State Senator Chap Petersen's Energy Conservation Plan Bills Gain Headway in Senate

From the Office of State Senator Petersen

February 2, 2010

CONTACT: Julia Kim
804-698-7534

Richmond, Virginia - February 2, 2010 - Sen. Chap Petersen's Senate Bills no. 112 and 110 of his energy conservation plan passed in the Senate Commerce and Labor and Local Government Committees on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Senate Bill no. 112, the SAVE Act, permits natural gas utilities to petition the State Corporation Commission for the implementation of a separate rider that would allow for some cost recovery associated with approved infrastructure improvements necessary due to aging and inefficient pipelines.

According to Lisa Guthrie, Executive Director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, the four main benefits are reduced maintenance costs and improved reliability, environmental benefits including greenhouse gas reductions, decreased costs to customers from "lost and unaccounted for" gas and the addition of needed jobs for Virginians.

"This is really a conservation bill that allows the industry to be proactive," said Petersen about the SAVE Act.

Senate Bill no. 110 allows localities to lend money for clean energy projects, such as installation of geothermal and solar technologies, and then place liens against benefited properties.

According to Joey Lowe of the Gundlach Plumbing & Heating Co., the inability to finance clean energy upgrades upfront has been the primary reason that these projects are not more common.

"This is a jobs bill. Tens of thousands of jobs could be created, and will also generate money for local municipalities," asserted Alan Givens, representing the heating, air conditioning and excavating industry, of Parrish Services.

"The passage of these bills will conserve the environment, save taxpayer dollars and make clean energy improvements more financially feasible," said Petersen.

The full Senate will vote on both bills on in the coming weeks.

Senator Chap Petersen serves Virginia's 34th Senate District, which includes much of Fairfax County and Fairfax City.

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