programs and to vulnerable households statewide through funding for low-income energy efficiency programs. Further, predictable, stable energy policy sends a signal to new businesses that Virginia is a good place to invest. On behalf of seven businesses and four higher education institutions, I am pleased to share the attached letter urging the Virginia Legislature to maintain and build upon the considerable progress made in recent years to confront the climate crisis and build a competitive in-state clean energy market. The following companies, Hannon Armstrong, Lutron, Mars, Inc., Nestlé, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries, and higher-ed institutions Sweet Briar College, University of Lynchburg, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and Virginia Wesleyan University share their support in the letter for the VCEA, RGGI, and Clean Cars, citing the significant business benefits of these policies, such as lower energy costs, new in-state investments, and programs that will help them meet their own climate goals. The signatories urge legislators to maintain a hospitable environment for clean energy investments going forward. Thank you for your time and consideration, and please be in touch with any questions. Sincerely, Mel Mackin Manager, State Policy Ceres mackin@ceres.org *The Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (“BICEP”) Network is a group of nearly 80 companies that support policies to prevent the dire financial and material risks of the climate crisis. BICEP members are committed to advocating for stronger climate and clean energy policies at the state and federal levels.
Solar and wind is not environmentally friendly when thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of acres will be destroyed to install the inefficient so-called power producers. Wind turbines kill birds, required massive amounts of concrete. Solar panels in huge installations destroy the homes of small animals and deprive larger animals with food. This does even include the costs to the humans now and in the future.
ACP Written Testimony in Opposition to HB 118
Written opposition testimony for HB 73, HB 74, HB 118 and HB 172
Virginia Legislators: Please end the foolish VCEA. VCEA is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. It will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. This will hit poorer families the hardest. It will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. This will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. VCEA will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Respectfully,
Public comments on HB118 HB118 is critical to maintaining competitive electric rates in Virginia, and to maintaining reliable power generated in the Commonwealth. Key components of the bill repeal Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), and returns power to the State Corporation Committee to protect electric customers from excessive rate increases. Our analysis shows without HB118 electric rates may rise 60% to 100% by 2030, and the negative impact on the economy could be $10 to $16.5 billion a year. Virginia’s RGGI carbon tax started in January 2021, and solar power generation more than doubled to 4% of electric demand as the impact of the VCEA kicked in. Consequently, According to the US Energy Information Agency, ten months of real data shows the fallacies of Virginia’s RGGI carbon tax program when compared to the same ten months in 2020. In-state electric generation fell 9% as natural gas-fired power plants lost against regional electric grid bids from non-carbon tax states with 10% to 13% lower cost. Virginia generators will lose about $330 million in generation revenue in 2021. The bottom-line result was residential electric bills would likely rise to $80 per year in just the first year. The RGGI tax actually increased global emissions by about 390,000 tons as imports have higher emissions after transmission losses, and the generation system mix are considered. Increased solar generation replaced zero-emitting nuclear and hydroelectric power 58% of the time, with the balance of offsets coming from low emission natural gas leading to, at best, 340,000 tons of emission savings. So, in reality, there may have been no emissions savings as intermittent solar power usually requires increased backup power from less efficient, fast start oil and natural gas generators. Even if the 14 million ton emission goal for 2030 was met, an EPA calculator shows global temperatures would only fall 0.004° F. The loss of in-state generation will continue as RGGI allowance prices continue to rise and perhaps double. Importing power adds cost to cover the greater transmission losses and congestion at key transmission sub-stations. Well-paying jobs at the power plants would be lost, which has secondary impacts on the economy. RGGI may have a cumulative direct negative impact on Virginia’s economy of $4.5 to $7.2 billion by 2030, or $10.3 to $16.5 billion if indirect and induced effects are included. Local power plants are needed to maintain voltage stability for reliability, and longer transmission lines could face more likely storm damage and outages. Dominion Energy provides 80% of Virginia’s electricity and plans to replace natural gas generation with wind, solar, and battery backup power to meet the VCEA state mandates. The utility commission determined that the plan would raise residential electric rates by $800 a year by 2030, with industrial rates rising by millions. The residential cost estimate rises to $1,500 a year, adding in needed transmission and distribution line additions to bring wind and solar power from distant locations, using actual residential demand, and removing the utility commission assumption customers in North Carolina will share the cost. Large increases in industrial electric bills would likely lead to companies moving elsewhere taking high-paying jobs with them.
I am writing to ask that HB118 be passed to eliminate the VCEA legislation. The VCEA will increase my electric bill above an already large part of my monthly fixed income. As a senior, I am reeling from constant price increases from food, cable. phone, and other necessary things to live with. The VCEA will help turn our commonwealth into an ugly landscape loaded with solar farms and windmills, and put our power generation at risk, when there is no need to do so. We cannot allow this landscape destruction to happen. Please pass HB118 and save Virginia's taxpayers from the VCEA. Thank you. Mr. Vance
We need to use our oil, natural gas, & abundant resources as they are very available & dependable resources. Meanwhile continue development of solar & wind, which hopefully will eventually become more dependable.
I am James Taylor, president of The Heartland Institute. We believe the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act will have a devastating impact on Virginia household incomes while accomplishing very little environmental or climate impact. For 2021, Virginia was one of the states generating the highest percentage of electricity from conventional energy and the lowest percentage from wind and solar power. This is a primary reason why the average price of electricity in Virginia is currently 18 percent below the national average. By comparison, electricity prices in California, which is heavily dependent on wind and solar power, are more than double those of Virginia. High electricity prices serve as an enormously regressive tax on Virginians. Virginia can learn a good lesson from the costly experiences of Kansas and Iowa. In 2010, neither state was heavily invested in wind or solar power. The average price of electricity in Iowa in 2010 was 7.66 cents per kilowatt hour. In Kansas, the average price was 8.23 c/kwh. The average price nationally was 9.88c/kwh in 2010. Between the two, the average price of electricity was 7.95 c/kwh, or 20 percent below the national average. Now, after ramping up their wind and solar power, the average price of electricity in the two states is 9.92 c/kwh, versus a national average of 11.20 c/kwh. In just over a decade, rather than having electricity priced 20 percent below the national average, the price of electricity in the two states is just 11 percent below the national average. In other words, the price of electricity in Iowa and Kansas is rising 50 percent faster than the rest of the nation. Virginia will almost certainly suffer the same fate, or a worse fate, under the renewable power mandates in the recently enacted Virginia Clean Economy Act. For a Virginia household paying $300 per month in electric bills, a 20-percent increase in electricity prices to reach the national average price would amount to an extra $60 per month – or an extra $720 per year – in household direct electricity bills. A conservative estimate of the costs that Virginians will pay catching up to national electricity prices would be at least $1,000 per household per year. The above numbers are merely for Virginians to catch up to the current national average price of electricity, in which merely 12 percent of national electricity is generated by renewable energy sources. The Virginia Clean Economy Act, however, mandates the Virginia economy utilize 100-percent renewable energy, which is much more than current national generation. As such, a conservative estimate of the costs for full implementation of the Virginia Clean Economy Act would be at least $3,000 to $7,000 per household per year. The United States produces less than 14 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. Virginia produces only about 2 percent of U.S. emissions. As such, Virginia accounts for less than 2/10ths of 1 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. The primary motivation for passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act was carbon dioxide emissions and global warming, yet the Clean Economy Act has an incredibly small impact on global emissions and an impact on global temperatures that is too small to be measured. Imposing $3,000 to $7,000 in higher costs per Virginia household per year is a very steep price to pay to accomplish no measurable impact.
It would be disastrous to pass this bill!
Dear People, All the noise being made about climate control and the carbon footprint is just that - noise. Their computer models are built on estimations instead of facts! And, it is a real fact that what this bill seeks to do will do more harm to our people than you have thought about, and absolutely nothing to help the climate. Our people are struggling already, and this is one more silly offer from people to far away from our reality to notice. Fossil fuels are by far the best way for us to heat our homes and transport to work. Please, stop listening to the people who think up this crap in offices but never have to live with their own ideas. If they did, they'd shut up. Thanks
Vote No - Way too expensive for homeowners.
I had the privilege to serve as the Virginia State Climatologist from 1980 to 2007, including a term as President of the American Association of State Climatologists. I tender my comments on HB118 after this considerable time in public service. HB118 mitigates some provisions in the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act, but it does not go far enough. While I support its passage, I believe that a clean and simple repeal of the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act will ultimately be more in order, because all systematic emissions reductions programs in Virginia are both expensive and climatically futile. The standard model to assess the climate impact of proposed policies is housed at the Biden Administration’s EPA, and is called the “Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse-Gas Induced Climate Change.” Under standard and common assumptions about future climate change (which themselves may be questionable, likely assuming too much warming), the EPA model calculates that if total US emissions were reduced to zero in the early 21st century, and then kept there until 2100, the amount of global warming that would be prevented from now until then is around 0.13⁰C. But Virginia’s emissions are only about 3% of the US total, which means that nearly a century of zero Virginia emissions would result in a reduction in global warming of approximately 0.004 of a degree (C). For comparative purposes, China’s emissions are currently about twice those of the US, and they are likely to stabilize around 2030, when they will easily be three times ours. India is also rapidly electrifying via coal-fired generation. In this perspective, the US is rapidly on the way to being a minor player in global carbon dioxide emissions, with a truly negligible contribution from Virginia. By 2030, China’s emissions alone will climatically swamp any US reductions every year. While I think HB118 should pass the House of Delegates, it may have a difficult time in the Senate. A cleaner future Bill, in what is likely to be a very different political climate (both Houses of the General Assembly are likely to be Republican), would be a simple repeal of the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act in the 2024 legislative session, which will then be signed into law by Governor Youngkin. Passing HB118 is a first step in this direction, despite its uncertain future in this Session.
Virginia Legislators: Please end the foolish VCEA. VCEA is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. It will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. It ill hit poorer families the hardest. It will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. It will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. VCEA will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) is clearly the most radical and wasteful energy and climate legislation ever passed in the history of our Commonwealth. It will most direly impact Virginia's poorer families, since it will cost Virginia families and businesses a ridiculous $2 billion per year -- which works out to $800 annually for a family of four! And, it requires the destruction of 770 square miles of farmlands and forests, which is over 30 times the size of New York City. While seeming to be noble and full of great potential, solar and wind energy have proven time and time again to be unreliable and intermittent when most needed, causing grid destabilization and blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Virginia needs to act wisely and learn from these mistakes. I strongly urge the passage of HB118, to roll back the dangerous statewide Green New Deal initiatives.
Regarding HB 118, renewable energy projects need to be subject to full-blown environmental reviews. They should not be exempt from any related regulatory or public involvement processes. Environmental reviews of renewable energy projects should include an assessment of whether the project would impact the critical habitat of Federally listed endangered species, or potentially result in a prohibited taking of these species. There are many such species listed in Virginia. In addition, environmental reviews of solar projects must include an assessment of the impacts of erosion that may result from clearing land for solar farms, resulting in increased stormwater runoff carrying sediment that may harm the water quality of streams, lakes, and the Chesapeake Bay, and smother associated fish and wildlife aquatic habitat. The environmentally damaging procedural flaws in VCEA require that it be repealed.
Think carefully about this energy bill. You don't want to end up like Germany. Shutting down working nuclear power plants and then trying to make do with solar panels in a climate that is not suitable for them. (Cloudy days and snow.) Wind energy requires an enormous investment in battery technology and takes up large swaths of land while killing large numbers of birds. At the same time, Germany is also becoming dependent on Russia for natural gas, which is going to cost them in the long run. Let the free market determine what works.
Green energy should be left to succeed on it's own merits and not forced upon a population ill suited to adapt. Like petroleum replaced whale oil and other things evolved over time. in truth I suspect this is driven more by patronage and favor than by any real concern. There are huge amounts of money at stake and the welfare of the general population will be sacrificed in the process without regard. Practical thinking must prevail. Do any of the politicians in favor of this course of action realize that they may still be in office when the devastating effects take place ? They should have to answer for themselves. The foresight they claim is only for their benefit.
I see there is a bill, HB 118, to repeal and replace the misbegotten Virginia Clean Economy Act. I urge you to pass it. "Clean" energy is extremely expensive and wasteful energy, and not even particularly clean. Solar and wind are intermittent, cutting out or falling sharply when the wind blows too weakly or strongly, or when clouds block the Sun. They cannot provide the reliable baseload power a modern economy needs in order to operate. Batteries are low power and expensive. Hence, the backup for the intermittent windmills and solar panels is usually fossil fuels, but consumed in wasteful stop/start mode instead of efficient baseload mode. This means essentially paying for double coverage of your electrical system. Check with the Germans and Danes about the cost. Their residential electric total costs are more than twice the average of the US. They were three times as high before we moved further down the insane road of mandating huge amounts of wind and solar. Wind and solar are also low power and dispersed, chewing up an awful lot of land, serving as eyesores, and requiring both tremendous amounts of wiring to collect the electricity needed to supply a city, and even more high-voltage transmission lines, which are politically very unpopular and require huge lawsuits to get built anywhere. And both involve huge amounts of toxic materials to manufacture and then pose huge headaches for disposal at the end of their relatively short useful lives. Fossil fuels and nuclear are more economical and far more reliable and controllable. Global warming exists and rising CO2 is probably adding to it, but the warming trend is a mere 0.14 degrees C (0.25 F) per decade, a ten-year warming you would not notice sitting in a room from one minute to the next. The science sections of the badly mis-summarized Assessment Reports on climate explicitly state that there is low confidence in any global upward trends in disastrous weather resulting from this moderate warming. We may not want to keep it up forever, but we easily have decades to find alternative energy sources as economical and reliable as fossil fuels - more likely safer and cheaper future versions of nuclear power. On these grounds, I urge the passage of HB 118. Thank you for the opportunity to comment! Ralph Mullinger
Good to pass to lower energy costs for citizens.
To the honorable men and women of the Virginia legislature. While I am not a resident, I ask that you pass HB 118. Destroying vital land for the placement of solar panels and windmills is folly of the highest order. Even on a perfect day, renewable energy is not capable of supplying the amounts of electricity that is currently being provided, and even with all of the taxpayer subsidies, it certainly isn't cost effective. Electricity rates have been rising just like Mr. Obama pledged they would and the most vulnerable are paying the price. Maybe this was planned so as to get more people dependent on the federal government. Then too, solar panels tend to get hot and therefore kill off valuable insect life such as bees. Wind turbines kill an untold number of birds, including our national symbol, Bald Eagles. Here in MN the energy companies brag about doing flight path studies before placing the turbines, but what they glaringly omit is the fact that they requested and were granted an exemption for killing eagles and other protected species. Another overlooked but important aspect is the rare earth materials needed to make the socialist energy Nirvana come to pass are located in areas of the world that aren't exactly our best friends. Add to that, the biggest producer of rare minerals China, is building coal fired generating plants a fast as they can, thereby offsetting any potential climate gains we might hope for with so called "renewable / clean" energy. With the increasing costs of electricity in this country due to the stupidity of politicians forcing their economy destroying agenda, how can we even think of being competitive on the world manufacturing stage? In other and simpler words, high energy costs mean businesses move away and leave unemployed Americans in their wake. So yeah, if you want to continue to destroy this exceptional nation and the livelihoods of thousands upon thousands of Americans, continue down the clean energy primrose path.
CO2 is not a problem. Wind and solar energy are not viable solutions to anything. Scrap the plans to destroy Virginia land.
Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
HB118 is a terrible Bill and there would not be enough space here to note all of its problems. Just VOTE NO on this Bill
We need to think over Virginias Energy Policy. Currently, legislation allows 700+ acres of farm and woodland to be destroyed to make way for solar and wind farms. Renewable energy is not efficient or reliable. Additionally, it is not environmentally friendly. Wind farms destroy counless numbers of birds. Additionally windmills destroy the viewshed of the farms and mountains of this beautiful state. Plus---WHY , if you want clean, safe, reliable and cheap energy, why isn't there a plan to build new reactors?
HB 118 should be passed to prevent damage that would be done by implementing the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) that was passed last year. VCEA requires the expenditure of billions of dollars on unreliable solar and wind energy. Wherever large-scale solar and wind energy projects have been tried (e.g. California, Germany), electric rates have been raised significantly to pay for those projects, but those sources are not reliable. Existing fossil-fuel, nuclear and hydro power must be maintained to have a reliable source of electricity. There would be a trivial reduction of carbon dioxide resulting from solar and wind energy in Virginia. The reduction would be too small to measure. Climate change has been occurring throughout the earth's 4.5-billion year history. The predictions of climate catastrophe are based on climate models that do not correspond to the actual climate record. Our goal should be to use those sources of energy that best promote human flourishing - fossil fuels, nuclear and hydro. To understand the issue further, please visit https://energytalkingpoints.com Thank you.
Sir/Madam: Though not a resident of your state, I highly encourage you vote for a bill that would lift the heavy hand of government from Virginia's electricity generation, and make the grid more reliable, and lower prices for everyone. Thank you! Windmills will not do it, and they are actually a danger to the environment and terribly expensive, raising the cost of electricity!
100 percent renewable energy is impossible. Much money will be wasted in this foolish endeavor. We will always need reliable backup supply. If you want "clean" energy then embrace Nuclear.
As a citizen of North Carolina I am asking that this piece of legislation should not be passed. When you ruin your state everybody starts leaving. They come here and start ruining my state. I also like Virginia the way it is. Its nice to drive through when I have to travel north. I like the scenery which is beautiful. These wind farms only last a few years, maybe because they are built of Chinese parts and Chinese steel, and wind up as rusted twisted derelicts after a hurricane blows through. It's bad enough when I have to drive through Baltimore and New Jersey. Don't extend the ugly scenery any farther south.
I am not a full time resident of Virginia, however, I do regularly visit, and I am writing in favor of this new bill. My family and I have enjoyed the coast, the island of Chincoteague, Williamsburg, and the western mountains on our numerous trips to Virginia. It seems to me that as a state you would be cutting off your nose to spite your face if you let the present law stand. I certainly would not be coming to see the windmill and solar farms that are not a pretty sight; rather I would much prefer to come and see the beautiful natural spaces for which Virginia is known and loved. Wait for the technology to advance enough to make it possible to for wind and solar to be viable energy sources, and in the meantime, do not destroy the wonders that draw so many of us to Virginia.
RE: HB118 The Virginia "Clean" Economy Act is a dangerous mistake. Methods for employing renewable energy need to be developed and improved systematically over time as technology permits, and not be forced upon the masses before their time. If not, overemployment of renewable energy will turn out to be a failure and a destructive disaster for all of us. Bob in Glen Arm, Md
Dear Legislators, Virginia "Clean" Economy Act is a dangerous mistake no one can afford. VCEA is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. I hope you will consider the effects of this dangerous bill and choose not to pass it. Best Regards, Neal Ala
Approve this bill! We need to spend money on things that work and keep energy affordable!
This regulation is fraught with erroneous information taken as facts. It is time to ask the engineers to do a real life cycle costing and use common sense to see how ridiculous this proposal is.
Renounce any and all Green New Deal, renewable e Gerry bills. No one can afford the price. See Paul Driessen and his analysis.
I am against the taking of 770 square miles of Virginia farm and forest land for ridiculously expensive and unreliable solar and wind farms. While politicians brag about how wonderful these farms are, they completely ignore the huge amount of pollution from rare earth mining and refining taking place to build the infrastructure, and again the huge amount of pollution caused by trying to recycle the wind turbines and solar panels after their relatively short lifespan. Politicians ignore the citizens who will be stuck paying higher energy bills for less dependable energy. I have read that a family of four will see their energy bill increase $800 a year to pay for this senseless attempt to control the earth's climate based on biased hand-picked data.
I am against the taking of forest and farmland for the purpose of building expensive and unreliable solar and wind farms. I certainly will not vote for anyone pushing this agenda.
They did this to us in Texas (and are still doing it) You saw the results last winter. It killed quite a few people to include a ten year old boy who froze in his house in South Texas. Are you stupid? The green energy programs do not work. From an engineering perspective, (you know - numbers/calculations) Wind and solar panels are only capable of producing about 30% of what the promoters say they do. It is physically impossible. It only works with government money. Do not pass this bill.
Please vote "NO" on this bill. This legislation: "Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100."
HB 118 ; Mandating clean energy sources harms more than it helps. It is an unreliable source of energy, destroys farmland and hurts the consumer as it raises costs on everything. It makes such an insignificant change to CO emissions. Besides, plants thrive on it. Sincerely, Sharon.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
Not one, wind or solar, are self sufficient without subsidies! It cause the price per kilowatt to rise plus with subsidies your paying at least twice the amount for kilowatt than a gas plant or coal or nuclear! To build these units is proven more harmful to the environment from pollution to killing birds and animals! These lies about global warming needs to quit now! You politicians are killing this country, just look at how many you killed with a vaccine, especially kids!
Virginia "Clean" Economy Act is a dangerous mistake no one can afford. A terrible waste of taxpayer dollars and will only add unstable electricity to the grid which will still need power stations we currently have. Not a plausible idea - might as well throw all that money in a pit - or here's an idea - use it to put in compact and safe small nuclear reactors....
This bill will restore common sense to energy policy and reduce rates for everyone. Please pass it.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
This bill will do nothing to help people and will cause death and destruction to the people of VA Do not pass the insane bill Respectafully Mr. Morrow
End VCEA The goal to reduce the Commonwealth’s carbon emissions to zero by 2045 and would achieve its ends by bulldozing large amounts of farmland and wilderness to foist the construction of massive new solar and windfarms. VCEA: Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Support HB 118 to lift the heavy hand of government from Virginia's electricity generation, protect the environment, make the grid more reliable, and lower prices for everyone. Thank You
This is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Watching politicians talk about science is about like watching monkeys have sexual relations with a football. To believe that CO2 is a poisonous gas or that it is bad for the environment is simply ignorant. Without CO2 green vegetation would die and so would most life on earth. This preoccupation with CO2 is a distraction from curbing serious pollution in the world.
So many high-level political policies, mandates, and acts are being predicated on lies, misconceptions and 'elites' ill-conceived agendas. House Bill 118 seeks to roll back one such policy and I support it. The truth is CO2 is not a poison but necessary for life on earth and without it we'd all be dead. Are humans creating too much of it? No, not possible. The best we can do is 4% of the world's CO2 production and when only one volcano burps it nullifies even the 4% humans at best can take credit for. Former President Reagan once expressed that, "...Freedom is a fragile thing...and it comes only once to a people." The elites, evil powers of this world, and the Democrat party want to take it away from us and rule America with power and control over everything we do, everywhere we go and anything we want to become. False environmentalism, Covid19, and lies upon lies are their tools that they implore. It's time for a whole hell of a lot of pushback and the HB118 does that and I support it.
This radical VCEA needs to be eliminated. It has nothing to do with climate. It's all about power and control. Man cannot change the climate or destroy the earth. Only God can do any of that. Thank you.
Pls shut this bill down now. It will hurt low income VA families the most and do nothing to change the climate.
The Virginia Clean Energy Act is a disaster that does nothing to combat climate change but will result in a large cost to all Virginians and especially the most needy families. This experiment has been tried in the UK and other places and has been a total disaster. We need to continue to utilize our fossil fuel resources and let these so called green initiatives develop as they become cost effective. I as a taxpayer should not have to pay to speed them along.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Stop the Nonsense! Wind Turbines Killing Birds, catching fire, and not producing enough renewable energy plus an eyesore is a waste of taxpayers Hard Earned Money!
When are we going to elect people that ACTUALLY go by REAL science before imposing their ridiculous and insane ideas on everyone else? We are constantly told to 'follow the science' - yet, those telling us to 'follow the science' don't even know what 'science' is - they only know what gibberish they are fed by people with an 'agenda' instead of actually doing their own research. Get a damn clue before ruining peoples lives!!!!
Ridiculous. Climate cannot be changed by humans. Only God has control of it.
Please pass this Bill to remove the yoke of government from the Electrical Industry. Legislators in Virginia should note that VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100 If this Bill is enacted it may reverberate in other State Legislatures (e.g., RI).
Please stop bill HB 118 . It will be horribly expensive and won't help the environment one bit, but will destroy much land in the process. Thank you. Don Feller
This bill VCEA we do not want as it will not help people living in Va. The bill HB118 will help with regulation.
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
The goal was to reduce the Commonwealth’s carbon emissions to zero by 2045 and would achieve its ends by bulldozing large amounts of farmland and wilderness to foist the construction of massive new solar and windfarms....cluttering the landscape with junk and putting an even greater strain on existing land/resources. Global Warming in nothing but a hoax, the 'climate' is constantly changing, and nothing man can do will alleviate this. Remember back in the 80s, these same 'scientists' were screaming from the rooftops that were headed for another Ice Age!
This bill will raise prices, cause harm to the environment, and create dependency on unreliable power sources, wind and solar. Thank you for your consideration
Please pass HB118 as soon as possible. The Virginia Clean Economy Act is the worst mistake Virginia ever made. It causes nothing but harm. Facts: 1. The climate is not getting too warm. In fact, it's too cold! Massive volcanoes such as Vesuvius spewed so much volcanic ash into the atmosphere that they caused a mini ice age that has never abated.. If the climate were actually getting warmer (which it isn't), it would only be returning to normal. 2. NONE of the dire predictions from the climate alarmists have any truth whatsoever. Before Vesuvius et al. plunged us into the current mini ice age, polar ice caps didn't melt, coastlines didn't flood, polar bears weren't extinct, and none of the other nightmare scenarios ever happened. There is absolutely NO reason to expect they would happen this time if the climate DID return to normal. 3. Carbon dioxide (and it's not "carbon", that's an entirely different substance) is NOT harmful. it's what plants make food from. It is NOT a "greenhouse gas", WATER is. Water absorbs over 99.97% of the sun's energy, but CO2 can only absorb less than 1/40% of the sun's energy. Atmospheric CO2 and other so-called "greenhouse gasses" aren't even a drop in the ocean compared to H2O, 4. Even if there really was anything we could do about the climate (which there isn't), a warmer climate would actually be beneficial as it would result in increased plant growth, and thus increased food production. Plants grow faster in a warm environment; that's why gardeners use greenhouses. 5. Geologic core samples show that the current level of atmospheric CO2 is less than 1/20th of normal. A rise in CO2 level would only be a return to normal (and would be good for food production). These same core samples show ABSOLUTELY NO correlation between CO2 levels and climate. Al Gore's "doom and gloom" claims about CO2 levels and climate are a total MYTH. Al Gore was a politician, not a scientist or engineer. Don't listen to him - he knows LESS about climate than a pet rock does. (A pet rock is just a rock. It knows nothing. Al Gore's "knowledge" about climate is not just wrong, it's FALSE. Thus he knows LESS than nothing - less than a pet rock!) 6. "Renewable" energy sources such as wind and solar are NOT environmentally friendly. Solar panel manufacture is extremely toxic, using chemicals such as arsenic and sodium hydroxide. And turbines should really be called "bird choppers" because of what they do to birds. Also, ALL "renewable" energy sources use VASTLY more land (which could otherwise be used for better purposes such as farming) than traditional energy sources.
HB118 should not be past it will raise the heat and electric bills for all citizens. There are better ways to solve this problem please read the book “FALSE ALARM” to find real solution that help humanity as a whole.
Foolish bill does more harm than good and should be put in the dumpster.
This is not just a Virginia issue. Everywhere in the world that government has shuttered efficient fossil fuel energy sources and forced people into wind and solar -- prices have risen, the environment suffers, and reliability is destroyed. • Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. • Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. • Will hit poorer families the hardest. • Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. • Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. • Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
This bill must not be passed - read all of the books on the other side of the global warming hysteria - this is a foolish bill - energy production needs to be practical, reliable, and redundant - and affordable. I love to be efficient, and environmentally responsible - but there is no such thing as a free lunch - everything has its costs -
Ottawa, Canada is following Germany’s Failed Climate Goals. The city’s government has learned very little from others that have inflicted huge costs for electricity onto their citizens. As the City of Ottawa pursues electrification of it grid from breezes and sunshine, and electrification of its vehicles, at any cost, it remains oblivious to the real world needs of its most vulnerable citizens to put their plans in place to achieve its “net-zero by 2050 target, regardless of its impact on the lifestyles of its citizens. https://www.eurasiareview.com/25012022-ottawa-canada-is-following-germanys-failed-climate-goals-oped/
The are only three viable forms of "green energy": geothermal, hydro and nuclear. Of the three, Small Modular Reactors (SMD's) are the only practical way to provide electrical energy in the near and middle term. Solar and Wind are far too wasteful (areas of land required) and polluting (end of life decommissioning) and require far too many subsidies. SMD's do require significant up-front costs but have far longer productive lifetimes and can be scaled to meet local needs without consuming large tracts of land. Far, far fewer waste products are a result as well as much, much higher efficiencies. Please review information on SMD's and kill HB118 for the sake of Earth's future.
Just the footprint in acreage, and non recyclable elements of massive windmill and solar installations is a non starter compared to fossil fuel and nuclear installations. Solar and wind are just another massive gov't. boondoggle to spend the taxpayers money for a negative result, ie.--increased cost to the consumer, while wasting the consumer/taxpayer money. R. SKORA
We need consistent energy, not intermittent. We need food produced by farmlands. Wind producers kill birds, destroying the ecological system. Do not pas this bill.
Sharply raises cost, complexity with negative benifit.
Please do not pass this bill
Everywhere in the world that government has pursued efficient fossil fuel energy sources and forced people into wind and solar -- prices have risen, the environment suffers, and reliability is destroyed. VCEA will hit poorer families the hardest. VCEA will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, and other countries. Please stop this misguided direction.
Reject HB118. There's a saying, "Protect Farmland; pavement is forever". Clean energy is a pipe dream in the sense of replacing what works with 'wind or solar' at the expense of food productive farms, so the so-called evil 'fossil fuels' are the savior of a society that needs this vital energy source along with nuclear and hydroelectric; to do otherwise is akin to putting us back to the dark ages. Until the 'renewable' resources are viable on their own without forced taxpayer subsidies, they're not reliable. Demonization of what works before we have something viable to replace it effectively, efficiently and cost effective is insanity. Wind and solar are woefully ineffective, non-recyclable, expensive and environmentally hazardous to humans, wildlife and create an eyesore and maintenance nightmare that their proponents ignore as they gleefully sing its praises, never mind the consequences and astronomical high price both to the public and environment. In other words as a good book goes on to detail, wind and solar are "Dumb Energy".
"Clean" renewable energy will come as the technology matures and becomes competitive. America is a great example of reducing emissions without draconian measures. Artificial deadlines and increased energy costs are not the fair or proper way to a "Green New World." Even looking at the supposed benefits of draconian steps that will hurt economies across the planet, the effect on global temperatures is not sufficient anyway. Trashing our economic system thus does not make sense. A more gradual economically driven shift does.
The benefits of limiting emissions by drastic restrictions cannot be demonstrated by any measurements. The threats of global warming are empty, as seen by the facts--our globe is cooling down. Please get facts from both sides of the issue.
The VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. It Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Please vote against this terrible bill!!! It Will hit poorer families the hardest. It Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. It Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. It Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Legislators in Virginia, VCEA Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. We all too well that inefficient, intermittent wind and solar are terribly destructive, expensive, and unreliable.
This bill is a waste of time and taxpayer money and will do nothing to affect validate change. Destroying important farmland and forestry which is more important to minimizing the impacts of fossil fuel emissions
Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Please support HB 118 bill and not the VCEA bill which is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Thank you, Sincerely Rebecca
VCEA: Is the most radical energy and climate legislation ever passed in the Commonwealth’s history. Will cost Virginia families and businesses a whopping $2 Billion per year – which amounts to $800 annually for a family of four. Will hit poorer families the hardest. Will cause the harmful destruction of farmlands and forests – a whopping 770 square miles, which is 33 times the size of New York City. Will destabilize the grid by relying on intermittent, unreliable solar and wind energy that has led to blackouts in Texas, California, Europe, and Australia. Will do nothing to impact climate change as even EPA modeling shows if Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021 degrees Celsius by the year 2100.
Please pass HB 118. Please cancel the Virginia Clean Economy Act. If you need proof that solar energy is not the solution, at this time, please watch: "Planet of the Humans"..... which is supported by Michael Moore.
It's time to stop allowing the radical left to tear down America. We have been in a spiraling downfall ever since pResident Brandon was installed and began dismantling all the positive actions that President Trump took to get us back on a solid, prosperous footing.
Please abolish VCEA
In support of HB118. RGGI IS CLIMATICALLY MEANINGLESS - VIRGINIA SHOULD EXIT RGGI AND REPEAL THE VCEA. As author of books, studies and articles on these issues for 45 years, I can say with confidence that wind, solar and battery facilities are clean, renewable and sustainable IN VIRGINIA only if their cropland, habitat, scenic, wildlife, human health and other impacts are ignored. But this is a GLOBAL issue. These technologies require extensive mining, fossil fuel use, emissions and environmental impacts in foreign countries that provide the necessary raw materials and manufacturing. Offshore turbines require 14 times more materials per MW than combined-cycle gas turbines; solar panels and backup batteries also require massive amounts. VCEA offshore wind turbines alone will need 20,000 tons of copper, which means mining and processing 4,500,000 tons of copper ore, after removing 7,000,000 tons of overburden. One 3-MW onshore turbine foundation uses 1,500 tons of concrete plus rebar. These technologies also require huge amounts of steel, aluminum, lithium, cobalt, rare earth metals, plastics and other materials – and so mining, processing and manufacturing, mostly in China or by Chinese companies in other countries, using fossil fuels and under pollution control, reclamation, workplace safety, and child/slave labor rules far below US standards. Onshore wind turbines, solar panels and battery modules have 15 or 20-year life spans; offshore turbines far less than that, due to salt corrosion. Virginians need answers to questions never raised regarding the RGGI and VCEA. How much electricity will these VCEA-mandated facilities actually generate daily? annually? Who gets to decide where they go? under what environmental reviews and safeguards? How many could be destroyed in a hurricane, tornado or ice storm? How long will it take to repair or replace them? Where will electricity come from in the meantime? Since most components cannot be recycled, where will worn-out and wrecked turbines, turbine blades, solar panels, batteries and concrete foundations be disposed of? How much will repairs, replacement, removal and landfilling cost? Who pays? How will wildlife habitats, raptors, bats, and other endangered species be protected as these industrial-scale installations proliferate? What fines and penalties will be assessed for violations? How many tons of metals, minerals and other materials will be required to build all these “clean economy” facilities? How many tons of ore will have to be mined? Where? How much coal, oil, diesel and natural gas will be required? How much land? Will Virginia insist that more mining be done in the US, so that we are not dependent on China, Russia and other unfriendly foreign sources? How many African, Asian and Latin American children and parents will work in the mines, processing plants and factories that provide these VCEA technologies? How will Virginia ensure workplace health and safety, fair living wages and human rights for them? The VCEA will do nothing to address “dangerous manmade climate change.” (a) All these overseas operations will emit enormous amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. (b) Under the RGGI and VCEA, Virginia will shutter 6,000 megawatts of coal-based electricity, while China alone will soon have 200 times that amount just in coal-fired generation AND is building coal and gas power plants in Asia and Africa. Virginians will pay high energy bills for unreliable energy and no benefits.
In support of HB118 RGGI IS CLIMATICALLY MEANINGLESS - VIRGINIA SHOULD REPEAL THE VCEA Governor Glenn Youngkin raised quite a kerfuffle when, even before he took office, he said he would extricate Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). It is the right thing to do. While he's at it, he ought to propose that the Virginia Legislature repeal the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). To see how unpopular RGGI and the VCEA may be when put into action, the Governor should look across the pond to the UK, which is about to throw out Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose energy policies are making it unaffordable for many Britons to heat their homes. States like Virginia and California are proposing many of them same things that are being executed by Mr. Johnson and by Western Europe (save France). The power shortages caused by heavy reliance on intermittent windmills and remarkably inadvisable solar (the sun is below the horizon half the time) are forcing Germany to burn more coal and to buy tons of natural gas from Russia at high prices, which will then use Germany's "green" policies to push that country around politically. Many Germans, like Britons, are also politically restless, and Virginians may be as well. Speaker Todd Gilbert captured the situation well when he said "RGGI costs the public significant amounts of money for no tangible benefit", a conclusion which applies equally to the VCEA. The Democrats were left with nothing to say except prattling on about "climate change". For years the US Environmental Protection Agency has used a computer model called the "Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Induced Climate Change (MAGICC) to determine the climactic effect of CO2 reduction proposals. The model predicts that if all US emissions - that is, every CO2 emission (electricity, automobiles, construction, agriculture) - were reduced to zero today ( immediately), the amount of global warming that even this impossible policy would "save" is a minuscule 0.13C, which is no more than background noise in the natural variation of climate temperature. RGGI and VCEA are even more futile, as they apply only to Virginia, and only to electricity and automobiles. Their claimed reductions are simply a drop in the bucket, and even if attempted are swamped by China's insistence on burning more coal, and adding more new coal plants than all of Western Europe combined. As past President of the American Association of State Climatologists, I can confidently say that the vast majority of my former colleagues would agree with me that the climate mitigation underlying RGGI and the VCEA is undetectable. Virginia should reject both of them.
Climate change and Virginia - In support of HB 118 Statement prepared by Gregory Wrightstone; executive director of the CO2 Coalition based in Arlington. He is a geologist and an expert reviewer for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Below is a summary of a paper prepared by a team of respected experts assembled by the CO2 Coalition. This landmark study reviews the scientific basis for the previous administration’s entry in the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). The paper’s principal author is CO2 Coalition senior fellow, Dr. Patrick Michaels who was former Virginia State Climatologist. This paper has been provided to the committee in its entirety for your review. Justifications for Virginia to impose increased regulations and taxation on fossil fuels and fossil fuel-generated energy are based on dire warnings of existing and future CO2-driven catastrophes. Within our paper we assess claims of looming disaster that have been used by former-Governor Northam and supporters of the extensive deployment of expensive and unreliable “renewable” energy sources. We show that assertions of current and future harm from emissions of carbon dioxide are unsupported by the facts. Our finding is that Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is climatically meaningless, as is the overall VCEA program itself. But the costs and inconvenience imposed by VCEA would be economically very meaningful. Rather than increasing as climate alarmists claim, severe weather events have been generally decreasing. In the case of heat waves, there is little dispute that their greatest frequency in both the United States and in Virginia occurred in the 1920s and 1930s. A full 68 percent of all record highs in the state were set in the period 1922 to 1941, and no records have been set in the last 20 years. There is no connection between heat waves and carbon dioxide emissions. In Virginia the sea-level rise is amplified by the well-documented isostatic rebound along the eastern seaboard responding to glacial melt at the end of the last ice advance. Land-subsidence rates in the mid- and northeast Atlantic coastal regions are between two and five mm/year, which yields 21st-century sea level rises of 7.8 to 19.7 inches from non-climatic processes that cannot be arrested. However, despite increasing temperatures, there is no acceleration in the actual rise of sea level according to tide-gauge records. Concerning agricultural decline driven by carbon dioxide-induced climate change, the reality is that Virginia, along with most of the globe, has seen a dramatic increase in crop production over the last several decades. Increased production is consistent with higher levels of carbon dioxide — an essential plant food — and moderate warming, both of which have contributed to an overall greening of Earth. Conclusion Using EPA’s own “Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Induced Climate Change”, If Virginia were to eliminate 100% of its carbon dioxide emissions, it would only reduce temperature by 0.0021degrees Celsius by the year 2100 (sensitivity of 2.0), a measurement so small as to be meaningless and well below our ability to even measure. The only thing meaningful about the Virginia Clean Economy Act is that it costs consumers and businesses a lot of money by increasing the price of energy. Virginia should follow the science and withdraw from VCEA.
HB 1201 Unemployment benefits should be carefully controlled. We must avoid providing disincentives to work.
HB 118 Yes, include solar!
HB 1243 Mammography must be optional, based on the woman's choice. For a lot of thinking women it is wrong (does not make sense) to invade breasts with radiation in an effort to "detect" breast cancer.
HB 126 Yes, by all means.....Proton therapy works, I think.
HB 1288 Yes, by all means.....And rate reviews must allow for the power of solar to help us save the environment.
HB 153 Yes, by all means.....no state funds should be paid to workers illegally impaired.
HB 1160 I am in favor of this----a necessity nowadays to keep our communities healthy.
HB 263 If this bill will help to ensure that banks will be able to help people save money in virtual currency and add that to FDIC-like assurances for saving consumers......it has my blessing.
HB 225 -- It is a good idea to carefully define this disorder in the bill. Make sure NOT to simply repeat psychiatric jargon in the wording of the law, or it will be uninterpretable by the public that is being served. At a minimum, provide a clear definition of autism in plain English in the bill.
SUVGOP supports Republican candidates and causes concerning fundamental, kitchen table issues that matter most to Virginians. The SUVGOP newsletter reaches 25,000 subscribers every Monday morning. We support HB 118 - repeal of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). The VCEA is the most radical and partisan piece of legislation regarding energy policy ever codified in Virginia. Like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), it purports to be energy legislation, but in fact is a tax on energy consumption imposed on Virginia families and businesses which will cost consumers over $2 Billion per year - $800 per year for the average Virginia family. It not only mandates the particular types of energy generation that must be adopted by Virginia's public utilities, but also completely removes any meaningful oversight capability of the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to determine if such generation modes are affordable and reliable for Virginia consumers. Many Virginians are struggling to pay for their electricity. The Virginia Legislature recently was required to avert a crisis of household electricity termination by requiring Dominion Energy to forgive over $200 million of past due electricity bills. The VCEA's burden on electricity costs will weigh most heavily on low income communities, minority households, and seniors living on fixed incomes. This legislation was based on a questionable premise that has been opposed and refuted by over 31,000 distinguished American scientists, including 801 Virginians, and also by the former State Climatologist, Dr. Patrick Michaels.The VCEA will cause clearcutting and erosion by solar factories placed on vast amounts of Virginia farmland and forests - 770 square miles, 33 times the size of New York City. Now Virginia has the most proposed solar projects in the Country - 450 of them - even though we rank only 24th among all States in the amount of sunshine. The VCEA burdens Virginia with the worst of all worlds: the most unreliable form of energy - solar, which is then coupled with by far the most expensive - offshore wind. Moreover the VCEA obliterates the lynchpin of any sound energy policy - reliability - the dependability which should assure a consistent supply of electricity no matter what kind of weather prevails. As Republicans, we are guided by the words of our new Governor Glenn Youngkin, who consistently said throughout his campaign that "We need an electrical grid which is stable, and we absolutely have to change direction. We must change direction from the VCEA, because it is not doable, affordable, or good for Virginia". He also promised to "reduce the cost of living" for Virginians. Repeal of the VCEA is a key element in fulfilling that goal. All the Governor's pledges are jeopardized by an energy policy which promises ever-spiraling electricity costs, environmental degradation, and danger to reliability. Our vision is that, far from being the supplicant for energy supplied by other States, the Commonwealth of Virginia, by expanding its impressive existing assets - nuclear, natural gas, and others, will become the reliable supplier of energy for the mid-Atlantic region. The VCEA should be repealed, and Virginia should return to its prior energy status.. The Youngkin Administration should be given the opportunity to frame the kind of energy grid which it believes is both affordable and reliable,
Please find attached a discussion of HB118, repealing the Virginia Clean Energy Act.
Since the time the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) was enacted in 2020, the premises underlying this ill-conceived, poorly crafted legislation have been suspect. The VCEA was founded upon highly questionable scientific claims. It was rammed through the Virginia legislature without adequate consideration of its economic costs and demonstrable harm to Virginia’s forests and farmland. Right now there are 440 solar projects in 70 counties pending governmental and regulatory approval. If all these projects are constructed to help meet Green energy pledges, they would cover an area of 778 square miles, equal to 330,00 football fields, 35 times the size of New York City, larger than Albemarle County, and 1.5 times the size of Loudoun County. They are not being constructed on land zoned for industrial or commercial use. Rather, in most cases the developers have chosen to seek special use permits from counties to site them on land zoned and master planned for agricultural and forest use. The reason why is simple. Rural forest and farmland are abundant and cheap. But this kind of land is zoned that way for a reason -- to preserve the rural atmosphere of the counties for the benefit of their citizens. Industrial facilities should be placed in or near other industrial and commercial zones. Solar factories require the clear cutting and topsoil removal of most of the acres of the proposed factory. And each acre will be covered with approximately 300 solar panels, weighing a total of over 5 tons. Most of these solar panels are made in China. At the end of their useful life, they must be removed -- another extensive undertaking being that they contain toxic chemicals, such as cancer-causing cadmium. We have seen from recently constructed solar factories, like the massive, 6,000-acre Fawn Lake facility in Spotsylvania County, that it is unclear whether the developers have provided an adequate escrow fund to finance the removal of the panels at the end of their useful life. If not, Spotsylvania County and Virginia are facing a potential superfund cleanup site. The VCEA also removes the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from effective oversight of solar facilities. The law contains the so-called “permit by rule,” which exempts from DEQ regulation solar projects less than 100 megawatts in size, approximately 90% of the total. This means that the DEQ is effectively neutered from regulating the stream siltation and soil erosion which have been documented in many of the solar projects constructed to date. For these and other reasons, this record clearly establishes that the VCEA is bad for consumers, bad for the environment, and based on fundamentally flawed public policy. -- The above comment is on behalf of CFACT (www.cfact.org), a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., and founded in 1985 with the purpose of promoting safe, free market technological solutions to address environmental and energy concerns. CFACT has an extensive scientific and policy advisory board, a recognized NGO to the United Nations climate change summit (COP), sponsors a national college student outreach program (Collegians For a Constructive Tomorrow), and participates in the public policy world on multiple fronts. CFACT also has several thousands of citizen supporters in the state of Virginia.
Dear Committee, As a Roanoke native and a Salem resident, I urge you as you favorably consider legislation during this term of the General Assembly that seeks to mitigate global warming, especially that reduces our Commonwealth's greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change-related disasters in the US last year cost us some $158 billion, another in a string of years of multibillion-dollar extreme weather disasters. Despite the pandemic, our US emissions went up 6% last year. Currently, it is summer in South America where there is a heatwave of extraordinary characteristics, creating historical records for Argentina temperatures and persistence of heat. I urge you to please listen to the scientists who are asking all of us to "Look UP" – so, yes, we really do need to take the climate-extinction crisis seriously. It is sensible now to require certain large public buildings to include solar-ready roofs in new construction or significant renovations, saving energy and taxpayer money when solar is added. A study conducted for Fairfax County Public Schools showed that new schools built to net-zero standards recover the added construction cost in just 10 years, while schools renovated to that standard recover the cost in 15 years. Please support legislation that develops Virginia's renewable energy infrastructure, legislation our children deserve that will give them a chance. Thank you for the good work you do on our behalf, Michael L. Bentley EdD312 N. Broad St.Salem, VA 24153
HB143 - Heavy Equipment Dealer Act; agreements and exclusivity.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
To Whom It May Concern, Please see attached letter from the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) on HB143. Thank you, Tia Sutton Sysounthorn tsutton@emamail.org
Please see the attached letter expressing AEM's opposition to HB 143. We request the bill be withdrawn to give us the opportunity to bring all stakeholders to the table to negotiate a compromise that benefits everyone. Thank you.
HB172 - Solar projects and energy storage projects; siting agreements with host localities.
ACP Written testimony in opposition to HB 172
Written opposition testimony for HB 73, HB 74, HB 118 and HB 172
HB209 - Credit unions; activity authorized for a federally chartered credit union.
HB266 - Electric cooperatives; net energy metering, power purchase agreements, etc.
HB312 - Virginia Health Benefit Exchange; annual marketing plan.
I write in support of HB 312, requiring the VA Health Benefit Exchange to establish an annual Marketing plan - a unanimous JCHC recommendation. This simple step will ensure that Virginians who currently rely on the federal exchange and uninsured Virginians are informed and supported when VA moves to a state-based exchange in 2023. Currently, there are 307,946 Virginians enrolled through the federal Marketplace. It will take planning and coordination between the state-based exchange, navigators and certified application counselors, and brokers and agents, as outlined in HB 312, to prevent coverage losses during this transition.
I write in support of HB 312, requiring the VA Health Benefit Exchange to establish an annual Marketing plan - a unanimous JCHC recommendation. This simple step will ensure that Virginians who currently rely on the federal exchange and uninsured Virginians are informed and supported when VA moves to a state-based exchange in 2023. Currently, there are 307,946 Virginians enrolled through the federal Marketplace. It will take planning and coordination between the state-based exchange, navigators and certified application counselors, and brokers and agents, as outlined in HB 312, to prevent coverage losses during this transition.
The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society strongly supports HB 312, which would direct the Virginia Health Benefits Exchange to develop and implement an annual marketing plan that includes consumer outreach and navigator programs. Through this funding, the Commonwealth can help ensure a smooth transition to a state-based exchange and guarantee that people living with multiple sclerosis have access to enrollment assistance and comprehensive coverage. Access to affordable, high quality health care is critical for people with MS to live their best lives, and health insurance coverage is essential for people to be able to get the care and treatments they need. We thank Delegate Rasoul for bringing this important legislation forward and urge lawmakers to support this bill.
The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society strongly supports HB 312, which would direct the Virginia Health Benefits Exchange to develop and implement an annual marketing plan that includes consumer outreach and navigator programs. Through this funding, the Commonwealth can help ensure a smooth transition to a state-based exchange and guarantee that people living with multiple sclerosis have access to enrollment assistance and comprehensive coverage. Access to affordable, high quality health care is critical for people with MS to live their best lives, and health insurance coverage is essential for people to be able to get the care and treatments they need. We thank Delegate Rasoul for bringing this important legislation forward and urge lawmakers to support this bill.
Members of the Committee Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on House Bill 312 sponsored by Delegate Rasoul. House Bill 312 directs the Virginia Health Benefits Exchange to develop and implement an annual marketing and outreach plan, including in person assistance. It also provides additional funds to ensure a smooth transition to a state run exchange in the coming years. It was an important recommendation from the JCHC. The American Lung Association strongly supports this bill as an integral way to ensure Virginians have access to care. The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. The American Lung Association believes everyone should have quality and affordable healthcare coverage. The Lung Association strongly supports the focus on improving outreach and enrollment activities to connect consumers with quality and affordable coverage. We support activities to extend the open enrollment period for ACA marketplace plans, increase funding for Navigator services and invest in other outreach and enrollment activities. Studies have shown the success of consumer assistance in getting people enrolled in coverage,1 and as recently as 2019, a significant share of the population was unaware that the ACA provided subsidies for coverage and expanded Medicaid.2 We urge you to prioritize investments that can reduce disparities in coverage. Thirty million U.S. residents lacked health insurance in 2020, and disparities among uninsured remain, with most non-white groups more likely to be uninsured than whites.3 Of the 10.9 million people currently eligible for ACA marketplace coverage subsidies but unenrolled, 30% are Hispanic, 59% have a high school diploma or less, 42% are young adults, 16% live in rural areas, and 11% do not have internet access at home.4 The American Lung Association thanks the Virginia General Assembly for their continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of the residents of the Commonwealth. The American Lung Association strongly supports House Bill 312 which would ensure that all Virginians have access to quality and affordable healthcare and encourages swift action to move the bill out of committee and passage by the General Assembly. [1] Karen Pollitz et al. “Consumer Assistance in Health Insurance: Evidence of Impact and Unmet Need,” Kaiser Family Foundation, Aug. 7, 2020; Karen Pollitz et al, “2016 Survey of Health Insurance Marketplace Assister Programs and Brokers,” Kaiser Family Foundation, Jun. 8, 2016. 2 Mollyann Brodie et al., “The Past, Present and Possible Future of Public Opinion on the ACA,” Health Affairs, Feb. 19, 2020. 3 Kenneth Finegold et al., Trends in the U.S. Uninsured Population, 2010-2020,U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation (ASPE), Feb. 11, 2021. 4 Daniel McDermott and Cynthia Cox, A Closer Look at the Uninsured Marketplace Eligible Population Following the American Rescue Plan Act, KFF, May 27, 2021.
HB379 - Energy benchmarking; access to data on energy usage in certain buildings, civil penalty.
Markets, in this case the commercial buildings market, work best with complete information availability to all parties. By providing transparent information on the all-in operating costs of commercial buildings, the commercial real estate market is strengthened for both providers and purchasers/lessees.
HB396 - Electric utilities; municipal net energy metering.
Support.
HB460 - Food delivery platforms; fee transparency.
Thank you for letting me express my support for HB 460 and its importance to our restaurants. I run a small group of 4 restaurants in northern virginia. We all know how difficult the past couple of years have been for restaurants across the commonwealth. One way that we have been able to bring in revenue has been partnering with third party vendors to help deliver our food. We do offer our own delivery service, but in todays on demand world, many people opt for third party suppliers. One issue this has caused has been third party vendors who appear as our restaurants when searching for food online. In many cases, this means our customers may not even be aware they can order directly from us. When customers order on another platform, there are many fees associated. Not only do we have to pay up to 30% of the food cost to the third party vendor, but they also charge service fees and other charges. These fees are not clear when you order as to who they are going to. Is it the restaurant or the platform? Customers are left not knowing. We have even had issues in the past with third party platforms taking orders for our locations without a contract in place. To be clear, I do not want to see these platforms go away. I think we could all be valuable partners in feeding our community and maintaining profitability. What I am asking is to make the whole process more transparent. House Bill 460 would set parameters for doing just that. This is why I support HB 460 and hope that you will as well. Please help to make this aspect of business more easily understood by consumers and businesses alike to level the playing field for our restaurants.
Please prayerfully consider this legislation and what it could mean to the families that find themselves wishing and hoping much harder than others to bring life into this world. Unless we’ve been in their shoes we can’t possibly understand the pain and heartache each unsuccessful attempt brings. To know too that insurance won’t cover a medical condition inflicted upon them to no fault of their own makes the pain of infertility so much more unbearable…even insulting, in a way. It’s not often we have opportunities to possibly help steer a course to a lifetime of happiness and contentment for one individual, let alone many. But if that’s an outcome that the passing of this legislation could bring, why not jump at the chance, right?
I've attached a letter with some concerns regarding HB 460. I also understand that there may be some amendment being drafted to the bill. TechNet remains concerned with the bill as outlined in our letter. Happy to answer any questions from members. Servando Esparza TechNet
Before the pandemic, 20% of our sales came from deliver and catering and most of that was from guests calling our business to place orders. When the pandemic started, we saw and increase in delivery and take-out from the app platforms. We lost our regular corporate partners that knew us by name and called to order- and instead, found companies like door dash showing up to deliver food when we never signed up to have our menu on their sites. After a while, we slowly moved to the platforms but continued to use our own drivers. These predatory companies bully you into signing up- and then take 15-30% of the sales. I think guests should know that we raise our prices on their platforms to compensate for the outrageous fees they charge. If labor costs me 32% of every dollar, rent at 5%, utilities, etc, we barely make 2-5% on delivery after the paper products and fees to these companies. Its barely worth it. Guests should understand they can call us and have our people deliver the food, or use our own website to order for way cheaper. Its predatory to not disclose what their company keeps and how little we keep. Its also predatory to put our menus on their sites without our permission or have their drivers show up without asking us. We're just asking for the same transparency as taxes or any other charges on itemized bills. Thanks you, Liz Kincaid, owner of four restaurants.
Dear Chair and Committee Members, I write on behalf of TechNet to express our opposition to HB 460. HB 460 would require food delivery platforms to publicly disclose on their platforms privately negotiated fees charged to restaurants. This forced disclosure would divulge private and business-sensitive contractual agreements between the food delivery platforms and their partners. Food delivery platforms have become crucial to restaurant and local businesses remaining open and continuing to generate much-needed revenue, provide safe earning opportunities for workers, and food for homebound and vulnerable residents in the community. These are valuable and ongoing partnerships that have enabled restaurants to reach new customers and compete in an e-commerce world. Attached is a letter further outlining TechNet's concerns with HB 460. Please reach out if you have any questions. Respectfully, Servando Esparza
HB480 - Health insurance; coverage for the diagnosis of and treatment for infertility.
Infertility impacts all aspects of life. Since actual infertility treatments are so costly I have tried every other treatment medical treatment to find a cure just leaving me with recurring pregnancy losses and more medical bills that fell under insurance coverage vs if it had just been covered and done right to begin with. However, with cost of fertility treatments it leaves me with limited options to further pursue the correct treatments. Fertility is an extension of health. A healthy body will be able to produce a pregnancy. Infertility means there is an underlying health issue that prevents a successful pregnancy. All other health issues are covered by insurance and currently 18 other states mandate coverage for infertility as well. Infertility treatments should not only be open to those who have the financial means or employers who have insurance packages. As a small employer in this state I am not even able to purchase coverage even if I wanted to.
Infertility is a widespread issue and it is beyond ridiculous that health insurance plans aren’t required to cover basic things like diagnosis and treatment! People are forced to choose between pursuing treatment and going into huge debt vs. not having kids to stay out of debt. A lot of people are unable to afford it at all. This needs to change and insurance policies need to include infertility coverage!
This bill impacts more people than not, 1 in 8 persons has infertility issues. Many insurance agencies do not cover any fertility testing or treatment, leaving some individuals unable to further conceive a family, take out loans and go into debt. It is disturbing that there are no options for individuals who naturally are infertile due to reasons such as: pros, endometriosis, cysts, genetics, etc. Take action now to make this bill come to light, support that silently hurting part of society.
I am FOR the HB480-Helmer bill to help countless individuals grow their families. This bill would change lives and allow dreams to come true, my own included.
Greetings! Thank you for the opportunity to submit written comment on behalf of HB480. My name is Tiffany Jefferson, a constituent from the City of Richmond, Virginia. Today, I am very happy, and excited because I am a few weeks away from the possibility of a life-long dream of mine coming true, the chance to become a mother. This would not be possible without In Vitro Fertilization. As human beings, our lives are often centered around family. We go to school, attend college, start businesses, obtain multiple degrees, begin professional careers and purchase homes, so that we can raise a family. This is true for my husband and I. I, being an employee of Virginia’s Dept. of Social Services, my husband a Pastor, and licensed Virginia Elementary School Educator. We have spent our careers, supporting children and their families. You may or may not be able to imagine the pain we felt, when we were diagnosed with Infertility. Since August 2020, Infertility has stolen our money, our peace, our hope and our joy. IVF has allowed us to take that back. I want to dedicate this writing to my father, who passed away on January 2, 2021. If he had not left my family an inheritance, we would not have been able to afford to pursue IVF because our insurance does not cover it. My father’s death, has given my family, new life. Although this was a blessing to my family, I know that there are many who want and need IVF, and don’t have tens of thousands of dollars lying around. It is not fair, that some states mandate coverage and others do not. It is not fair, that some employers provide coverage, and others do not. It’s not fair, because we are all working and paying for health insurance. Our insurance companies, should provide us the same, equal coverage. We deserve the opportunity to be parents, and a medical diagnosis or disability should not deny us that right. With HB480, We have the chance to build Virginia families, to see Virginia families grow and thrive. Virginia started IVF in the United States. Virginia should join the many states who have made dreams come true through mandated insurance coverage, such as our neighbors, West Virginia and Maryland. Thank you, Delegate Helmer, Delegate Kilgore and Resolve, for all that you are doing for Virginia families. Virginia is for lovers, and the lovers want to grow their families! Thank you!
I am FOR the HB480-Helmer bill
It would really help the couples who are struggling to conceive.
Help people who are trying to conceive!
It’s imperative to pass this bill. As struggling with fertility issue for many years I know the pain. The emotions and financial struggle is unfathomable. At times is reaches high level of depression. Couples making decent pay still cannot afford the treatments such as myself and my husband. We have to choose between having a roof over our heads or creating a family or better yet breaking our daughter heart (born via iui) as she wants a sibling. This is sickening.
We need infertility coverage in Virginia like other states have. It's not anyone fault that infertility is considered a disabilitiy by the disability act.
Diagnostic and treatment for Infertility, like any other medical condition, should be cover by all medical insurances. Clinicians should be trained and ask to maintain High standards in treatment and ethics. Psychology therapy should be included (and covered by insurance) as essential part of infertility treatment. Annual gynecological screening should includes orientation about fertility preservation and family planning. Physical and psychological treatment should be accessible to everyone. Dealing with infertility is physically and emotionally hard enough. Having to deal with the financial struggles and the ineptitude of some clinicians and or clinics is unnecessary.
I support the comprehensive infertility bill. I am a fairfax county resident going through infertility due to male factor infertility. The research shows that Infertility and IVF is on the rise in this country in the last fifty years and has evolved into a full public health crisis. I am a public servant and lawyer but I cannot afford to undergo IVF nor have any fertility coverage, and have considered moving jobs and selling my Virginia home and moving to Maryland just for the insurance coverage. I have also considered alternatively trying to work at Starbucks part time just for their infertility coverage. Most that go through IVF must go through multiple rounds, and even IVF insurance coverage usually has a lifetime limit. Many times just one round meets that lifetime limit, and most people even with IVF coverage still have to pay a considerable share especially for more than one round. But the difference between some coverage and no coverage is the difference between starting IVF or losing a year, like I have done, just trying to figure out how I can afford IVF. And this loss of a year due to finances is extremely detrimental to someone with a narrowed timeline of infertility and ovarian reserve. For Virginia to remain a leader in progress and quality of life for its state residents, and a competitor with Maryland, it’s imperative that this bill pass. I hope to have my children in Virginia and raise them here in my Virginia house and in the Virginia public schools and engaging in the Virginia economy, but Virginia’s lack of infertility coverage is the single factor for me to move to Maryland. Thank you.
We have been struggling with infertility for several years and are now $50k into IVF, IUI, and various other infertility treatments with no success. I urge Virginia to require insurance to at least partially cover infertility treatments.
Abortion and Infertility: Why are we only talking about one of them, when both of them have an immense impact of the ECONOMIC and SOCIAL health of our community? Our society is vehemently divided on women's reproductive rights. The economic reality is that limiting abortion access forces women to give birth to babies they cannot financially support. That puts a drain on state resources. In addition, there are a growing number of women who have RESPONSIBLY waited for the right financial and marital circumstances to conceive a child. Unfortunately, women's reproductive anatomy has not evolved to keep pace with the societal and economic changes over the past 50 years, and the cost of infertility treatments makes parenthood inaccessible for otherwise excellent parental candidates. In order to secure a future population of well-adjusted, healthy, confident and competent adults, we must invest our energies and economics in the healthcare of motivated and engaged parents. The best way to do this is to make infertility treatments accessible and mandatory through insurance carriers (and provide free/accessible birth control to women who are not financially/romantically ready to become parents). The best investment we can make is in Virginians who are mentally and emotionally positioned to become excellent parents to the next generation. Let's take a look at our potential legacy: In 20 years, a generation of children who were products of prepared and engaged parenting will be responsible for higher educational success, and therefore a subsequent increase in teacher retention. (I am an educator myself, formerly in the public school system, and I would never advise a young person to pursue a career path in education unless they were seeking poverty, martyrdom, and chronic mental health issues). If the next generation of children are raised by proactive and engaged parents, then THE STATE WILL CONSERVE FINANCIAL RESOURCES that are currently needed to desperately patch the holes in our sinking ships of education, mental health, crime, poverty, drug abuse, and homelessness. The only other way to encourage women to avoid abortion AND support the next generation is to provide full-time state-sponsored salaries for stay at home parents. Perhaps mandating that insurance companies cover a specific women's health issue would be more of a win-win for the state and its treasury. While the healthcare industry is surely lobbying against a mandate, their bottom line would also be positively affected in the long term. Tested embryos+loving parents=healthy babies. Healthy babies=healthy people. Healthy people=lower medical costs. Lower medical costs=more profit for insurance companies. State legislators are the heroes. Everyone wins.
I support this bill and believe financial help for those with infertility is very important and needed
Hello, Thank you for listening to us in regards to HB 480. I am hoping you will support family today. If for anything, a simple chance. You see, my husband and I both have an infertility diagnosis, one that lasted nearly a decade. Over that 10 year span, it impacted our health- both mental and physical, our relationships, and devastated our financial security due to the out-of-pocket costs we incurred. I had the beginning stages of uterine cancer which closed the door on my ability to carry a natural pregnancy. We also tried to adopt which was also cost-prohibitive and had multiple placements fail. IVF (in Vitro-fertilization), and surrogacy were our options for the chance of parenthood. We were the lucky ones though. Here's the thing, my privilege is not lost on me. While it wrecked us financially, somehow we made it happen. We had the ability for chance to happen. That's not the case for most here in Virginia whose dream for a family will never be realized without insurance coverage. That chance is #HB480. I ask that you give a family a chance here in Virginia. Many states have already prioritized family and reproductive health care by including comprehensive coverage for fertility treatment and family building options. 40 years later after the birth of Elizabeth Carr, the first IVF baby in the US, we, here in Virginia, need to catch up. We need to honor the pioneers that have helped provide a chance of family here in our home state with this necessary medical treatment. Without #IVF, reproductive health care, and our gestational carriers, I would have never heard the words "mom". Warmly, Candace - Chesapeake
I would like to provide a testimony regarding how pursuing a family was crippling emotionally, physically, and of greatest relevance here, financially. We were fortunate enough to at least be able to undergo several rounds of IVF although it cost us our entire savings, maxed out our credit cards, and dramatically changed our lifestyle to accommodate the huge coats that were nearly entirely out of pocket. Cost is an impediment for so many families who are pursing family building through IVF simply because they have no other choice. Insurance coverage would dramatically improve the chances for families to pursue IVF treatment which will additionally advance the state of the art and improve Virginia's position in this field.
Thank you for reading my testimony. I am passionate about this cause because fertility treatments was the only way to complete our family. After our first child was born 7 weeks premature with no known cause, my husband and I decided to make sure that I was healthy for a 2nd child. When we decided we were ready for a 2nd child, when our daughter was 2 years old, I went to a physical with my primary doctor and at that appointment she found a lump in my breast. 12 days later I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. After I was diagnosed that July, I had a bilateral mastectomy in September and in October I began the process to freeze my eggs before I started chemo and radiation. At my first fertility appointment I was told that my insurance EXCLUDED coverage for fertility treatments. We have really good health insurance, which covered my cancer surgeries, medications, and any testing 100% (except for $30 copays) so I was shocked that fertility was not covered. We were lucky to be given a discount through a cancer charity organization and family that could help us pay for the enormous out of pocket cost. Four years later, we finally embarked on a journey to have our 2nd child. In order to have a biological child we had to use a gestational carrier. The cost was astronomical because the entire IVF fee was out of pocket. $24,000. We knew it would be expensive but for insurance to cover ZERO dollars of any of our medical procedures is absurd. In contrast, my medical insurance pays for my medication every month at my oncologist that cost $4000. Chemo cost $15,000 per cycle. I cannot imagine a life without my children. I’ve been fighting everyday for the last 9 years to stay alive to enjoy a life with them. Insurance shouldn’t be able to prohibit families from building the family of their dreams.
Good Afternoon Chairman Webert and members of the subcommittee--Thank you for considering a PRO-FAMILY BILL. I wanted to submit my comments in case I couldn't make the meeting. One of the honors of my life was to serve as Chief of Staff to Democratic Leader Filler-Corn and work with nearly all of you on passing bipartisan legislation that made Virginia a better place. But I wouldn't have had that opportunity had my parents not underwent infertility treatments and more specifically, IVF. I exist because of IVF, not in spite of it. When you adjust the cost of treatments my parents paid for in the 1980s, it's around $65K. That is higher than the current average household income in places like Powhatan, Hampton, Bedford, Westmoreland, Richmond, Salem and Pittsylvania. And if you compare it to individual income--the number includes places like Fauquier, Culpeper, Loudoun, Roanoke and Henrico. But this bill isn't just about dollars and sense. The fact is, across Virginia, our birth rate is dropping. You all should have received an email from me noting Of all the members on this committee, only one, Del. Ware represents localities that had a birth rate increase in recent years. Delegates where only one locality in their district had a positive birth rate include: Delegates Adams, Gooditis, Ransone, and Webert. Delegates whose district had zero localities with a positive birth rate are Delegates Bagby, Gooditis, Head, McNamara, Sullivan, and Ward. Why does this matter? It matters because if it continues, then we as a Commonwealth and by extension a country, face a strain on entitlements and pensions. We already had to reform VRS because of the strain on its resources. I am grateful that your colleagues on both sides of the aisle have recognized the urgency here and have signed on to co-patron this bill. It's also good for business, and therefore in-line with Governor Youngkin's pro-family agenda. (As an aside, I'm an alum of the same high school as our Gov and in my graduating year, 2007, there were 4 other IVF babies who have all gone on to live successful lives). But the fact is, there are examples of people leaving states without insurance coverage for infertility. It is completely easy for Virginians to head west to West Virginia and north to Maryland for this type of coverage. They can even head to legendary pro-business, pro-family states like Texas and Utah. We already have a crisis where Virginians are leaving for other reasons. Being able to start a family shouldn't be one of them. I was disturbed by another comment on here from an out-of-state person against the bill, that I want to address. The terminology that this person describes the process of IVF is frankly insulting. Her comments to me, argue that I and people like me are not worthy of life and for that matter not worthy of God's love. We are not abominations. We are human beings. We have the same divine spark that God endows everyone else with. I am here because of my parents love, even if my journey was a tad different than others. My existence is due to a miracle of science. I urge you not to get caught up in the rhetoric that this person espouses either on the written comments or before the committee. In closing, this bill has been part of a 30 year push. And I attach a photo of me as a child with my parents lobbying Gov. Wilder as proof of that. I hope it will be the will of the subcommittee to report favorably on this bill.
No one thinks they will have fertility issues. And no one talks about it. And when you're determined to have fertility issues, the shock isn't just what you have do. The shock comes from the bills and how it's not covered. This isn't a choice or something superficial for looks like cosmetic surgery. This is about creating life that so many say they are pro life. How can we be pro life only when it comes to abortion but not when it comes to fertility treatments? Maryland has this coverage for their residents, why don't we. We pay more taxes to improve our surroundings, let's provide fertility coverage to our residents to have the joy of having children. The thousands spent without guarantee is insane. In VA on average it's $20,000 per round without medications. Medications can be $4,000 and more per cycle. IUI covered at 50% on some plans, but that's about $3,000. Medications are another $1,000 per cycle. So you see, it's very costly for a very common problem today. If you need donor eggs, it's an additional $25,000. Again, there is no guarantee with all these expenses. Please consider require coverage for a medical disability. It's my understanding Viagra is covered for men under our insurance, but not fertility. That seems like a huge disconnect. I don't have an issue with men being covered for Viagra but I do have issue when that seems a priority over fertility. If fertility were covered, people wouldn't have to travel for more economical treatments out of the country and out of state. There would be less stress on an issue that is already very stressful. We are already paying for insurance coverage, why not make it cover these medical needs. Please consider including Reproductive assistance to our requirements for insurance coverage. It is a recognized disability that we can not control but there are treatments. Please help us!
I am a resident of Herndon, Virginia and also the President and CEO of a national non-profit patient advocacy organization called RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association which is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. We provide support, patient education, public awareness, and advocacy for the disease of infertility, and help all those who struggle to build their family. Our organization works across the U.S. and with Congress to expand access to life-affirming medical treatment so that people can build their family. I urge the Committee to vote favorably for HB 480 so that this bill can move through the legislative process. Virginians deserve the same right to build their family as those in Maryland do; Maryland has required employers to provide insurance coverage for medical treatments such as IVF for more than 20 years. It's time for Virginia to help build Virginia families! Thank you.
HB480 - I am in full support of health insurance providing coverage for all aspects of infertility diagnosis and treatment. As a Virginia resident whose insurance coverage is through my husband's job with the Commonwealth, I was very surprised to learn how insufficient the options were when we began our infertility journey in 2012. Next to nothing was covered and our out-of-pocket expenses to have 2 children was nearly $75,000. We were among the fortunate who were able to find the money to cover these costs. But the bills were staggering. Insurance assistance would have been greatly appreciated. I was disappointed that Virginia did not have similar requirements as Maryland around insurance coverage for infertility. We actually considered moving to help defray the costs. When you want to start or expand a family, it is discouraging enough to learn that you need major medical assistance to do so. The journey is so emotionally and physically draining. And, to anyone who says that adoption is a reasonable alternative, I'd say no--it is not. It is just as costly and time consuming. With no guarantees that you will end up becoming a parent. Fertility treatments are not a guarantee either, but people should be afforded the opportunity to try with their own genetic material without breaking the bank to do so. Despite the challenges, ultimately being able to carry and give birth to my son was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am grateful that medical research and science afforded us that opportunity. I'd love to see this option available to all insured Virginians who are diagnosed with infertility and require medical intervention to start and grow their families.
This bill should be passed. There’s so many who need help having children and every process to go about getting help (adopting, IVF, and such) are so expensive and being able to have insurance that will cover some of the cost of infertility treatment would be a great burden lifted off some families
This legislation is critical to supporting the many of us across the commonwealth who struggle with fertility!
My wife and I, and so many others would benefit from this type of coverage.
Pass the bill to help pay for invtro fertilization
Infertility is not by choice it’s a disease that prevents you from making family. The worst part is that it takes time to diagnosed and start treatment. So this disease should be covered under insurance. I went through infertility and took me a couple years to have a baby. I started treatment on 2017 I stopped treatment in between coz of financial struggle. Then continued on 2020 and I got my baby on 2021. I could have my child earlier if infertility was covered under insurance. Hope this will be resolved. Thank you
Dear Members of the Subcommittee, Thank you for taking the time to review comments on this bill. I will keep my remarks brief and get straight to the point. A version of this bill has been on the docket for at least the past three legislative sessions (if not longer) and Virginians shouldn't have to wait any longer to build their families. We need state support for health insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and for fertility preservation procedures. Infertility affects one in eight couples or individuals nationwide, and yet most are forced to pay completely out of pocket for these expenses. If you are lucky enough to have an employer who provides any coverage for these expenses, they are often limited benefits with very specific restrictions. On October 16, 2019 (at age 30), I was given a cancer and infertility diagnosis on the same day. Because the only potentially curative treatment for my rare cancer was a hysterectomy, we knew we would be looking to IVF to create embryos for a gestational carrier to hopefully carry in the future. My insurance company covered everything related to my diagnosis - scans, lab work, hospital stay, physician's bills. But when it came time to address the infertility diagnosis, a direct iatrogenic effect of my cancer, they were nowhere to be found. My husband and I have paid close to $25,000 for two rounds of IVF out of pocket, just for a chance to grow our family. If I'd had breast cancer and required a mastectomy, the Women's Health and Cancer Rights 1998 Act of would have required my insurance company to cover a reconstructive surgery. I think it's well past time to consider similar laws that all more inclusive for all other avenues that may lead to an infertility diagnosis. Family building in Virginia depends on it. Thank you for your time, Maggie Walsh
I know several couples that struggle with infertility and the fact that insurance companies don’t provide them any support is disheartening. Many couples want a family so badly but the financial burden that infertility brings is too great and they are unable to proceed. Having assistance would be a huge burden lifted. If they had this support it would be extremely comforting and they would know they are not alone in this fight for a family.
As a child, when someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was always a teacher and a mom. I knew that my purpose in life was to wrap my love around my students and my own child. Though my purpose was always clear, only part of that purpose has been fulfilled, becoming a teacher. My dreams of being a mother, is the part of my life I still long for daily. When I met my husband we knew that we wanted to start a family, and one year after we were married we decided to begin that journey. We never fathomed that the excitement and joy we felt as we envisioned our future family, would turn into fear, grief, disbelief, frustration, and sadness. After trying to conceive for a year, I began to have concerning symptoms and sought the medical advice of my gynecologist. We were then referred to a fertility specialist. At this point our diagnosis came with frustration, but we still had hope. After going through many rounds of tests and lab results, our diagnosis was presented to us in two parts. It was confirmed that both my husband and I were contributing to our inability to conceive. Fortunately, my part of the diagnosis, a uterine fibroid, was operable and was removed, thus resolving one part our diagnosis. Unfortunately, our doctors informed us that part two of our diagnosis was not an easy fix. Although my side of our infertility had a solution, my husband's side of our infertility did not. Two different specialist confirmed that my husband has unexplained male factor infertility. As we received this news not once, but twice, our hope was not gone, because doctors told us that we are still able to have a family, but we only have one option to make that work, IVF. We know that becoming parents is still possible for us, yet we have only one way to get there. This is the part of our journey where we have lived for six long years. Stuck, knowing we have a solution, but having an immense obstacle standing in our way. We have a diagnosis, we know the procedure that we need in order to have a family, and yet we can’t move forward due to the financial burden of IVF. With most diseases, once you have a diagnosis, your doctor puts together a plan for treatment, then your insurance covers the treatment and your journey continues. Yet, here we wait on the last part of that process, insurance. For six years, every month we wait for our miracle, and we will continue to wait. We can’t afford to pay for IVF out of pocket, and as you are aware, insurance companies in the state of Virginia do not have to offer coverage for fertility services. Although we have a medical diagnosis, treatment plan, and known medical intervention that could help our family, we wait. I’m writing to ask that you please make it a law for fertility insurance to be required in the state of Virginia. Help us to bring home our little miracle to make our family complete. We have not lost hope, and I have faith that our little bundle of joy that will have his/her dad's eyes, our love of sports, our height, my curly hair, our positive spirit, and our faith, will soon be in our arms. This dream can become our reality with HB 480.
I’m in support of this bill allowing insurance companies to help take the burden of the cost of IV treatments for infertile couples. Virginia needs to up their game and help these families out. I support this 100 percent!
My chance to have children naturally was robbed from me due to a disease that damaged my Fallopian tubes; and therefore, required surgery to fully remove both of my tubes in early 2017 after many years of trying to conceive with no success. Following this surgery, my only chance to conceive relied upon in vitro fertilization (IVF). I have worked hard to achieve my goals my entire life, with a bachelor’s degree, a very successful career, wonderful marriage and home, yet the one thing I desire most - I cannot achieve. After almost $40,000.00 spent out of pocket, several rounds of IVF and failed transfers, my husband and I are still longing for a child to complete our family. Having infertility coverage through my employer would be life changing and could potentially provide for additional rounds of IVF required for us to build our family. Without it - we simply cannot afford to continue covering the costs for these procedures out of pocket. This is a vital topic that has gone unaddressed and of low importance for far too long at the state and federal policy levels. It’s time this be addressed and coverage be mandatory for those struggling and longing to create a family.
Infertility impacts millions of Americans each year. Infertility treatment is healthcare, and health plans should be required to cover it in our state.
My husband and I will begin discussing fertility treatment this year and the cost is terrifying. We need more coverage for families who want to have children.
Infertility is the hardest struggle I’ve ever experienced. Having a financial burden on such an emotional process is unfair. Please consider passing this bill so that everyone has a fair chance at having children.
Please support HB480. Infertility is a club that no one ever wants to be a member. Many individuals and couples on this journey have a strong desire to build a family and strengthen their community, but it is an expensive and taxing journey. Offering coverage for fertility services, would help preserve the option for future families for those undergoing medical treatments so that they can focus on their personal health. By including coverage for the diagnosis of and treatment for infertility, it would remove one additional stressor for anyone on this journey. Other states that include coverage for fertility services, recognize the value of family building and the desire for couples and individuals to grow their families and benefit their communities. As a Virginia resident and cancer survivor, I hope that Virginia lives out our values and joins other states that offer coverage for the diagnosis of and treatment for infertility and standard fertility preservation services.
It is necessary that those wanting diagnosis and treatment for infertility issues should receive coverage.
Virginian women need some coverage to help with infertility!
I support this bill for my daughter and son in law that are going through fertility treatments.
We are currently facing infertility. My husband and I are public servants (fire fighter and educator). We want nothing more than to grow our family but the out of pocket cost for fertility treatments is crippling. Having coverage would be life changing for us and so many others.
Hi. I’m Lillian “Lilly” Lille, and I’ve been battling infertility for almost 5 years now. My husband and I are both teachers, and we have zero insurance coverage when it comes to infertility diagnosis or treatment. Over the past several years we have spent tens of thousands of dollars ($65k+) on infertility diagnosis, treatments, and pregnancy loss. I have done 3 egg retrieval cycles, and I’m currently preparing for my second embryo transfer. We are so hopeful that this transfer could be the one that helps us have a child. I have finally been diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss, tubal factor infertility, and endometriosis. My diagnostic testing alone was over $10,000. During this journey to grow our family, we’ve had to take unwanted breaks to financially recover from these costs. We’ve had to take out credit cards to finance costly IVF cycles. Cycles that cost almost $20,000, plus $5500 in medications, and a few more thousand in lab fees. It shouldn’t have to be this way. People shouldn’t have to go through numerous losses (6 for me personally) because care is too expensive. People should have to wait several years between IVF cycles because they cannot afford it. Everyone deserves the chance to grow their family, and insurance coverage for diagnosing and treating infertility can help make that dream come true.
Having the possibility to have a child would be an absolute dream. My husband and I can not afford to build the family that we’ve always wanted because the costs to finance this dream of parenthood is unreal. Please consider passing this bill because it would literally change so many peoples lives for the better.
Infertility is a heartbreaking condition that affects many people hoping to start a family. At its root, it is a health condition and should be treated as such, and covered by insurance. Fertility specialists charge high fees for testing and treatment, without any guarantee of results. That leaves many families like mine relying on our life savings or going into debt just for a glimmer of a chance at having a child. We lost over $50,000 dollars on fertility treatments and adoption fees, all without results. The right to become parents should not just be for the wealthy. Insurance coverage of infertility testing and treatment would go a long way towards helping families realize their dreams.
I strongly support this effort and hope that it passes. My husband and I both have health insurance, but have paid over $41,000 out of pocket in a single year to try and have a child. We both work for the public sector (federal government & teacher) and with our dual income it was a massive unexpected drain on our savings. When we purchased our home, I was pregnant naturally and the funds were earmarked to renovate the kitchen and master bathroom. We had no idea that those funds would need to be used elsewhere after multiple unsuccessful pregnancies. The money we have spent on infertility treatments could have gone back into our local economy and yet, it goes to an insurance company that does not support our state or contribute to our success. Infertility treatment coverage helps not only families, but also local businesses and the Virginia economy by keeping the funds earned by Virginians in Virginia. Infertility is a medical diagnosis, and as such, insurance should cover the treatment of the diagnosis as well as the medication to address the medical condition. There is no reason for the Virginia government to protect out of state insurance companies (which are largely owned by stockholders and external investors, also likely out of state) over Virginia (tax paying) citizens.
I believe that the full reproductive rights of my body should always be considered medical needs and therefore covered by insurance policies. To include fertility and infertility needs, menstruation supplies and support, abortion needs and sexual education resources.
Hello, I support infertility treatment being covered by our health insurance because I believe it’s a human right. Infertility affects both women and men and should be covered as it is considered a medical diagnosis. Those who suffer from infertility should not be further burdened by the insane costs of trying to conceive a child. Thank you for opening up a forum for us to speak our minds.
In July 2022 I received a diagnosis of infertility. Obviously this shattered our expectations of being able to start a family. Just as importantly the diagnosis meant going to Charlottesville for diagnosis and treatment, which included very expensive tests, to determine if we could establish a root cause and what my future treatments would need to be. Infertility isn’t just about having children, it also means dealing with and treating the root causes. In my cause, left untreated I would be at a higher risk for health complications and early death. Being insured would take a huge financial burden off my shoulders and would mean I don’t have to worry about affordability. And yes, if we choose to try for a child, that we could afford that cost as well.
I am FOR this bill. Women trying to get pregnant who have a medical diagnosis as to why they cannot conceive, or have difficulty conceiving, should get treatment under their medical insurance.
Hi, I am Asha Sekar Gunasekaran residing in Glen Allen,VA. I would like to throw light on all the couples who undergo infertility struggles with their dream to become a family or complete their family has been crushed for years with no insurance coverage with infertility benefits mandated as per state policy. We need our leaders to address this ongoing infertility struggle for women & be supportive by providing all the financial aids they need to complete their family without reasoning. Our state insurance policy for the same has to be mandated with unlimited infertility benefits for all those who seek extra help in this nevere nding emotional and physical struggle which strains the relationship and life of couples worrying about financial needs to fullfill their family dream. Kindly we all the women of Virginia state request our leaders to please pass this bill and make all our family dream come true for those who suffer. Thank you.
My infertility is a medical diagnosis! Please vote to treat it as such. The procedures, medication and doctor appointments are robbing me blind. I need my medical insurance to help me cover the expenses.
Simply stated, coverage for fertility services needs to be included within health insurance offered by employers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Personally, I am 34 year old woman who has been going through infertility treatment for almost 2 years. My husband and I have no known reason for infertility and have been diagnosed with unknown infertility. Both of us have individual health plans, but neither provide fertility coverage so we have spent over $50,000.00 on diagnostic tests, procedures, and medications. We have had to finance all of this treatment due to the exuberant cost of uncovered fertility treatment. There is no reason why Virginians like me should have to do this. Currently there are millions of people of reproductive age experiencing infertility, and estimates suggest that 48 million couples and 186 million individuals live with infertility globally (World Health Organization, 2020). Every human being has a right to found a family, and with Virginia mandating health coverage they are providing that opportunity to Virginians who have been suffering. In the United States, many states have realized this and have instituted changes to ensure those that are faced with fertility struggles are guaranteed care. It is important to remember that the Infertility is categorized as a disease and therefore health coverage should be mandated just like any other disease is treated with health insurance. Additionally, the World Health Organization announced that infertility generates disability, and therefore access to healthcare falls under the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities and in Bragdon v Abbott (1998), the Supreme Court of the United States decision included infertility couples under the protection given by the American Disabilities Act. This being said, I beg of you to please pass HB480, so I and others can continue to have hope that one day we can found a family of our own without being faced with the financial hardship. We are already paying each month for health insurance, by just adding a couple of dollars each month, we as Virginians could be giving hope to all.
Delegates, I am a resident of Virginia and I'm writing in support of the passing of the infertility insurance bill HB-480. As someone who has been impacted by infertility, and knows many other Virginian families similarly impacted, I urge you to please mandate that infertility diagnosis and treatment be covered by insurance in the state of Virginia. After many years of trying to have a child, my husband and I learned about two years ago that our options for getting pregnant naturally were non-existent. Both my husband and I are impacted by medical conditions that made fertility testing and treatment needed if we wanted to have our own biological child (and hopefully someday, multiple children). Thankfully, we have access to insurance through our full-time jobs, but to our dismay, we learned that our insurance does not cover the cost of the fertility treatments we need, specifically in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments and medication. We are responsible, hard-working citizens of Virginia. We vote in all elections; we pay our taxes; we've been saving money to purchase a house in Virginia; and we hope to raise our family here. Yet, through no fault of our own, we are now forced to make the heartbreaking decision of whether we should use all of our savings to help pay for the treatment we need, or to ultimately forgo having our own child. Most heartbreaking for me has been researching of all of the ways other infertile moms and dads-to-be try to cover these costs, in the hopes of being able to afford this treatment. I've seen friends and acquaintances getting second jobs at companies that offer fertility benefits (on top of needing invasive and painful medical procedures), taking out loans, or being put in the uncomfortable position to ask friends and family for financial help. Other states have mandates that IVF must be included in health insurance policies, but not in Virginia. The irony is not lost on me that I could move 10 minutes away to Maryland and be covered for this treatment there, but Virginia is my home and I would only leave if there were no other options for my family. I wish I could begin to explain the devastation that comes from learning that there is a readily available treatment that would allow me to have the child I so desperately want to bring into this world, but because of lack of insurance coverage, I will lose the financial stability and other dreams I've been working toward for years. With a simple change to Virginia's insurance mandates, I and the thousands of people like me, would have such a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. Economically-speaking, I could use the estimated $30,000-$50,000 for this treatment and reinvest it in my community, or use it to bolster my family's financial stability. From a personal standpoint, this bill passing would be completely life-changing. Thank you for your time and consideration.
In favor of hb480** I always thought I would be a mom- I picked out names, married a man who wanted the same and bought a big house to fill with a family- unfortunately I am one of the many many woman who have fertility issues due to endometriosis. My husband and I both work full time jobs and getting any type of fertility assistance would still put a significant impact on our finances, perhaps detrimental. I pay a lot of money for insurance and taxes and put in volunteer hours with my community and it’s just sad that something like finances could be what stops me from having a family. I hope you consider this when passing this bill because something like this could be truly life changing and at the very very least make going through all of this an easier, less mentally exhausting experience. The taboos on woman’s health and fertility are unacceptable in today’s age and no family should have to put themselves into whirling financial debt to have the special title of mom or dad.
Infertility is very much a medical condition. Procreating is good for the economy in general, and should not be cost-prohibitive for a family to pursue their dreams of having children. Infertility also has psychologically damaging effects on both men and women. Insurance carriers should by all means cover this condition.
Having worked in healthcare for 10+ years I find it absurd that I dedicate as much time as I do helping others with very little help myself. I struggle with infertility and fortunately was able to conceive without IVF, but still had to pay a lot of money out of pocket to conceive my child. IVF should absolutely be more affordable and attainable in this state. Growing a family shouldn’t be a “privilege,” it should be considered healthcare. These are medical conditions that result in infertility.
I applaud the authors of this bill. My husband and I never thought we would face infertility. We always assumed a family would be waiting for us when we were ready. And yet, here we are, on in our early 30s, and recently told that we would not be able to have children without fertility treatments. Despite spending thousands per year on our health insurance, it does not cover a dime of these treatments. The only clinic in our area charges about $2,000 for IUI and about $22,000 for IVF. That does not include the cost of medications, which can be between $5,000 and $7,000 per cycle. Because of this, we now have to decide if we want to spend our life savings on a chance at parenthood. This bill does not have to be partisan. Unused embryos can be donated to hopeful parents in need. Regardless of where you stand politically, IVF is here to stay, and it is not fair to only let the wealthy have access to fertility treatments. Please pass this bill so my family and others can grow.
Please consider infertility coverage fir the state of Virginia. Infertility is an excluded service for many individuals who are insured in the state of Virginia. This benefit was carved out of the policy for city employees in my locality of va beach. My Husband an I have incurred over 40000 in expenses for testing and one round of IVF. I know several other families who are struggling with the financial aspects of a medical procedure that can be covered under insurance. Please consider Infertility coverage for Virginia. Geondra M Boreland
In 2005, my husband and I found out the only way to have a chance to become parents was through IVF. My husband worked for the Federal Gov't at the time and there were very limited insurance options for us. In fact, one of the options we had didn't cover us until I had suffered through THREE pregnancy losses. I could not physically get pregnant through intercourse with my husband only medical intervention. We spent $23,000 out of pocket on medical procedures. This was at time when our combined annual income was less than $100,000. So 1/5 of that was spent on starting a family. This expense put us behind financially for nearly a decade. We were very fortunate that we only needed one round of IVF to achieve the pregnancy that is now our 14 year old. But most people don't have success until the 2nd or 3rd try. We definitely did not have $40,000 more at our disposal. Facing infertility shouldn't be about the "haves and have nots". Everyone facing challenges in building a family should be able to access insurance coverage for that life altering medical treatment. Insurance coverage is about health equity. Please support HB 480.
My name is Jackie and I am a teacher here in Virginia, and I just turned 30 years old in December. In attempting to start our family last year, in 2021, I experienced 3 miscarriages in a row. It was beyond devastating, damaging, and traumatic. But what is worse is the fact that we have spent over $15,000 in one year looking for answers and treatment due to the lack of fertility treatment coverage in this state. My husband works for the federal government, and I am a teacher in Northern Virginia. You would THINK that we would have decent enough insurance to get the help we need to start a family. But sadly, due to the lack of fertility treatment in this state, we do not have coverage for any treatment. So what do we do? We have been saving money, budgeting, working second and third jobs, to hopefully just start a family? Take out a loan for $30,000 and go in to debt, just to hopefully start a family? Spend close to $40,000 on adoption, just to hopefully start a family?! All this time, I see other women in other states finding answers through basic fertility treatments that are covered by insurance in their states, like Maryland for example. Since 2021, I have witnessed friends of mine have their miracle babies in other states with the help of fertility treatment, while I lived in Virginia and just kept miscarrying without any treatment. But that's it, I just get to WATCH them succeed. I don't have the opportunity to have my OWN rainbow miracle baby. I don't have the insurance coverage they have. It is out of reach for us. Infertility is a DISEASE! Medical experts are telling women, like me, that they either can not physically get pregnant (blocked tubes, polyps, endo, or whatever reason) or that they can not carry to term (dangerous for health, immune issues, complications) and these poor women have no support. If a male was told that he had a spinal issue and needed a back brace, you know insurance would cover the back brace! Insurance would HELP them with their DISEASE or PROBLEM. Why are we not helping these women?! Why are we not helping them OVERCOME their disease? Why is Virginia SO far behind infertility treatment coverage compared to other states? Why, in the state where IVF was pioneered, are we so reluctant to include it as standard care for infertility issues? Infertility is a disabling medical condition, and it can significantly reduce quality of life. If we have the capability to treat this medical condition effectively, don’t we have a duty to do so, and do so in a way that is accessible to those who need it? If we truly want to live in a society where men and women are equal, we need to build a system in which women do not need to make this choice. Coverage of infertility treatment is a show of support in this endeavor.
I am commenting on the bill mandating fertility coverage in Virginia. I can speak from personal experience of the tremendous financial burden incurred when insurance does not cover treatments for infertility. To date, my husband and I have spent about $5,000 on four rounds of IUI (intrauterine insemination), and we have just begun IVF (in vitro fertilization), which is costing us over $30,000. We are in our mid-thirties, and this is basically our entire life savings. Neither of our insurance will cover a penny of infertility treatment. The irony of being unable to receive assistance for conceiving a child is not lost on me and my husband. We are lifetime educators—both of us classroom teachers for 10 years. My husband now works in administration for Henrico County Schools, and I work for VCU in online curriculum development. We have spent our entire adult lives seeing to the needs of other people’s children and, when we are need of assistance to have our own, we have been left utterly high and dry. It is frustrating to say the least, particularly when I know that larger employers in the private sector offer this sort of coverage. Additionally, the lack of financial assistance for families such as my own has been incredibly frustrating. While financial aid programs do exist, they are only for families below a certain income bracket. So, for families like my own, who make enough to get by, but certainly not enough to easily afford IVF, we are left spending our entire life savings in the mere hope of conceiving a child. It seems to me that having a family is a basic human right. I know that my husband are lucky in that we do have the financial means to finance IVF. Many, many families do not. I have heard that many couples—as many as 1 in 8—will have trouble conceiving a child. It is, to say the least, very disappointing that Virginia up until this point has provided no assistance to families in this matter. Mandating infertility coverage is, in my mind, essential. Please feel free to contact me, Rebecca Stooks, at rebeccastooks@gmail.com for more testimony on this matter.
This bill can change the lives of so many couples who are trying to face The infertility battle. A battle that is draining both financially and emotionally. Many of us have given up hope due to our financial situations and insurance companies constraints.
I am an acupuncturist who has been living in Richmond for the last three years, where I specialize in treating women with issues of infertility. About half of my clients are concurrently receiving reproductive assistance in one of several forms, including IUI, IVF, ICSI, egg donation, etc. Only certain individuals can afford this care, while all of my clients share the same deep human desire to have a child. It is shameful that in the Commonwealth of Virginia only the wealthy, or those willing to incur considerable debt, can afford and benefit from this otherwise well established and routine care. I moved to Virginia from Massachusetts, where reproductive care coverage is mandated. Why are we backwards in our thinking about building families in our great Commonwealth? Don’t all families equally deserve a chance to grow? And as families grow, so does our economy. As a member of Virginia’s healthcare community, I urge the House Commerce and Energy Committee, to consider and support HB480, an important bill that will positively impact the 25% of Virginia couples who are struggling to conceive. Sincerely, Porter Nilsson, Licensed Acupuncturist
This bill is important for my family, as my wife and I have resided in Virginia for 7+ years, and are unable to afford treatments as Virginia doesn't require coverage for infertility. I have contacted Senator Kaine for the same and have heard back from his office. We strongly support HB480 as that will help many Virginia residents like ourselves.
On behalf of the Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO) and the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), I have attached a letter of support for HB 480.
Opposition to HB480. Esteemed committee, my name is Laura Elm and I am a previous manager of an IVF covered benefit at a national insurance company, and am also the founder of a charitable organization which provides burial for human embryos who die or are discarded in IVF labs, as an alternative to the standard lab practice of disposing of them as medical waste. I respectfully submit written testimony today in opposition to HB 480. While IVF is not named in this bill, broad access to IVF and adjacent costly services (e.g., preimplantation genetic testing) are its primary purpose. The pain and suffering of infertility are very real and I, like you, know wonderful people who would be amazing parents and am heartbroken that the dream of children has not yet come true for them. At the same time, I’m asking you to do something difficult, and that is to not let emotion cloud reason, and to take a scrutinizing look at IVF as a technology, at what it is designed to do. IVF is not technically a treatment for infertility. IVF is a technology that creates human beings in a laboratory. It does not seek itself to cure, repair or restore the patient’s reproductive system. Furthermore, increased access to IVF via an insurance mandate exacerbates the magnitude of an already tremendous injustice being done in this country (and around the world) to the youngest human beings – that is the human beings who are being grown in embryology lab incubators and stored in tanks. Participation in a managed care payor relationship encourages labs to create many human beings per IVF cycle with subsequent grading and genetic testing. These results are then the basis for deciding the fate of young, living human beings: a uterus, a storage tank, or the medical waste receptacle. Finally, this bill includes payer coverage of surrogacy, a dangerous physical and social issue worthy of its own, separate analysis (embedded in 3rd party fertility service arrangements which could encompass donor gametes and surrogacy arrangements. Lines 46-48). Thank you for your careful analysis of this important matter. Laura Elm. Founder, Director. Sacred Heart Guardians and Shelter
Infertility is recognized by the World Health Organization as a disease, one that impacts 1 in 8 here in the U.S. an estimated 7.4 million Americans. The same statistic as breast cancer and heart disease. However, many Americans pay out of pocket for their reproductive health care and treatment for this disease. While others in underserved communities will never have access to this care. For those present in this House meeting who are parents, what if you had a disease that not only impacted your quality of life but enabled you the ability to provide you with the basic human right of building a family. My husband and I experienced over a decade of infertility. Brian surgeries and pre-cancer were part of that experience which led to countless out-of-pocket treatments, failed adoptions, financial and emotional devastation and finally our very cherished daughters, 2 and 7 years old, who were born via gestational surrogacy. We were lucky, we had some access to care, but many do not. I ask that you support HB480, and Virginians to have access to reproductive health care and hope for a future family. Thank you, Candace and Chris of Chesapeake
For HB806 and HB480 As an infertility specialist and a former infertility patient, I applaud the authors of these two bills (HB806 and HB480). Infertility affects 1 in 8 women and is a disease as designated by the World Health Organization, American Medical Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/ama-backs-global-health-experts-calling-infertility-disease) Unfortunately, treatment of infertility can induce a financial hardship on patients who are already devastated over their diagnosis. Few states have passed legislation mandating some degree of insurance coverage for infertility. (https://resolve.org/what-are-my-options/insurance-coverage/infertility-coverage-state/). Further, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is the most common female hormone problem with estimates up to 20% of women. "Despite the prevalence of the complex and chronic condition, one-third of women diagnosed with PCOS saw at least three health professionals over the course of two years before receiving a diagnosis "(J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(2):604–612). Given the prevalence of infertility and PCOS along with the lack of mandated insurance coverage, women endure a significant burden on their quality of life. Please support HB806 and HB480 to relieve their suffering. Thank you. Sincerely, Mark P. Trolice, M.D. (he/him/his) Director, The IVF Center Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Central Florida College of Medicine @drmarktrolice
As an infertility specialist and a former infertility patient, I applaud the authors of these two bills. Infertility affects 1 in 8 women and is a disease as designated by the World Health Organization, American Medical Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/ama-backs-global-health-experts-calling-infertility-disease) Unfortunately, treatment of infertility can induce a financial hardship on patients who are already devastated over their diagnosis. Few states have passed legislation mandating some degree of insurance coverage for infertility. (https://resolve.org/what-are-my-options/insurance-coverage/infertility-coverage-state/). Further, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is the most common female hormone problem with estimates up to 20% of women. "Despite the prevalence of the complex and chronic condition, one-third of women diagnosed with PCOS saw at least three health professionals over the course of two years before receiving a diagnosis "(J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(2):604–612). Given the prevalence of infertility and PCOS along with the lack of mandated insurance coverage, women endure a significant burden on their quality of life. Please support these bills to relieve their suffering. Thank you
On behalf of the Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO) and the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), I am submitting letter in support of HB 480.
HB576 - Health care providers; debt collection activities, prohibited practice.
HB724 - Electric cooperatives; net energy metering for agricultural customer-generators, report.
Support.
Hello, I wanted to speak up and vote yes and/or offer my testimony as to why passing this bill for net metering and specifically aggregated net metering for farms or working agricultural businesses with more than one meter on the property is very important to the growth of clean energy, farms, the solar industry and ultimately our long term sustainable future. When the opportunity for aggregated net metering expired with Rappahannock and I suppose other coop's in the state of Virginia in June/July of 2020, it seriously affected one of my clients as well as our solar business in a negative way. I actually have a very specific case study as our company was in negotiations with our client who owns a farm that has 16 meters on the property. We had done many site visits, consultations, proposals etc., and after much consideration had determined that a large consolidated solar array on the roof of a very large hay barn would help preserve certain areas of his land and integrate all of the solar to one meter as opposed to putting ground mounts and or roof mounted solar in many different locations throughout the farm. This strategy would also help our customer save considerable money on the overall project making it much more viable. We had to scale back on the project size from a potential system size of 152 kw to only 32.
On behalf of Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, a regional conservation organization based in New Market, Va, I am writing in support of HB 724. In general, working farms have multiple meters. The inability for farmers in co-op territory to aggregate their meters is a barrier to farmers who would to generate their own solar energy and contribute to our transition to renewable energy. Restoring the ability for farmers to aggregate their meters is a step in the right direction. We also strongly support the formation of a working group to address concerns of farmers and electric cooperatives to ensure success of the program and to assess other ways that small-scale solar energy projects can meet on-farm energy needs. Thank you.
HB922 - Virginia FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Program; created.
HB922 seeks to remove barriers to innovation in Virginia by creating the FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Program. Participants that have been accepted into the program may conduct testing of a financial product or service for 2-3 years without the normal licensure or authorization the state requires.
HB925 - Health insurance; coverage for prosthetic devices and components.
My nephew was critically injured in a car accident when he was 26. He lost his arm and then his shoulder. The insurance company (BC/BS) has denied him a prosthetic 4 x so far, calling it experimental and unnecessary, although the independent review determined that he met all the criteria for a prosthetic. Because his was a shoulder disarticulation amputation, a prosthetic would, even if it did not replace his fingers, need to provide movement for his wrist, elbow and shoulder. It is estimated by two different prosthetic companies to cost approximately $175,000 if he had to pay out of pocket. There is no possible way for him to afford this. B/c the insurance company is not required to cover it, he is unable to obtain a prosthetic that would allow him to work and re-enter society fully. Please pass this legislation so young people like him, full of promise but rendered victims of unforeseen and random, momentary events, are not saddled with entirely unmanageable burdens that could be transcended for this one requirement.
Please move to support Del. Roem's HB925. Thank you from prosthetic device wearers.
HB928 - One-stop small business permitting program; DSBSD to develop improvement plan.
Support.
HB1013 - Long-term care insurance; rate increases, notice requirements.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB1017 - Overtime; definition, compensable hours worked, compensatory time.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
Virginia Loggers Association represents businesses across the Commonwealth of VA. Most are small family owned businesses engaged in forest harvesting and mills, but many are also larger well known supporting businesses. Our businesses do not need additional layers of governmental mandates for overtime and compensation policies. Business owners understand we have a workers' shortage now and many are doing everything possible to retain good employees. The companies already follow the legal guidelines on overtime and compensation and any further burdens will make it more difficult for businesses to remain in business! DO NOT MOVE THIS BILL FORWARD! Thank you, Ron Jenkins, Executive Director, VLA
HB1027 - Financial institutions; sales-based financing providers.
ETA supports disclosures that promote transparency and accountability for small businesses and is committed to working with the Committee to help shape a disclosure regime that allows small businesses to accurately compare the cost of small business financing amongst providers. In addition, ETA supports increasing, not decreasing, choices in small business financing, thus allowing small businesses to select the best product that suits their needs to secure the capital they need to be successful and a competitive marketplace for small business financing with fair, transparent, and readily understandable financing options. Further, transparency in small business financing disclosures, including providing businesses with the best information to compare costs across products and make informed decisions, is integral to ETA’s mission. However, as drafted, H.B. 1027 could be confusing for both online small business funders and the small business community and does not properly address the needs of small businesses in the state. Therefore, ETA asks the Committee to reject H.B. 1027 as currently drafted.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
Good day Leaders! The link to sign up to speak in favor of this Bill was closed so I am writing this in hopes that it gets to you in time. I represent 40 plus small and minority owned restaurants, 25 plus food truck owners and 30 plus catering companies in the Richmond Region that as you can imagine have suffered tremendously throughout the Pandemic. It’s been reported that much of the emergency funding through various Federal and State grant and loan programs just simply did not reach many minority owned establishments. As a result, predatory business loan companies used this opportunity to enter into loans with harmful terms at a very vulnerable time. Please support Delegate Trans Bill that will lesson the harmful impact of these loans on our small business community. So thankful for your time.
HB1040 - Minimum wage; small employers.
SEIU we oppose this bill
Please support HB 1040 to exempt small businesses from further wage increases! I run a small educational non-profit with ALL part time employees and we are struggling to meet the current minimum wage increases. We have already had to sharply raise prices on the very people our organization was founded to serve. There is a big difference between the economic needs of an employee who is supporting a family by working full time for a big company, and a person working part-time for a nonprofit as a way to serve the community. Thank you!
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB1052 - Broadband providers and public utilities; late payment fees restricted.
Available to answer questions for the SCC.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB 1201 Unemployment benefits should be carefully controlled. We must avoid providing disincentives to work.
HB 118 Yes, include solar!
HB 1243 Mammography must be optional, based on the woman's choice. For a lot of thinking women it is wrong (does not make sense) to invade breasts with radiation in an effort to "detect" breast cancer.
HB 126 Yes, by all means.....Proton therapy works, I think.
HB 1288 Yes, by all means.....And rate reviews must allow for the power of solar to help us save the environment.
HB 153 Yes, by all means.....no state funds should be paid to workers illegally impaired.
HB 1160 I am in favor of this----a necessity nowadays to keep our communities healthy.
HB 263 If this bill will help to ensure that banks will be able to help people save money in virtual currency and add that to FDIC-like assurances for saving consumers......it has my blessing.
HB 225 -- It is a good idea to carefully define this disorder in the bill. Make sure NOT to simply repeat psychiatric jargon in the wording of the law, or it will be uninterpretable by the public that is being served. At a minimum, provide a clear definition of autism in plain English in the bill.
HB1151 - Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act; adds autocycles to the vehicles protected by Act.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB1162 - Health insurance; discrimination prohibited against covered entities and contract pharmacies.
Lynn Dunn, Pharmacist in Charge at the Bedford location of the FQHC Johnson Health Center (JHC), asking you to support HB 1162. You already know that 340B savings allow us to offer substantial savings on prescriptions, but please also consider the many programs and services that would be at risk of termination if unmitigated reductions to our 340B savings are allowed. 1) Mailout of prescriptions: We serve a geographically large rural setting with patients who have limited means of transportation. A full 20% of our prescriptions are mailed out, with JHC covering all of the mailing expenses. This includes costly coolers for insulin products, which must contain icepacks, and be sent via UPS. Consider patient Stephen B., who is disabled, and whose wife is in rehab. Without our mailout service, he would have no way to get his monthly insulin, blood pressure medication and cholesterol medication. He is only one of many of our patients who would not have access to life sustaining prescriptions without this free-to-him service. 2) Transportation services: Those same personal limitations prevent many of our patients from being able to get to a healthcare facility for treatment. Our driver will pick them up from their homes, transport them to their appointments, and back home again. Consider 14- year-old patient Grace, who was recently hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation after expressing suicidal wishes. After her discharge, she began weekly mental health counseling sessions at JHC. Her mom, a working mother of 4, has been tremendously helped by this service, so that she does not have to miss a significant amount of work, which would cut into her already tight budget, and potentially jeopardize her job. 3) Diabetic program: Diabetic patients can receive FREE testing supplies, to include a glucose monitor, test strips, control solution, a lancing device, and lancets, as well as consultative services. These supplies are not free to us, but utilization of 340B savings allows us to offer this huge benefit to our patients. 4) Nutritionist access: Our on-staff nutritionist provides free patient consultative services on diabetes, hypertension, obesity and general wellness. This allows patients tremendous access to more holistic care. 5) Patient Education Specialist: These staff members provide free help in securing financial means for many of our patients. Sherry, our Bedford PES, is certified in Medicaid, and has many connections at DSS. As such, she often helps patients who may be illiterate, or may be confused by the forms, in applying for and receiving Medicaid. She recently helped patient James with a denial appeal after Medicaid had determined his income exceeded the monthly limit. Sherry recognized that James had received some extra income during the months that Medicaid had considered, but that his annual income was still below the threshold. She successfully appealed his denial, and his coverage was reinstated, allowing him to receive his crucial medications. Thank you for considering the many ways that 340B savings provide access to healthcare for the underserved. I very much wanted to personally share these stories, and am disappointed that, after waiting over 4 hours, instead had to submit in writing only.
I am the Pharmacy Director Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS), a Federally Qualified Health Center serving Henry, Pittsylvania, Halifax & Mecklenberg Counties. Our service area covers approximately 2,900 square miles and ranks in the lowest third of the state with regard to per capita income. The mostly rural region has little public transportation and pharmacy access is limited with many areas not having a pharmacy within 10 miles. As such, pharmacy delivery has become an essential aspect of our services. Since initiating home delivery services, patient access has improved and nearly 25% of our prescription volume is now delivered. This has resulted in appreciable improvement in medication compliance rates, which correlates to better health outcomes. Because of the egregious reimbursement structure that currently exists, many pharmacies have been forced to eliminate such services - thus limiting access; to reduce staff - thus increasing the risk of prescription errors and reducing the time that pharmacists have to properly educate and counsel patients; or they may have no choice but to close - putting greater strain on an already over-taxed system and profession. 340B revenues allow Community Health Centers (CHCs) like PATHS to provide not only delivery, but quality pharmacy services to patients who might not otherwise have access. It allows us to spend time with patients rather than to simply run an assembly line as is so often the case in the chain pharmacies. The regulations governing 340B further allow us to help patients who qualify to overcome some of the hurdles to healthcare created by high deductibles and coverage gaps. It offers patients access to newer high cost medications which might otherwise be out of reach. As reimbursements fall for many healthcare disciplines, many practices are choosing to eliminate services or limit access to those who have private insurances. Because of 340B CHCs are able to fill the gap in many regions. PATHS has seen this with behavioral health and OB/GYN. It is clear that the healthcare system is in crisis nationwide, but all the more so in economically disadvantaged regions. The 340B program allows entities such as PATHS to serve those most in need, regardless of their ability to pay. Some would ask with Medicaid expansion if that is still necessary? The answer is yes, 23.2% of the prescriptions that we fill are for patients who have no insurance and would not be able to get their prescriptions without 340B. The PBMs have already created a crisis in pharmacy across the nation. More and more are looking at the monies that 340B generates as a source of revenue rather than allowing it to create and support the safety net for the poor and underinsured as it was intended. It is because our centers utilize 340B revenues to improve both access and quality of care for so many in Virginia that we respectfully ask that you prevent the PBMs and Insurance companies from robbing our meager coffers to further inflate their already significant profits at the expense of the health of those most in need. We support HB1162 as a good first step to that end and to better healthcare for all Virginians.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB1259 - Consumer Data Protection Act; sensitive data.
The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.
HB73 - Electric utilities; definitions, aggregate capacity requirements for renewable energy facilities.
The Virginia Clean Economy Act was established to provide an increase in clean energy jobs and reduce Virginia's carbon emissions by expanding wind and solar power. By allowing this bill to move forward, it will eliminate incentives for utilities to develop pilot programs for the state. Pilot programs play an important role by encouraging new and innovative approaches to energy efficiency programs. Such programs provided by the VCEA help Virginia populations save money and obtain essential access to energy sufficient projects. This bill will make it more difficult for these vulnerable Virginia populations to access energy efficiency programs that will save them money. And it is for these reasons, NRDC opposes this bill HB73.
The Virginia Clean Economy Act provides major job opportunity and economic growth for the Commonwealth by including capacity requirements for clean energy sources. This bill would remove the capacity requirements within the VCEA, which would significantly slow and in many cases stop the progress of clean energy companies in the state, potentially losing tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment to Virginia. Clean energy businesses, such as Strata Clean Energy, are a major asset to the Commonwealth, bringing new jobs, local tax dollars, opportunities for landowners and providing independent energy sources. In order for clean energy companies to continue to invest and create good-paying jobs in the Commonwealth, we respectfully request the Members of the Committee vote against HB 73.
Comments Document
February 2, 2021 RE: Virginia Businesses Support the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), Regional Greenhouse Gas Program (RGGI), and Clean Cars Dear Chair Byron and Members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee: Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with major companies and investors to build economic solutions to climate issues. We write today to share the position of the business community in Virginia on the bills before the Committee that propose to modify the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) as well as Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and Advanced Clean Cars ("Clean Cars") program. Members of Ceres BICEP Network* with operations in Virginia include Adobe, Ball Corporation, IKEA, JLL, Kaiser Permanente, Lyft, Mars Inc., McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nestle, Salesforce, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries. As large employers and energy users, businesses understand how Virginia’s energy policy affects the cost of doing business. Maintaining market-friendly climate policies like the VCEA, RGGI and Clean Cars will enable Virginia to make critical progress on pollution and decarbonization while investing in a competitive, resilient economy. The VCEA is an attractive policy for companies looking to power their operations with renewable energy to make investments in Virginia. Energy efficiency and renewable standards keep energy costs low, consistent, and predictable over the long-term, allowing companies to plan ahead. That’s why 97 companies in Virginia have committed to power all of their corporate operations with 100% renewable energy. Continuing to participate in RGGI will ensure that state’s clean energy transition includes critical financial support to vulnerable coastline communities through flood mitigation programs and to vulnerable households statewide through funding for low-income energy efficiency programs. Further, predictable, stable energy policy sends a signal to new businesses that Virginia is a good place to invest. On behalf of seven businesses and four higher education institutions, I am pleased to share the attached letter urging the Virginia Legislature to maintain and build upon the considerable progress made in recent years to confront the climate crisis and build a competitive in-state clean energy market. The following companies, Hannon Armstrong, Lutron, Mars, Inc., Nestlé, Unilever, Workday, and Worthen Industries, and higher-ed institutions Sweet Briar College, University of Lynchburg, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, and Virginia Wesleyan University share their support in the letter for the VCEA, RGGI, and Clean Cars, citing the significant business benefits of these policies, such as lower energy costs, new in-state investments, and programs that will help them meet their own climate goals. The signatories urge legislators to maintain a hospitable environment for clean energy investments going forward. Thank you for your time and consideration, and please be in touch with any questions. Sincerely, Mel Mackin Manager, State Policy Ceres mackin@ceres.org *The Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (“BICEP”) Network is a group of nearly 80 companies that support policies to prevent the dire financial and material risks of the climate crisis. BICEP members are committed to advocating for stronger climate and clean energy policies at the state and federal levels.
Comments Document
Written opposition testimony for HB 73, HB 74, HB 118 and HB 172
The Virginia Clean Economy Act was established to provide an increase in clean energy jobs and reduce Virginia's carbon emissions by expanding wind and solar power. By allowing this bill to move forward, it will eliminate incentives for utilities to develop pilot programs for the state. Pilot programs play an important role by encouraging new and innovative approaches to energy efficiency programs. Such programs provided by the VCEA help Virginia populations save money and obtain essential access to energy sufficient projects. This bill will make it more difficult for these vulnerable Virginia populations to access energy efficiency programs that will save them money. And it is for these reasons, CCAN Action Fund opposes this bill HB73.