VACo County Pulse Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 13 | Virginia General Assembly Update – Legislation on Data Centers and Utility-Scale Solar Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Joe Lerch and VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch provide an update on the status of legislation relating to Data Centers and Utility-Scale Solar.

Where to find out more about topics covered in this episode

JLARC "Data Centers in Virginia" Report
HB 1601/SB 1449 – Siting of Data Centers; Site Assessment
House Budget Amendment – Extends the sunset date for sales tax exemption for data centers from 2035 to 2050
Senate Budget Amendment – Requires data center operators to meet energy efficiency standards to qualify for sales tax exemption
Capitol Contact ALERT: VACo Opposes Bill Mandating Targets for Utility-Scale Solar in Comprehensive Plans (January 29, 2025)
Bills to Mandate Counties put State Targets for Utility-Scale Solar in Comprehensive Plans Fail (February 4, 2025)
Action Item: Oppose Bill to Mandate Statewide Standards for Solar Facilities (February 13, 2025)

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 12 | “Data Centers in Virginia” JLARC Report – Interview with Mark Gribbin Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

“Data Centers in Virginia” JLARC Report – Interview with Mark Gribbin

In this episode we sit down with Mark Gribbin, Chief Legislative Analyst with the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC). He is the project leader for JLARC’s “Data Centers in Virginia” report, which was released December 9th. We go over a summary of the report’s findings regarding the economic benefits to Virginia, as well as what challenges lay ahead in regard to meeting the escalating energy demand from the continued growth of the industry. We also discuss the report’s legislative recommendations and policy options, some of which include expressly authorizing local governments to address issues related to water usage and noise.

RESOURCES

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 11 | Legislative Outlook Update - Proposals to Preempt County Authority on Siting of Solar Facilities Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

Joe Lerch and VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch provide an update on solar industry lobbying efforts to preempt local authority on siting of utility-scale facilities and what VACo and its members will be doing to ensure this does not happen.

Where to find out more about topics covered in this episode

Commission on Electric Utility Regulation Meeting Page (see 11/26/2024 and click “Materials” for drop down menu)
Proposed Legislative Outline for Facility Siting and Permitting
CEUR November 26, 2024 meeting video
UVA Virginia Solar Database

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 10 | Reclaiming the Landscape of Southwest Virginia for Energy (Continued) Nov 06, 2024

Show notes

Part 2. After learning about the opportunities for repurposing abandoned mine land for data centers in our 1st part with Will Clear and Will Payne, we visit with Mike Hatfield and Natalie Chapman from Wise County to expand on this conversation and take a tour of the future site of Data Center Ridge.

Where to find out more about topics covered in this episode

Photos

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 9 | Reclaiming the Landscape of Southwest Virginia for Energy Oct 31, 2024

Show notes

Listen in to Part 1 of a two-part episode recorded in Washington County, where we sit down with business partners Will Clear and Will Payne, who are investing in Southwest Virginia with a particular focus on reclaiming abandoned mine land to repurpose for a reboot of the energy economy of the region.

Where to find out more about the topics covered in this episode:

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 8 | DEQ Solar Permit-By-Rule Regulations – HB 206 Oct 11, 2024

Show notes

Draft Revisions to DEQ Solar Permit-By-Rule (PBR) Regulations – HB 206

This episode reviews regulations that amend the requirements for utility-scale solar installations to receive state permits to operate. Specifically, a 2022 law – commonly referred to as HB 206 - requires that applicants must avoid, minimize or otherwise mitigate certain losses to prime farmland and forests in order to get approval. In a conversation with Jonathan Rak and Susan Tripp with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), we learn the details of the draft regulations, focusing on important aspects that counties will want to know, opportunities to comment on the draft, and next steps in the process before they become effective.
RESOURCES

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 7 | Mecklenburg County (Continued) Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

Part 2. Alex takes us on a windshield tour of examples of both land uses, and we discuss how Mecklenburg has responded in terms of planning for how these fit within their community.

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 6 | Mecklenburg County Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

Part 1. This 2-part episode was recorded on location in Mecklenburg County, which is located on the southern border with North Carolina. In Part 1, we sit down with County Administrator Alex Gottschalk to talk about the unique experience of a rural county that has seen significant growth in both data centers and utility-scale solar.

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 5 | Utility-Scale Solar (Continued) Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Utility-Scale Solar – Erosion Control and Stormwater with Mike Rolband

In Part 2 of our episode on Utility-Scale Solar, Joe Lerch sits down with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Director Mike Rolband to focus on issues related to erosion control and stormwater management. We learn about widespread and significant impacts due to developers not adhering to minimum requirements to prevent soil loss and runoff pollution. Director Rolband explains what DEQ has been doing to correct the situation through enforcement, education, and incentives. Counties are part of solving this problem and we’ll learn the role they can play in avoiding and mitigating impacts to soils and waterways.

Resources:

Mike Rolband Slides (specifically for the podcast).

Virginia Tech White Pater - Soil-Site Management Protocols & Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Utility Scale Solar Site (USS) Development and Management in Virginia

Energy Landscape of Virginia | Episode 4 | Utility-Scale Solar Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Utility-Scale Solar – Legislative Outlook with Dean Lynch

In the first of a 2-part episode, Joe Lerch sits down with VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch to discuss the big picture on state energy policy related to solar and recent attempts to preempt local authority on siting of facilities. Central to this discussion is the passage in 2020 of Virginia Clean Economy Act which sets certain targets for deployment of utility-scale solar facilities.

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