Environment

Department of Conservation and Recreation; acquisition of property to establish a state park; Loudoun County. Allows the Department of Conservation and Recreation to acquire from the Conservation Fund approximately 1,240 acres of real property and any buildings or structures thereon between Little River Turnpike, James Monroe Highway, and Tail Race Road, known as Oak Hill Farm, in Loudoun County for the purpose of establishing and operating a state park on such property. This bill incorporates HB 239.

Department of Environmental Quality; carbon market participation; coastal and marine resources. Allows the Department of Environmental Quality to participate in any carbon market for the preservation, restoration, and sustainable management of the Commonwealth's coastal and marine resources on state-owned bottomlands and property and enter into agreements necessary to facilitate such participation. The bill requires the Department to hold exclusive title to such credits until such credits are sold. Any revenues resulting from the sale of such credits are required to be distributed as follows: 75 percent to the Oyster Replenishment Fund and 25 percent to the qualifying leaseholder.

Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated renewable energy buyers. Classifies zero-carbon electricity generating facilities that are not otherwise renewable portfolio standard (RPS) program eligible sources and that are placed into service in the Commonwealth after July 1, 2030, as RPS eligible sources. The bill permits an accelerated renewable energy buyer to contract to obtain bundled capacity, energy, and renewable energy certificates from solar, wind, or zero-carbon electricity generation located within the PJM region and placed in commercial operation on or before January 1, 2015, if investments to increase the maximum thermal power output of such facility occurred after January 1, 2015, or if a financial agreement for procurement of energy and capacity was entered into with such facility after January 1, 2015, to prevent the early retirement or decommissioning of such facility due to financial constraints.

Study; Department of Conservation and Recreation; state park in Washington County; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the feasibility of establishing a state park in Washington County at the Mendota Trail and Abrams Falls located within the Holston River watershed.

Virginia Fleet Modernization Advisory Council; established; report. Establishes the Virginia Fleet Modernization Advisory Council to coordinate cost-effective, resilient, and decarbonization-aligned strategies for public and private fleet modernization in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Council to report annually by the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding its activities and recommendations. The Council has a sunset date of July 1, 2031.

Wildlife Corridor Action Plan; interagency implementation group; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, convene an Interagency Implementation Group to advance projects, policies, and priorities identified under the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan. The bill requires the Group to (i) facilitate the development of a statewide memorandum of understanding among participating state agencies to formalize roles, data-sharing practices, and collaborative processes; (ii) facilitate sharing of wildlife vehicle collision data; (iii) support local level connectivity planning; (iv) develop and offer training to state agencies, localities, and metropolitan planning organizations relating to wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity strategies; (v) coordinate and prioritize projects identified in the Plan; and (vi) assist state agencies and political subdivisions, and by request any federal agency, in considering and incorporating wildlife corridors and the recommendations of the Plan when developing any governmental strategic plan, map, or action. The bill requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to jointly submit a report of the Group's progress in advancing the Plan to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Transportation and the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Transportation by September 1 of each year.

Electric utilities; request for proposals required for certain facilities. Requires Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia, at least 15 months prior to seeking approval to construct or purchase a generating facility that emits carbon dioxide, to conduct a thorough evaluation of non-carbon-emitting electric generation options through an independent administrator selected by the State Corporation Commission and retained by such utility. The bill directs the Commission to review the framework and schedule of the request for proposals designed by the independent administrator and accept feedback from relevant stakeholders. The bill provides that if the results of the request for proposals indicate that a cost-effective set of proposed resources can meet the identified energy and capacity needs, such utility shall petition the Commission for approval of such resources.

Electric utilities; emissions intensity target program. Requires the State Corporation Commission to develop an emissions intensity target program for Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to achieve net-zero emissions. The bill requires the Commission to promulgate regulations to implement its provisions by January 1, 2027. Upon the promulgation of such regulations, the bill repeals certain provisions that require Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to participate in a renewable energy portfolio standard program, authorize the State Air Pollution Control Board to promulgate certain regulations, and provide that the construction or purchase by a public utility of certain generation facilities is in the public interest.

Study; Department of Environmental Quality; groundwater supply in western Loudoun and Fauquier Counties; report. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to study the threats and challenges to the groundwater supply in western Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, to complete its meetings by November 30, 2026, and to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources no later than December 31, 2026.

Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund. Increases from $100 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on brownfields to $200 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on brownfields the grant amount a project developer can receive from the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.