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According to The Herald, some of our senators are pushing ahead to try and take the decision regarding solar industrial installations away from local commissions and boards, and placing it with a new government wing called the Energy Facility Review Board (EFRB).  According to Creigh Deeds in his terribly misguided view, it is necessary because some localities have actually disagreed with him and other state legislators and have chosen to limit the amount of land they want to allocate to solar projects (Buckingham among them).

As far as this bill is concerned – if it smells like a skunk then it is likely a skunk!  Let’s examine that claim.

First, according to Senator Mark Obenshain, this board will be created with “extraordinary powers”! Those include spending money, probably pre-blessed by spendthrift legislators, for consultants, staff, and other ancillary expenses (related or otherwise).  (SKUNK 1)!! 

It’s created, according to Senator Scott Surovell, commission chairman, to help convince “investors” to rush to the Commonwealth and invest in solar installations- in other words, to eliminate any local opposition to these investors and their schemes.  (SKUNK 2)!! 

Further criticizing what is done at the local government level, Senator Surovell is disturbed that boards and commissioners operate under (in his words) a “completely unfettered free market”.  He further attempts to belittle, and insult, our local lawmakers and commissioners by describing their processes as a “whatever you want to call it system, where every locality can do whatever they want”.  It’s always interesting to hear a politician decry a “free enterprise system” and in the same breath, expect support from various investors.  This one really smells foul!  (SKUNK 3)!!

Next – and we should all be wary of this one – according to Sen. Deeds, if this commission is created, it will have the absolute power to override any local decision regarding the placement of solar installations in the various counties, and – this one is so unbelievable – judges who preside over resulting local challenges will be forced to accept the EFRB case as fact and rule in their favor!!  According to Deeds, this is being done, simply stated, because some of our local decision makers have chosen not to agree with him and others who want to push solar onto land that is not theirs to allocate. (SKUNK 4)!!

All of this deserves the attention of Board Members and Planning Commissioners, along with every county resident, taxpayer, and stakeholder, not just in Buckingham, but in every county and jurisdiction in Virginia.  This is an egregious attempt to set aside the right of local government and residents, and in its place establish a ruling class of elitists who have the ultimate power to make decisions on issues that do not personally affect them.  It’s absolutism – a dictatorship – and it won’t stop with solar.  This bill needs to permanently go away.  It’s the legislator’s second attempt to get it passed, and I hope that every voice will be heard on the issue and it is closeted forever.

Pete Kapuscinski
Dillwyn