67-101 - Energy objectives.
§ 67-101. Energy objectives.
The Commonwealth recognizes each of the following objectives pertaining toenergy issues will advance the health, welfare, and safety of the residentsof the Commonwealth:
1. Ensuring the availability of reliable energy at costs that are reasonableand in quantities that will support the Commonwealth's economy;
2. Managing the rate of consumption of existing energy resources in relationto economic growth;
3. Establishing sufficient supply and delivery infrastructure to maintainreliable energy availability in the event of a disruption occurring to aportion of the Commonwealth's energy matrix;
4. Using energy resources more efficiently;
5. Facilitating conservation;
6. Optimizing intrastate and interstate use of energy supply and delivery tomaximize energy availability, reliability, and price opportunities to thebenefit of all user classes and the Commonwealth's economy as stated insubdivision 2 of § 67-100;
7. Increasing Virginia's reliance on sources of energy that, compared totraditional energy resources, are less polluting of the Commonwealth's airand waters;
8. Researching the efficacy, cost, and benefits of reducing, avoiding, orsequestering the emissions of greenhouse gases produced in connection withthe generation of energy;
9. Removing impediments to the use of abundant low-cost energy resourceslocated within and outside the Commonwealth and ensuring the economicviability of the producers, especially those in the Commonwealth, of suchresources;
10. Developing energy resources and facilities in a manner that does notimpose a disproportionate adverse impact on economically disadvantaged orminority communities;
11. Recognizing the need to foster those economically developable alternativesources of energy that can be provided at market prices as vital componentsof a diversified portfolio of energy resources; and
12. Increasing Virginia's reliance on and production of sustainably producedbiofuels made from traditional agricultural crops and other feedstocks, suchas winter cover crops, warm season grasses, fast-growing trees, algae orother suitable feedstocks grown in the Commonwealth that will create jobs andincome, produce clean-burning fuels that will help to improve air quality,and provide the new markets for Virginia's silvicultural and agriculturalproducts needed to preserve farm employment, conserve farmland andforestland, and increase implementation of silvicultural and agriculturalbest management practices to protect water quality.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abrogate or modify in any way theprovisions of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act (§ 56-576 et seq.).
(2006, c. 939; 2008, c. 883; 2009, cc. 411, 768.)