Dear Chair Ward and Honorable Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee: I am writing on behalf of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the over 780,000 adult Virginians living with diabetes to express our support for House Bill 1725 - prohibiting a large health care facility or medical debt buyer from charging interest or late fees on medical debt and easing the burden of medical debt by offering payment plans. For people diagnosed with diabetes, their medical expenditures are 2.6 times higher than would be expected without diabetes. For families impacted by diabetes, they are also twice as likely to have medical debt when compared to families that do not have a member with diabetes. The ADA strongly supports efforts to minimize financial burdens that can put access to care out of reach for people with diabetes. People with medical debt have reported this burden as a driving factor for delaying care or not filling their prescriptions. For people with diabetes, it is critical that we eliminate financial barriers that may result in them forgoing the care that they need to manage the disease. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to costly and devastating complications including cardiovascular disease, blindness, amputations, kidney failure and death. Limiting interest from accruing on medical debt will help minimize the financial burden on patients. Large interest rates increase the amount that patients owe, significantly impacting their ability to afford medical treatment. Additionally, the ADA supports the inclusion of this provision to improve transparency and ensure that hospitals work with patients to establish reasonable payment plans. People with diabetes incur monthly costs associated with managing their disease and we encourage any monthly limit to consider a person’s ongoing treatment costs. Payment plans and monthly limits should be individualized, and patient centered. Thank you for the opportunity to express ADA’s support for HB 1725. We are encouraged to see the legislature address the burden of medical debt and ensure that people with diabetes can afford the tools they need to manage the disease with dignity. For the reasons outlined, I urge you to support HB 1725. Thank you very much for your attention. If you have any questions, I am available at mbillger@diabetes.org Sincerely, Monica Billger State Government Affairs Director American Diabetes Association

Comments Document

Dear Chair Ward and Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee, I’m writing in support of HB 1725 on behalf of ZERO Prostate Cancer, the leading national nonprofit with the mission to end prostate cancer and help all those who are impacted, and on behalf of the patients and patient advocates we represent. 9% of Virginians are in medical debt. Medical debt and income lost to illness has been linked to over 60% of bankruptcies in the US, and half of cancer patients and survivors have had medical debt related to their cancer, according to a 2024 American Cancer Society survey. Patients with cancer-related medical debt are three times more likely to be behind on screenings, and the impacts of medical debt are disproportionately borne by those at-risk for prostate cancer. ZERO Prostate Cancer supports the passage of HB 1725, which would give patients needed protections from the financially toxic impacts of medical debt. Please follow up with georgia@zerocancer.org with any questions.

Comments Document

The American Lung Association strongly supports this bill as an integral way to address the burden of medical debt on people with lung disease and other health conditions in Virginia. House Bill 1725 provides reasonable protections to shield patients from the negative impact of medical debt, including protecting patients from extraordinary medical debt collection methods, including wage garnishment and foreclosure on primary homes, eliminating interest and late fees on medical bills, and ensuring patients have access to affordable payment plans capped at 5% of their monthly income. 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 1725 which would shield patients from negative consequences of medical debt. We encourage swift action to move the bill out of committee and passage by the General Assembly.

Comments Document

The Virginia Grassroots Coalition, representing 50 groups with over 10,000 Virginia members submits this comment in support of HB1725, the Medical Debt Protection Act. At the federal level, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has documented the serious problems that medical debt causes. As the CFPB concluded: The growing promotion and use of medical cards and installment loans can increase the financial burden on patients who may pay more than they otherwise would pay and may compromise medical outcomes. When people are unable to pay their medical bills, research shows this can deter them from seeking needed healthcare in the future. The use of medical cards and installment loans, and their promotion by medical providers, has ripple effects on the broader cost of healthcare, consumer wellbeing, and the economy. CFPB Report on Medical Credit Cards and Financing Plans May 4, 2023 Additional excerpts from the CFPB's research are explained in the attached document.

Comments Document

The Virginia Grassroots Coalition, composed of over 50 groups of over 10,000 Virginians, submits this comment in support of the HB 1725, the Medical Debt Protection Act. We urge the Subcommitte and Committee to support it.

Comments Document

The American Lung Association strongly supports this bill as an integral way to address the burden of medical debt on people with lung disease and other health conditions in Virginia. House Bill 1725 provides reasonable protections to shield patients from the negative impact of medical debt, including protecting patients from extraordinary medical debt collection methods, including wage garnishment and foreclosure on primary homes, eliminating interest and late fees on medical bills, and ensuring patients have access to affordable payment plans capped at 5% of their monthly income. 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 1725 which would shield patients from negative consequences of medical debt. We encourage swift action to move the bill out of committee and passage by the General Assembly.

January 15, 2025 Honorable Alfonso H. Lopez Chair, House Labor and Commerce – Subcommittee #2 House Committee Room A - 008 General Assembly Building 201 North 9th Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 RE: Support HB 1766 and HB 1767 Dear Delegate Lopez, I am David E. Balducchi, retired from the U.S. Department of Labor, a member of the Advisory Board of Social Action Linking Together (SALT), elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, and a resident of Springfield, Virginia. I understand that on January 16, your committee will be considering HB 1766 and HB 1767, two bills offered by chief patron, Delegate Marty Martinez. I write in support of HB 1766, which will increase weekly unemployment benefits for qualified individuals – if otherwise eligible - by $100 higher than the current weekly benefit amount. Higher benefits support local businesses and economies, as unemployment benefits are the fastest working dollar - resulting in a stronger multiplier effect. In addition, the bill requires establishing a work group to study making annual adjustments to the Commonwealth’s weekly benefits based upon the average weekly wage. Some thirty-three states set their maximum benefits as a portion of the state’s average weekly wage, and Virigina should investigate this approach. As well, I support HB 1767, which provides that for new claims effective on or after July 1, 2025, an individual’s weekly unemployment benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, duration should be uniform, so that claimants at all benefit levels can qualify for maximum duration, and experience has shown that, during ordinary times, a duration of 26 weeks is necessary. I urge that members of the Subcommittee #2 to support these bills. Sincerely, David E. Balducchi Member, Advisory Board Social Action Linking Together

January 15, 2025 Honorable Alfonso H. Lopez Chair, House Labor and Commerce – Subcommittee #2 House Committee Room A - 008 General Assembly Building 201 North 9th Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 RE: Support HB 1766 and HB 1767 Dear Delegate Lopez, I am David E. Balducchi, retired from the U.S. Department of Labor, a member of the Advisory Board of Social Action Linking Together (SALT), elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, and a resident of Springfield, Virginia. I understand that on January 16, your committee will be considering HB 1766 and HB 1767, two bills offered by chief patron, Delegate Marty Martinez. I write in support of HB 1766, which will increase weekly unemployment benefits for qualified individuals – if otherwise eligible - by $100 higher than the current weekly benefit amount. Higher benefits support local businesses and economies, as unemployment benefits are the fastest working dollar - resulting in a stronger multiplier effect. In addition, the bill requires establishing a work group to study making annual adjustments to the Commonwealth’s weekly benefits based upon the average weekly wage. Some thirty-three states set their maximum benefits as a portion of the state’s average weekly wage, and Virigina should investigate this approach. As well, I support HB 1767, which provides that for new claims effective on or after July 1, 2025, an individual’s weekly unemployment benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, duration should be uniform, so that claimants at all benefit levels can qualify for maximum duration, and experience has shown that, during ordinary times, a duration of 26 weeks is necessary. I urge that members of the Subcommittee #2 to support these bills. Sincerely, David E. Balducchi Member, Advisory Board Social Action Linking Together

My concern is forcing solar on farmland and forested lands and removing the county control of its own government to state control . That’s just so wrong ! Solar and wind are not the answer to green energy , it’s a mad rush for the money for a very temporary and not even efficient form of green energy . We are rural and want to protect our farms and forested lands, we are Not unbuilt on land ! This is our county ! Not up for grabs or control !

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

I respectfully ask that you oppose this bill. We must keep our farmland exactly that- farmland. Large solar operations are detrimental to our small communities. The county has spoken and we do not want to lose farms to large corporations outside of our state. This needs to be a local decision.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Im writing in opposition to this bill. Nuclear fuel should not be considered a renewable resource.

Comments Document

Oppose HB1875: This bill would evisereate the VCEA in order to subsidize nuclear power - ratepayers are already subject to paying for SMRs before they come online, if they ever do (thanks to the 2024 session). HB1875 would cause UNCERTAINTY and HIGHER electric rates. SMRs CANNOT RELIABLY BE DESIGNED, APPROVED, BUILT and BROUGHT ONLINE on a predictable schedule. Lazard's "Levelized Cost of Energy" proves new nuclear is the MOST EXPENSIVE form of new utility-scale power generation (see pg. 5 of attachment) . SMR projects may be cancelled for numerous reasons. SMRs are DIRTY, creating highly radioactive waste that must be stored on site, since there is no safe universal storage. High-level radioactive waste lasts many thousands of years and makes SMR sites TERRORIST targets. Technology is changing fast. By the time these nuclear facilities would supposedly come on line, ADDITIONAL POWER MAY NOT BE NEEDED. The data industry, which drives the demand for that additional power, may have introduced vastly more efficient technology (https://cse.umn.edu/college/news/researchers-develop-state-art-device-make-artificial-intelligence-more-energy) or contracted to their own power generation sources or simply moved to another state or nation offering greater incentives. From a planning perspective, it makes far more sense to incrementally add renewable generation, paired with geological storage, for 24/7/365 reliable capacity. Most simply, our power bills are already too high. We DON'T need risky, dirty, expensive, unpredictable nuclear power. We DO need the VCEA to continue to support truly renewable energy sources and guide us on a more predictable future path. Please vote to kill HB1875.

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

I am Commissioner Rapaport available to address any questions regarding HB1933 relating to the throat cancer bill.

I support HB1935 because home weatherization can go a long way toward reducing the energy burden for low-income families. Often such families occupy older buildings that date from a time when no one worried about insulation or designing homes to be energy efficient. This means that even very frugal people may pay a lot to keep barely warm. Meanwhile the heat leakage from the home wastes energy and contributes to climate problems. Please follow the subcommittee's recommendation and report HB1935.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

My name is George Hoppe, and I am a proud member of the FAIRFAX COUNTY PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS & PARAMEDICS, IAFF LOCAL 2068. I have served as a 911 dispatcher for six years, during which I have handled countless critical calls, including many that are difficult to forget. Over the years, I have witnessed the profound impact of trauma on my colleagues. Some have left the profession entirely, while others have taken extended absences due to the emotional toll of high-stress calls. Inadequate mental health support exacerbates these challenges, contributing to staffing shortages and increased wait times for 911 services. Burnout and compassion fatigue affect the quality of emergency response and take a significant toll on personal lives. 911 dispatchers are often referred to as the "first of the first responders." We are the initial point of contact in emergencies, tasked with determining the nature of the incident, identifying those involved, and pinpointing the location. Simultaneously, we process and relay critical information, such as warrant checks and responder safety details, all while maintaining composure under pressure. One of our most critical responsibilities is providing life-saving medical guidance over the phone. I have assisted with childbirth and guided a caller through resuscitating a choking child. While these moments are victories, there are also profound tragedies. I will never forget the sound of a woman going agonal while unable to provide her address or the screams of a parent whose infant was not breathing. Suicide is another difficult reality we face far too often. Whether speaking with someone actively attempting suicide or providing support to a distraught family member, the emotional burden is immense. I have talked individuals down from suicide, but not every call ends positively. A colleague once tried to de-escalate a situation with an older man armed with a handgun, only to hear the gunshot over the radio. Despite her dedication, the emotional toll of that call was evident when she returned to work the next day, no longer the vibrant person we knew. As a trained crisis negotiator, I have de-escalated situations involving individuals armed with weapons, helping them get the care they need safely. I have spoken with a drunk driver heading the wrong way on a highway and frequently interact with emotionally disturbed individuals, striving to connect with them in moments of crisis. The stressors of this profession extend beyond phone calls. Dispatchers must often hold emergency calls due to insufficient resources, alert officers to immediate threats, or respond to mayday calls from firefighters. Listening to radio traffic from real-life events underscores the immense pressure telecommunicators face—pressure that stays with them long after the event. Despite these challenges, I am deeply passionate about my work and committed to serving in this role for the rest of my career. However, we need your support to ensure we can continue to provide critical assistance to those experiencing the worst moments of their lives. Please support this legislation to strengthen resources and care for 911 telecommunicators. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

The labor force is essential for continued growth and success within The Commonwealth. Worker's should be appropriately compensated with fair wages, accessible/affordable health care, safe work spaces, and financial security for their retirement. Please vote for legislation to help support hard working Virginians.

Please support HB 2084. The SCC must ensure other ratepayers (residential, small businesses, and other industry in the state) are not subsidizing energy infrastructure necessary primarily for data center development. These are some of the wealthiest companies in the world and it is unfair and unjust to let the powerful take advantage of a system that was never structured to handle so many high energy consumers.

This bill makes excellent sense. It’s clear that Data Centers have unique power requirements and should be treated as a separate classification. I support this bill and thank Delegate Shin for introducing it.

Comments Document

Delegates, it's unfair for huge data centers to plug into regulated utility monopolies - APCo/Dominion/Old Dominion - and siphon off large portions of the generating capacity. Existing customers have been paying for these facilities over decades. HB2084 provides a means to correct this inequity and prevent further erosion of residents' and businesses decades of investment in existing utility infrastructure. The explosive, unregulated data center industry presents real risks to the public. Imagine new generating capacity and transmission constructed for a gigaWatt data campus which stops operating due to moving to another state or because newer alternative technology makes it obsolescent - for example, according to Science Daily, "Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated a state-of-the-art hardware device that could reduce energy consumption for artificial intelligent (AI) computing applications by a factor of at least 1,000." (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240726113337.htm or see attached PDF) A separate rate class for huge power consumers, like data centers, is necessary and appropriate, because their demand and capacity and energy requirements are different from any other existing customers. they present by engaging utilities to build more infrastructure to serve them Without HB2084, new data center customers are able to shift real costs on to existing customers. Cost shifting is inequitable and unacceptable rate policy. Data centers should pull their own weight. The SCC has the resources to administer the intent of this bill and determine equitable solutions. I strongly support HB2084 and thank Del. Shin for submitting the bill. I ask you to support the bill, too.

I support HB2084. As a Dominion ratepayer, I have grown worried about who will pay for the proposed building spree of power generation to feed the demands of data centers. HB2084 seems to be a reasonable way to address these concerns. I am pleased the subcommittee recommends the bill.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

I am a resident of Louisa County, Virginia. I am deeply concerned that the state is trying to control solar developments and decisions at a state level rather than allowing local citizens and officials to make local decisions for these solar developments. How can such decisions be made as a blanket decision over various localities across the state and each area with its own unique needs? Local citizens and local officials would no longer have control over what would affect their counties. In my opinion this HB2438 is nothing but a power grab to aide power companies to enforce their wills in order to gain more land for their development. I am speaking as a person who has had a first hand extremely negative experience on our family farm where a water way, a creek, downstream from a large solar site has been damaged beyond your greatest imagination. We know 2 holding ponds directly release into this creek and as many as 3 others release into a smaller tributary which flows into this creek. The extreme damage done was due to this ill planned and ill constructed very large solar site upstream from our farm. There were 5 farms with damage from this one site. Our county officials have placed county requirements for solar developments to try to prevent this from happening to other land owners. Local officials need and must have the respect and authority to do what is best for their citizens. In addition to these above concerns, I continue to have grave concerns for the amount of agricultural and forest land these solar developments are consuming. Does anyone in Richmond not see the detrimental effect? Once agricultural land is lost it can never be replaced. Please, I humbly request you vote against this bill and that you speak with many others to vote against it. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

I respectfully request you to please oppose this bill. Your voters elected you to represent our interests and we have spoken NO to Industrial Solar facilities and this should be your position on this bill to represent your constituents put their trust in you with their vote to represent their interests.

Deny this bill! Some of the most egregious actions by VA politicians have been allowing energy companies to take land through eminent domain, require Virginian residents to use expensive/unreliable wind and solar, all while they install massive kV towers to bring reliable/affordable energy to Data centers, from other states, that are USING COAL TO POWER THEM. Ratepayers pay for all of this, too.

I believe that land use decisions should be made at local level. Please vote no on this bill.

Please oppose this bill concerning solar projects. Keep the decision with the counties on what’s best for themselves.

Oppose HB 2438: Localities should retain ALL rights and decisions regarding their respective city or counties. These decisions and rights should stay with local city and county governments/peoples.

These counties are too pretty and should be restored for nature instead of solar panels.

This bill proposes a major overreach of state government's authority into local land use decisions. Local people have the right to make these decisions without the threat of having their will overturned by the state. Please vote No on HB2438.

I strongly oppose this and all other proposed legislation that undermine local authority to make land use decisions. Local citizens, competent professionals, and duly elected government officials have the authority and the right to make decisions about how the land in our communities is to be used. Protection of precious agricultural and timber land in our rural communities is important to the long term health and stability of our families and the natural resources over which we are stewards. This attempt to overrule the will of local citizens and usurp local governance authority is an egregious overreach of the state government's authority. Please vote No to HB2438.

I AM A LAND OWNER AND STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS BILL,PLEASE PASS IT, IT BENEFITS THE COUNTY AS WELL AS LANDOWNERS.

Me and my family oppose this .

I oppose this bill. OPPOSE, OPPOSE, OPPOSE! Let the citizens decide! Keep our counties out of the hands of companies that just want government subsidized money to ruin land in our rural communities with no benefit!

I do not think the state should be in control of solar farms. I think the the county should still have control over what happens in that county in regards to solar farms.

Please oppose this bill. This bill is actually worse than the Solar Siting Review board if you can believe that. This bill allows Utility Scale Solar Facilities of any size anywhere in Virginia. Localities cannot limit the size of a project. A county cannot limit the acres used for solar. a county cannot regulate the distance between projects. This is an extreme overreach of power. Please email all members in the House of Delegates Opposing this bill and the Governor

Comments Document

Does not meet requirements that it says it does

I am not in favor of this bill.

These solar projects only take land away and do not produce enough energy to destroy the land.

1) Solar ordinance decisions should remain at the local level. Each locality has its own unique circumstances and localities should retain their decision making and abilities to create their own ordinance. This alone is reason enough to table HB2438. 2) Serious Environmental Justice issues would be violated by HB2438. Citizens would NOT have the opportunity to participate in the development of local solar ordinance. Decisions that forever change the character of a community should remain with that community. Where is the meaningful involvement of all people in decisions that affect them? 3) A one size fits all solar ordinance ignores the differences across the Commonwealth. There is wide variation in community character, citizen goals, topography, watersheds, habitats, agricultural, economics, etc. To impose a state mandated ordinance is unfair and causes damage. 4) Many flaws exist in the model ordinance proposed by HB2438. The following is a partial list of the flaws with brief explanations: -Decommissioning: Subtracting salvage value from the decommissioning bond places undue financial risk on the landowner or entity that will hold the parcel at the solar facilities end of life. There is no way to determine the value of obsolete equipment at some future point in time. In reality there may be a cost incurred for disposal of the material. The only fair bond method is to assume no salvage value. Further, where is the requirement for land reclamation along with the decommissioning? -Completion of land disturbance activities: “An ordinance may require up to 75 percent vegetative cover…” Example: If a county has 15,000 acres of industrial solar facilities and is only permitted by state statute to require a maximum of 75 percent vegetative cover, there would be 3,750 acres WITHOUT vegetative cover. At 150,000 acres of industrial solar, there would be 37,500 acres WITHOUT vegetative cover. -Wildlife corridors: This should not be window dressing. On-site studies of wildlife would be necessary to determine if corridors are adequate and appropriate. Will wildlife actually use the area labeled “wildlife corridor”? These designations are often assigned to areas that cannot be constructed upon, and the “corridor” is a byproduct of development. In reality, huge swaths of habitat are destroyed and nature lost! -Imperviousness: Model ordinance uses phrase “…shall minimize…”. This sounds nice, but in reality, gives the facility free rein to greatly alter a site. Virginia DEQ has reported nearly 70 percent of solar facilities had water issues. -Grading: “…shall be minimized…”. This sounds nice, but in reality, gives the developer free rein to bulldoze and destroy the site. Many facilities across the Commonwealth have seen millions of cubic feet of earth moved. In summary: -A one size fits all statewide solar ordinance is inappropriate and should be rejected. -There are numerous harmful flaws in the wording of HB2438. -Local decisions should continue to be the method of establishing solar ordinances. -Citizen participation is blocked from creation of an ordinance that impacts them, their family, and their community. -Environmental Justice issues exist. Please defeat HB2438

I Oppose HB 2438! Its Should be left to the citizens of The Area to Decide if Solar Projects may be built In There Locality! Solar Industrial sights are a Threat to our Natural Environment, will Harm our Wildlife, Destroy Agricultural Land and Forests ! Solar is a Low production inefficient means of Electric Production! Natural Gas and Micro Nuclear are Better alternatives with higher production and Limited effects to our valuable Land Resources. Also Natural Gas and Micro Nuclear Production would provide more Local Jobs during Construction and Operation!

I OPPOSE HB2438. This bill undermines local control and community-specific decision-making. Each community has unique environmental, and economic considerations that a one-size-fits-all state mandated solar ordinance will ignore. Local governments should continue to have the power to make these decisions that will affect the community they live in.

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO...HE WOULD STAY IN HIS OWN TOWN AND PULL TOGETHER TOSAVE OUR LAND. IT IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY FOR A FEW BUT LAND BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT COUNTY. AMEN

I am opposed to HB2438 for a number of reasons. Counties/municipalities should have the right to choose if they want to adopt a project or not. This ideology of forcing something on the public is dangerously close to tyranny-as is for example forcing a woman to remain pregnant against her will. Especially, when there are grave environmental concerns regarding the components of said project. I wouldn’t want destroying clean drinking water on my conscience if I were a legislator. I’m for clean but Solar and wind are anything but. Quartzite is used to make panels. Most comes from areas in China using forced labor. The US placed an embargo on imports in 2018- somehow they were lifted in 2023. The Ughurs are still being used as forced labor in this area of China-so what changed? Nothing. Please do not support slave labor

I OPPOSE this legislation which will take away land-use and ordinance decisions from our counties. These decisions should remain at the local level. Solar photovoltaic projects are destroying thousands of acres of Virginia's rural farmland, agricultural land, and forests. Put solar panels on rooftops, brownfields, parking lots, etc. Start in the already built world. One of the goals of the Virginia Clean Economy Act is to protect natural resources for future generations. This legislation will do the opposite.

Please OPPOSE legislation which will take away land-use and ordinance decisions from our counties Thank you, Kenda Hanuman

I strongly OPPOSE legislation which will take away land-use and ordinance decisions from our counties. Local, generational farm families have been, and will continue to be, the best stewards of the land in the long-run, and should be allowed to maintain control over decisions that concern the land and waterways for future generations.

Please oppose Bill H2438. Removing local decisions on thousands of acres of land is extremely difficult to conceive. People choose to move to communities where they can thrive and have their constitutional right to general welfare. Filling up our counties with technologies that will not result in the ultimate goal for solving a perceived energy shortage equates to creating acres of wasteland and leaving it on the taxpayers doorstep. Solar brings noise - 24 hour constant humming, destruction of local roads, unmitigated stormwater damages, unsightly views, personal property damage, and safety issues. All issues left for the county tax payers to deal with. Please oppose Bill H2438.

OPPOSE this bill

I oppose bill HB2438!

OPPOSE, OPPOSE, OPPOSE

I urge you to oppose HB2438 Solar facilities & other land use issues belong at the county level. I am a resident of Buckingham County. I am directly affected by the thousands of rural & agricultural lands being considered for massive INDUSTRAL solar facilities with no to miniscule benefit in comparison to the destruction of our environment.

Please oppose HB2438! Local legislation should decide solar regulation.

It is a Serious mistake to remove oversight of solar policy to the state level.This is a akin to how Stalin nationalized all the people's farms and the whole system got broken. You must leave decisions about solar policy and location to us here Is at our a Albemoral county level. We know the topography and the Sizing issues to maximize This vital energy source. Bureaucrats, in Norfolk or in Southwest Virginia have no business mandating how we array/deploy solar in central virginia. Nor have we any business in their region. Thank you for using common sense and not Deciding solar policy at state level.

I OPPOSE this bill.

I strongly OPPOSE this bill!

Please. Reject HB2438! My family lost their farms due to the overreach of government and taking land to make National Parks – they said it was for the greater good – giving them less than 50 cents per acre. My grandparents and parents never recovered from the financial and devastating mental anguish caused by these actions. And now the state wants to overrule the local governance on land – risking water wells and drinking water for humans and livestock by carpeting the state with solar that is ineffective and riddled with problems and risks to the communities that they occupy. Thus – causing damages to neighboring properties forever, diminishing the property values of anyone in proximity of these monstrosities with their humming and destructive practices. It is shameful that anyone would allow the solar developers’ need/greed for profits above the well-being of the citizens. This bill is a blatant assault on local authority, it’s a gross violation of the principle of subsidiarity and undermines the democratic rights of communities to tailor regulations to their unique needs. The legislation’s dangerous inflexibility in environmental standards risks stagnation and compromises potential eco-friendly alternatives. These bills encourage reckless projects to submit a mad dash for approvals and their subsidies, compromising thorough evaluation and incentivizing the exploitation of a regulatory loophole. The bill’s neglect of adverse environmental impacts could lead to irreparable ecological damage. Its myopic focus on solar energy leaves communities vulnerable; this legislation is a grave overreach that jeopardizes local democracy, environmental well-being, and the pursuit of a sustainable energy future. The bill unjustly burdens rural communities, boosting profits for solar developers at the expense of those with limited resources. Alternative legislation should mandate solar panels on top of every current and upcoming governmental building, school, shopping mall, and data center before allowing permanent farmland destruction!

I strongly OPPOSE any legislation which will take away land-use and ordinance dicisions from our counties.

I OPPOSE legislation that will take away land-use and ordinance decisions from our counties.

I do not support any attempt to take control of siting snd zoning control away from local authority for solar industrial sites. Solar developers have tried to influence local elections and lost, they are threatening and in some cases moving forward with lawsuits to build their industrial site. Now they are trying to circumvent local control by going through the state legislature. And for what? I live a few miles from 2 base load reliable power stations. We have plenty of power! This power is needed up north put it in their backyards, I live in the country. If I wanted to live in an industrial complex I’d move to one. Vote no on industrial solar. Too much land consumed for non reliable power for too many jobs. If you need power build a power station. They create good paying jobs, reliable power. One day very soon SMRs are going to overshadow solar and what’s to be done with all the glass and concrete in those fields.

Please oppose HB2438. We OPPOSE legislation which will take away land-use and ordinance decisions from our counties. We want more autonomy, not less democracy for localities. Thank you.

Solar has turned our beautiful landscape into total garbage. Roads are a mess. Waste of good farm land and a mess to clean up in 25 years.

One of the legislators commented on a similar bill that it sounds like they (the legislators) feel the counties are too stupid to regulate land use - and then vote to move the bill forward. That shows exactly what you think about the citizens of the localities you will affect. The solar developers have hoodwinked the state legislators into pushing these horrible bills. This started because solar developers rolled into unprepared counties pushing their scam, many allowed them in like allowing the foxes to lord over hen houses. Once the problems started coming runoff, noise, dust, dirt, destruction, risk to wildlife, groundwater, etc - the counties woke up and said no more or only in certain places. SO now the solar companies go to the state to overrule - they find the weakest legislators to push them on their behalf doing NO due diligence on the risks and who is behind this. Greed. For example - Urban Grid's CEO has a race car team - No solar panels power those cars - they just want the subsidies to fund their own fossil-fueled toys. These projects are scams, no one can show an example of how they can be decommissioned safely, none can produce the power they advertise, and none can show where sheep can be grazed safely (they cause the sheep to get sick and the sheep destroy the equipment). The solar developers have an endless supply of money to dump into them because their cash rewards are too great and they leave the poor rural communities suffering the consequences. This is a predatory practice of the most vulnerable citizens of the state. These bills sound as if they were written by the lawyers of the solar companies - they offer NO protections to the counties and really they don't care, they don't live there and their properties won't be affected. Please put them in the places they are needed - NOT in the rural communities - use your buildings. The solar developers will destroy every last acre of land in Virginia if you allow and cover them with their slave labor panels - generations from now they will still be rotting in the fields and cannot be safely recycled because after all - these projects are not about clean or green - they are about the money the developers get for installing them - no matter how little they produce - they still get their money and the rural communities will be left with the mess - PLEASE OPPOSE THESE BILLS - PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND STOP LISTENING TO THE VERY PEOPLE THAT PROFIT FROM THEM - THEY HAVE NO REGARD FOR OUR COUNTY or OUR STATE. IT IS ALL ABOUT THEIR POCKETS - many of you may already know that and if you still vote for it - you are compliant with their nefarious plans.

OPPOSE HB2438 As an elderly widow living on a farm in rural Virginia, I ask that you vote no on HB2438. Land Use Ordinances should be made at the local level by local government regardless of your stance on utility scale solar. As an elderly widow I can easily reach out and speak to my local government Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission to express my opinion. They are easily accessible and very available. Establishing a Statewide Solar Ordinance will take away my voice. During the CEUR meeting, I believe Delegate Sullivan stated that 80% of the solar farms are being denied across Virginia and the free-market system is not working. I thought this country was built on the free market system. I also thought that our elected representatives are elected by the people to represent us, the people. If rural Virginians are turning these projects down, then our representatives should do what the people want and not say "we are smarter than you and we know what is best for you". This approach is not representative government. It is more communistic. Furthermore, if these projects were not propped up with our taxpayer dollars in one of the largest tax increases in American history, none would be built. These projects are not financially viable without taxpayer subsidies. I hear the argument of landowner rights. However, these landowners and corporations are being paid with our taxpayer dollars so if 80%+ of the citizens in the locality don't want a specific project, they are also saying don't use my taxpayer dollars to fund these projects. If landowners had to rely on private investment alone they would not get paid and the projects would not be built. Finally, this country has been regulated by Land Use ordinances for over 100 years. These ordinances help protect everyday people and give them a voice. Also, remember your landowner rights stop at the point where you damage my property or harm me. The fines these solar developers are being charged for environmental violations to others' properties is tremendous. Many counties have pulled back on solar projects because they see that the developers are not delivering on their promises and they are also listening to their constituents who have voiced that they want to protect farm and forest land for future generations. Dianne Thompson

Solar is ruining the county we have. They are trespassing on homeowners properties and then suing to use their land stating they have rights to it. We do not want out farm land turned into solar properties!

I'm totally against solar power, it's very inefficient and takes away to many acres of land for very little power provided. Nuclear power is the most efficient with the smallest footprint.

I am staunchly opposed to this bill! Local land use decisions should remain with the local government and not placed in the hands of the state to decide!

Localities should have their own rules and regulations to keep the choice to the people that’s what democracy is supposed to be vote no

Please do not pass this bill. We do not need solar in Sussex County

I ask you to not pass this house bill. The power over where, how, or if industrial solar is in each county should remain with the county. The residents and land owners should have control over how their land is used.

I am asking you to please oppose this bill. Land use decisions should remain at the local level and should not be forced into an area by someone on the other end of the state. Also with mini nuclear sites and other sources of clean energy becoming so close to a reality solar is an efficient way to use land.

Against solar

As a land owner in Sussex and Surry county. I oppose this bill. Land ownership is something I take seriously. This bill takes away the rights of land ownership!! Please listen to us!!!

I do not support HB2438. Local communities should have a voice when deciding what happens to their land. This right should not be taken away because local governments and communities are making decisions that outside agencies do not agree with (especially when the energy is NOT going back to those communities).

I do not support HB2438, local government should have the say of what happens in their locality. Not for the state to take away that right, and have the only say.

Please do not pass this as this needs to be up to the localities on Solar operations!!!

I oppose HB2126 and HB2438. Any attempts by the state government to override local land use decisions are embarrassing at their best, and criminal at worst.

I am opposed to any solar ordinance which takes away local land-use decisions.

Solar farms are a waste of the natural beauty and rich farmland of our county. We don't want them here and should never be forced to accept them by anyone.

Deny HB2438! Local government needs to make decisions for land in its residing county.

Keep these decisions local! We do not want that much authority handed down from Richmond! We also don’t want filling out forms with “what’s your pronoun” to be filled out. What damn difference does that make ? I mean really!!! I am insulted by this form!

Leave local property regulations to local people and their BOS.

As a farmer and rural landowner, I strongly oppose HB2438, wielded by the strong arm of the mafiaistic Maryland based MAREC coalition of solar developers seeking to wrest control of MY land, MY county’s land, and My State! Through my Democratic voice and process, decisions were made in my locality to deny solar. I am sorry this industry is hurting because they are losing time and money on this ill-gotten gain. That is their problem, because they are selling the wrong product. The fact is, solar does not work. A recent chart published by Dominion lists numerous facilities that are not even reaching 20% capacity. And held accountable to no one! The solar industry and the Virginia Department of Energy as well as other “secret” donors are funding the UVA Weldon Cooper Center. The fact is that localities have learned, unfortunately, too late, and the hard way, that solar is destructive to our homes, health and safety, and have destroyed the environment in the process. That is why we are saying NO, and counties are targeted and blacklisted by MAREC and the likes of Skyler Zunk and Energy Right (whose role as chairman of the Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority should be considered a huge conflict of interest), and employing UVA to do it’s dirty work. Rural Virginia has said NO, and we continue to say get out of my town, get out of my state, solar. And yes, Delegate Mundon-King, solar does kill pets. It was documented in Surrey County that in addition to roads, driveways, mailboxes getting damaged from solar, they did run over and kill someone’s dog! In addition to running into a schoolbus full of children. Please, elected officials reading this. Stop listening to the environmental squawk boxes. Listen to we the people who elected you; who live and work on and with this land. Listen to the Ag and Forestry folks protecting our working lands. We do not want solar in our localities, and it is our right to not allow this in our communities. Please vote NO on HB2438.

I oppose any measure that seeks to take authority away from local elected governments in their making decisions for the area and people they represent.

I oppose this bill. Decisions on solar should be left up to the local governments. Residents of localities can have their choices heard at a local level. The residents are the ones who should make the decisions on whether to place solar farms in the county, not the state government. As Abraham Lincoln stated , we are supposed to have "a government of the people, by the people, for the people", and local governments can make this happen.

HB2438 is just another bill to try and take away local decisions on solar siting.This statewide "model" for solar ordinances takes away the decisions of the people that live near them.These solar sites do not work, they produce little or no electricity and destroy the soil and water.We have thousands of pages of real scientific proof that these solar sites are costly and leave toxic materials in the ground for years.The cost for a farmer to try to reclaim the land is hundreds of thousands of dollars per acre, and produce no benefits.

I am opposed to any legislation that limits a local elected government from making land use decisions.

I am opposed to this bill. This decision should be made on a local level on a case by case basis.

We need our county to decide what’s best for our county not the state

Vote no for HB2438. Keep approval of solar projects local! Do not take away the voices of the people who have to live beside these solar farms!

Please DENY SB 1114 and do not strike out any items in lines 46 – 55, and 83 – 84. Leave these items in. There is an Energy Crisis Brewing that is not the fault of the Localities. In “Blind Faith” the Localities allowed Utility Scale Solar, and in turn the Solar Developer’s fell short on Safety, Environment, Word, Promises, Aesthetics, and Community. The Localities witnessed these Developers Behavioral Shortcomings and the Localities Good Wisdom drove them to Limit and/or Restrict Utility Scale Solar. Instead of Changing their Character Behavioral Flaws (as would Nuclear, Coal, or Gas do) for the Localities the Developers, Energy Right, Virginia Energy Department’s VSED&ESA are more focused in diverting your attention away from Energy Production to Changing Legislation in a more Socialist Format. Virginia Energy Department Director and Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority Chair has led the way of Mis-Information in poor attempts of talking for the counties and a NON Scientific and Very Biased Survey. Regardless of how much honestly, hard work, and empirical information is put into pointing out Energy Right and the Solar Developers Flaws, the Richmond Auto Reply is “That’s Mis-Information”. Which validates the legislator have been mis-informed or program to say so. We are losing out on Energy Future because the focus have been to take the Localities decision away as in a Socialist State, verse focus on Energy Production. More Importantly, the Existing Utility Scale Solar Facilities are losing Generation Trends and experiencing Capacity Factor Losses greater than Anticipated Panel Annual Losses. Building more, or any Solar, will not answer the Virginia Demands. Due to bad Design, minimized maintenance, but mostly Management (or lack of). The latest Average Weight value Capacity Factor in down to 0.193 (19.3%) this is very awful for relative new facilities. Also, Virginia Utilities have been Importing and Exporting Energy for decades thru the normal operations of the Balance Authority of PJM. So, Utility Scale Solar is NOT needed for a problem that is not really recent, or in existence. To head off future Virginia Energy Problems, please do not cater to Energy Knowledge Void in the Virginia Energy Department and Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority. David Tucker PE, NABCEP Associate (757) 334-3726

I oppose this and any measures that takes away local control and protection of our limited timber and farm land. Reckless expansion of solar facilities especially in rural areas is a dangerous choice. Our economy here is heavily dependent on both timber and farming not to mention the overall economy. Please don’t impose the will of more wealthy and populated areas on the rural areas in Virginia. We chose this more quiet and simple life to avoid this type of industrial activity on top of us.

Please vote against HB2438. We do not need a statewide solar ordnance for all counties. Each county is different and has their own solar ordnance.

I am not in favor of this bill. The people of Virginia need affordable energy for their homes. Large scale solar is a failure and should be abandon. Also, I believe the counties and other local governments should have final say over what happens in their jurisdiction and not have to constantly fight against the bureaucrats in Richmond who are trying to take our rights away as in this bill. More needs to be done to balance the desires/needs of the big cities with the rural areas instead of trying to make us all like the big cities. Virginia is made up of both and that should be maintained.

I oppose any model state wide ordinance that limits or takes away local land use decisions as it specifically abuses the local governments influence and decision making on how local land is to be used. I oppose any legislation that eliminates or limits local government’s decisions on local land use.

Localities (counties and towns) need to be able to enforce their governing laws without state interference. Solar companies are a short-term and dangerous solution to power alternatives, and by no means are they clean energy. Solar farms are hazards to rural communities when large acre forests are sacrificed and replaced with industrial solar. Instead they evolve into DEQ nightmares with excessive runoffs and pollution to rural waterways. The idea of a "state-wide" enforcement ordinance is an insult to Virginia local governments. EVERY COUNTY IN VIRGINIA AND TOWN should have the ability to govern as they see fit, not by predetermined policies which favor the pockets of solar companies, and not the budgets of localities. Please protect the power of local governing communities in Virginia, and help the Town of Wakefield and Sussex County fight off the threat of industrial solar destroying our lands of natural resources.

I oppose this bill. All land use should be decided by the localities. Industrial Solar is intrusive and no one should have the power to decide where it goes except for the people and local government that will be impacted by it!

I am opposed to this bill. Each locality needs to be autonomous in deciding their future. Solar farm technology is a fantasy which makes promises that it can not fulfill.

Virginia Prices will continue to go up because of the VCEA and Data centers. Some predict a 70% increase over the next few years (many say more). Why aren't the other politicians telling us about this? Lying by omission is still lying! If data centers are so great, why aren't they paying for OUR energy? The VCEA and Data centers are wreaking havoc on our Virginia energy supply and it's driving increased prices and taxes. The Politicians pushing this are following "projected" revenue promises which don't come to fruition because they're not crunching all the numbers- natural resource increases/costs, increased infrastructure costs, environmental damage costs, long term ag commodity values to name a few. Politicians call this their "financial investment" and have admitted it has nothing to do with the environment. Ratepayers must pay for the mistakes of speedy approvals while politicians seem to continue to ignore MAJOR issues - from DEQ violations, engineer reports and the driving cost of megawatts. They openly admit they are following the money. Again, it's their "financial investment" (with our tax $$). Quantity over quality is not good for Virginia or our energy. Their solution was to install solar and turbines on farms, in oceans, roof tops, parking lots and conservation land and use it to compensate the data energy drain but they STILL completely ignore that solar and turbines can't accomplish replacing other energy choices. Solar and wind are completely unsustainable economically, environmentally and with reliability. Globally. They didn't have the energy solution in place before they handed out billions and because of the VCEA we all have to rely on expensive, unreliable solar and wind turbines while data centers now get to choose affordable reliable nuclear/gas (which ratepayers also must cover $). And now they want to add more energy draining/environmentally damaging carbon capture to the mix. These climate experiments are an open drain for tax payer $$. These boondoggles are experiments that ONLY benefit investors, off the backs of Virginia ratepayers. Some of the most egregious actions by VA politicians have been allowing energy companies to take land through eminent domain, require Virginian residents to use expensive/unreliable wind and solar, all while they install massive kV towers to bring reliable/affordable energy to Data centers, from other states, that are USING COAL TO POWER THEM. Ratepayers pay for all of this, too. OUR POOREST COMMUNITIES will be hit the hardest and now they're going to remove their rights to push back (hb2126)?! This is Outrageous! This should be criminal. Which is probably why Blackrock is backing out because of "investigations and lawsuits". But for some reason, Virginian politicians still think this is good for Virginia? This needs to be investigated- which politicians are making money/have family and close friends profiting from this deceitful industry? How much money are politicians taking from clean energy companies and are they allowing them to influence their vote? Are there politicians leasing land to these industries? All of this should stop immediately, at least until A SOLUTION is in place before they continue to throw good tax payer money after bad. We must REPEAL THE VCEA.

I support HB2438, it is thoughtful regulation which puts safeguards and oversight on the solar companies, retains land use zoning and exceptions with local government, and is a substantial improvement over the current legislation. These changes do not require solar installations; but as needs and economic conditions change there will continue to be measured growth. My thanks to the sponsors for helping to assure this process is orderly and takes care with the needs of constituents, communities, and the historic, visual, and environmental impacts.

Please deny this bill! Too much oversite would be given to greedy solar companies who care nothing about localities and the people in them.

Please stop allowing the solar developers to write policies for Virginia. This bill undermines local authority over land use decisions, stripping counties of their ability to regulate the size, location, and acreage of industrial solar facilities. By imposing a State Solar Siting Ordinance, it overrides local governance and prioritizes the interests of the solar lobby over community needs. The bill poses a significant threat to Virginia’s agricultural and forest lands and the jobs tied to these industries. Industrial utility-scale solar projects generate minimal permanent employment, rely heavily on subsidies, and often exploit rural communities with limited resources to challenge developers. These projects, driven by profit and greed, can lead to economic instability in vulnerable areas while permanently destroying prime farmland and the benefits it provides. Environmental concerns such as tree loss, stormwater runoff, and sedimentation further highlight the need for stricter oversight. In karst topography can pose a threat for drinking wells up to 10 miles from these projects, compromising the health and safety of the residents and livestock that depend on wells for water sources. NONE of these risks are addressed in these bills. They are simply designed to allow the solar developers to have carte blanche over the land in Virginia, leaving the destruction behind as they cash in on the poorest communities in the state. Additionally, the bill fails to consider a balanced energy strategy, leaving communities exposed to vulnerabilities during inclement weather. Local governments, with their deep understanding of community impacts, are best suited to make land-use decisions that reflect the unique economic, cultural, and environmental needs of their residents. A more effective solution would encourage integrating solar panels into existing structures like schools, government buildings, and malls before sacrificing farmland. For these reasons, I urge you to vote NO on HB2438 to protect local governance, environmental integrity, and equitable development.

I wish to express my opposition to HB2438 . This bill takes away the authority of local governing bodies to make land use decisions based on what is best for their locality and their residents. This bill creates a State Solar Siting Ordinance that does not allow Counties to restrict the size of solar facilities, the location of solar facilities, or the acres of land that are permitted to be under solar panels in one County.  This is nothing more than a thinly disguised bill to take local land use decisions away from localities.  There is no doubt that the solar lobby group MAREC and others are pushing this bill out of purely economic interest.  This bill, as written, has the potential to devastate agricultural and forest lands in Virginia.  It also has the potential to devastate agricultural and forestry jobs in rural communities.  The solar projects are not creating permanent jobs.  The Solar lobby is following the subsidies and this puts agriculture and forestry at a huge disadvantage.   Utility Scale Solar is also an industrial use and should be limited near residences.  Land use should be determined by those directly affected, not by State Legislators.   The local citizens will have to live with these land use decisions therefore, their local government representatives should be empowered to make these decisions at the local level. I ask that you please vote NO on HB2438. Land use Ordinances should be created by local government officials representing the collective will of the citizens they serve. MAREC has distributed a chart that states that Greensville County's ordinance is too strict because it does not allow solar in an Agricultural area unless it provides power to an on-site business.  What they don't tell the public is that Greensville County approved 6 solar farms in agricultural areas prior to the revision of the county ordinance.   4 of these utility scale solar facilities are operational and 2 have been approved to be built.  Greensville County has already approved thousands of acres for utility scale solar.  When Greensville County revised the land use ordinance it was in response to a large contingent of citizens voicing their opinion at government meetings expressing their desire to regulate solar deployment so it does not take over the County.  The Greensville County Board of Supervisors acted as government should. Their decisions reflected the will of the overwhelming majority of citizens attending the local government meetings.  The government was created to represent the people, and carry out the will of the people, not to act as a parent telling their child "We know better than you".  Finally, I hear the argument of landowners' rights.  However, these facilities are being built with money from one of the biggest tax increases in American History.  Landowners and large corporations are utilizing taxpayer money (the peoples' money) to build these projects.  These projects would not get built with private financing alone. Therefore, the taxpayers should drive these decisions at the local level.   Landowner rights also stop at the point that the landowner's activity harms his/her neighbor. These projects have a track record of fines for destroying neighboring land and contaminating waterways with sediment from uncontrolled stormwater runoff. Please vote No on HB2438. C. Thompson

I oppose this bill and any other that would allow more solar sites in our county. We have many sites already. Our rural culture of farming and timber is already at risk and more solar would have a devastating effect here.

Please OPPOSE this bill. Every county in Virginia is different; we do not need a "one size fits all" approach to solar. This is yet another bill aimed at taking away local land-use decisions. I strongly oppose this bill and so should every member of the committee.

Deny this bill! One size fits all Solar policies will not work. Why are we trying to give solar companies so much power. They are LLCs and can walk away from these projects at any time with little consequences. It would be left to land owners and or localities to deal with. Farm and timberland is not the place for Commercial Industrial Solar.

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