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I admit, I wasn’t even thinking about solar when reading your editorial. I was and still am thinking about a landfill. As the editorial spelled out pretty clear, it’s not even this specific bill that’s the problem. It’s the mindset behind it. 

Why’s this needed? Can anyone just answer that? I didn’t say why they did it. I mean why is it necessary to create an entirely new section of government just to review the decisions made about solar and issue a legally admissible opinion that courts are required to respect as “fact” on the matter? 

I just want my county to be able to make decisions for what’s allowed here. Despite this, for the second straight year, here we have the Assembly wanting to play Big Brother and “help” us make the right decision on solar. And if any people are so naive to think “oh, it’s just because they care so much about climate change”, I’m sure that’s it. I’m also sure the statement Sen. Surovell made about investors and not wanting them to leave for other areas has nothing to do with it. Yes, that was sarcasm. They’re not even trying to hide who this is for. 

And because of that, yes, I am thinking about a landfill. It’s never the current bill you need to worry about. It’s what comes after that always brings the headache. And if Assembly members want to make sure investors are happy about solar, well then, what else do investors want to see happen in Virginia?

How soon would it be, two or three years maybe, where another bill shows up at the Assembly, arguing that large scale landfills are critical for community growth and development and as a result, a review board will be examining county decisions about that as well. If not landfills, pencil in anything you like. Maybe it’s a review board for decisions on subdivisions or a review of county policies on where commercial property is allowed. Once you open this door, it never shuts. It just keeps getting larger and larger, along with the size of government.  

Dennis Deems
Cumberland