| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
State rule delays city adoption of green energy
Credit: By Sandy Hausman | WVTF | October 14, 2020 | www.wvtf.org ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
When it comes to clean energy, Virginia cities and counties have a big problem – a state rule that prevents them from crafting policies to promote solar power, wind power and conservation.
This month, Albemarle County announced its first Climate Action Plan – pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% in the next ten years and to have zero emissions by 2050. Its press release featured words like facilitate, incentivize and study, but did not mention requirements, penalties or bans. That’s because, by law, they can’t actually regulate energy production or pollution.
“Cities like Richmond and Virginia Beach can advocate for more stringent statewide codes, but at the end of the day they can’t adopt them locally,” says David Ribeiro. He is with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a non-profit that rated the top 100 U.S. cities on their clean energy goals.
”Richmond ranks 43 out of the hundred cities, and Virginia Beach ranks 72,” Ribeiro says, adding that Virginia cities would have done better if this state allowed localities to pass laws promoting green energy, and if we had an electric company with a stronger commitment to conservation.
“If Dominion were to expand programs or achieve more savings from their existing energy savings programs that would also help both cities,” he explains.
Top-ranked cities include New York, Boston, Seattle, Denver and Washington, D.C.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=98322 ]
