| Don't Supersize Loudoun! |
| www.LoudounsFuture.org |
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Four Loudoun County Supervisors have asked us to forward you the following alert. They want to protect local control of the location of utilities in our county, which may soon be impacted by a major energy bill under consideration in the VA General Assembly. The Governor and our state leaders need to hear from thousands of us. For more information about the overall energy bill, which includes provisions for offshore drilling and nuclear power plants, go to http://legis.state.va.us/ and type in "SB262" under "Enter a bill number." Please contact us if you would like more information. Thanks for your support, Message from Supervisors York, Burton, Clem, and Kurtz: We wanted to alert you to a piece of proposed legislation and ask that you take action against it. SB 262 is currently before the State Senate. The overall bill deals with energy policy. However, there is a provision in the bill that would suspend local zoning regulations and input on substations that have been included as part of the State Corporation Commission approval of transmission lines. This would minimize local government and citizen input on siting and mitigation. Currently, the Power Company will have to file a Special Exception application with the Board of Supervisors in order to construct its proposed substation outside of Purcellville. This has been the County's single bargaining chip in the power line discussion. In one swoop, if approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Kaine, this provision would immediately eliminate the County's sole bargaining chip. Loudoun will be forced to accept the decision of the SCC without even this one bit of leverage. |
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Because the provision is only a minute piece of an overall energy bill, the County's lobbyist in Richmond believes it will pass through both houses of the General Assembly intact. It is her recommendation that the best course of action would be for Governor Kaine to receive "thousands" of letters/emails from concerned citizens. Please inform your membership of this issue and pass on the contact information and sample letter below. Best regards,
Contact Information
for the Governor: To email: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm Phone: (804) 786-2211 Sample Letter: Dear Governor Kaine, I am very concerned with provisions in SB-262 which would suspend local zoning regulations on substations that have been included as part of the State Corporation Commission approval of transmission lines. Such a provision would preempt local land use plans, diminish local government authority over zoning decisions, and reduce opportunities for public input. Va. Code §15.1-2232 establishes the legal status of the local comprehensive plan. Unless shown as a feature on the adopted comprehensive plan, a public utility facility may not be established until the planning commission makes a finding that the general location and character of the facility is substantially in accord with the plan. This is the same standard applied to streets, parks, public buildings and public areas. SB 262 will remove this requirement for all types of new energy facilities, which is a major concern to most local governments. Local officials are in a better position to assess impacts on their citizens associated with such uses. Substations should continue to be subject to local zoning control, in the same manner as other necessary public facilities such as schools, police and fire stations, and water towers. Local officials are also more responsive to local citizenry than an appointed entity in Richmond. Local hearings on such matters are easier for citizens to attend and a less imposing forum — both of which encourage maximum stakeholder input. Governor Kaine, this provision in SB 262 is the first step down a very slippery slope in which the General Assembly grants statewide exemptions from local ordinances to favored businesses — this year it is the power company, next year it might be the trash industry, and the year after that the construction industry. At that point why have a comprehensive plan or local zoning ordinances in the first place? Please do not sign SB 262 into law without first removing this provision. Sincerely,
Thank you for your support, |
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Contact Governor Kaine & Key State
Legistors
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