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A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by
adding in Chapter 17 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 10, consisting of sections numbered
45.2-1735
,
45.2-1736
,
and
45.2-1737
, relating to establishment of the
Virginia Clean Energy Research and Support Center
.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by
adding in Chapter 17 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 10, consisting of sections numbered
45.2-1735
,
45.2-1736
,
and
45.2-1737
,
as follows:
Article 10.
Virginia Clean Energy
Research and Su
pport
Center.
§
45.2-1735
. Virginia Clean Energy
Research and Support
Center
established
.
The Virginia Clean Energy
Research and Support
Center (the Center) is hereby established
as an interdisciplinary study, research, and informational resource for individuals and businesses in the Commonwealth
to
provide technical assistance
and conduct
evaluations
as outlined in §
45.2-1737
,
and shall
include Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Longwood University, the University of Mary Washington, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and The College of William and Mary in Virginia.
§
45.2-1736
. Board of directors; advisory council.
A
. The Center shall be governed by a board of directors (the
B
oard), which shall consist of 1
8
voting members as follows: the executive director of the
Center
or his designee, the president of Christopher Newport University or his designee, the president of George Mason University or his designee, the president of James Madison University or his designee, the president of Longwood University or his designee, the president of the University of Mary Washington or his designee, the president of Norfolk State University or his designee, the president of Old Dominion University or his designee, the president of Radford University or his designee, the president of the University of Virginia or his designee, the president of Virginia Commonwealth University or his designee, the Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute or his designee, the president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University or his designee, the president of Virginia State University or his designee, the president of The College of William and Mary in Virginia or his designee
, the
D
irector of the D
epartment or his designee, the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality or his designee, and the executive director of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation or his designee
.
B
. The
B
oard shall appoint an executive director to serve as the principal administrative officer of the Center. The executive director shall report to the
B
oard and be under its supervision. The executive director shall employ such personnel and secure such
office location and
services as may be required to carry out the purposes of the Center, expend appropriated funds, and accept moneys from federal or private sources for carrying out the purposes of the Center.
C. The
B
oard and executive director shall establish an advisory council to provide expertise and guidance on
(i)
energy research and technical assistance
;
(ii)
opportunities for funding, partnerships, and collaboration; and
(iii)
the functions of the Center.
§
45.2-173
7
.
Functions, powers, and duties of the Center
; annual evaluation
and report
.
A. The Center shall serve as an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource
for individuals and businesses in the Commonwealth
and shall provide technical assistance to state agencies, planning district commissions, localities, other public bodies, and
individuals and businesses in the Commonwealth
in matters related to
energy technologies, siting of energy facilities,
permitting processes, project design, interconnection procedures, generation and transmission infrastructure,
coordination with electric utilities, electric utility ratepayer procee
dings, and any provision of law regarding environmental impacts of energy generation, distribution, or transmission in the Commonwealth
.
Upon the request of any planning district commission, the Center shall provide technical assistance, research, or support in developing its comprehensive energy plan.
B.
The Center shall conduct
an
annual evaluation
relating to
current and proposed interconnection requests
and pr
ocedures in the Commonwealth
, including
matters related to
siting
of energy facilities
, permitting
processes
,
resource
development, financing, energy efficiency, economic development impact
s
, supply chain
s
and manufacturing, and innovation, and any other topics deemed necessary
by the Center
to advance the clean energy goals of the Commonwealth.
C
. The Center shall collaborate with the
Department
, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, and any other state agency or
public institution of higher education to provide technical assistance, research,
and
support
for
:
1.
Coordinat
ing
interdisciplinary resear
ch on topics related to energy;
2. Gather
ing
reliable data, conduct
ing
analysis
,
and disseminating information to inform policies related to energy and the implementation of such policies;
3.
D
evelop
ing
and implement
ing
recommendations related to siting of energy facilities, permitting processes,
and programs to improve the reliability of the
electric grid in the Commonwealth;
4
. Project development related to
state or federally funded energy programs established at any
participating
public institution of higher education;
5.
I
mplement
ing
and administer
ing
the Virginia
Energy Plan
(
§
45.2-1710
et seq.)
.
D. The Center shall provide an annual report to the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation summarizing
its
research activities and detailing each source and specific amounts of any funding received
by the Center during the preceding year by November 1 of each year.