SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 47 Offered February 12, 2007 Encouraging the Commissioners of the State Corporation Commission to attend public hearings on applications for construction of high voltage transmission lines and for increases in toll rates. ---------- Patrons-- Herring and Wampler ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, § 56-46.1 of the Code of Virginia requires the State Corporation Commission, upon request of any interested party, to hold a hearing or hearings for the purpose of receiving public comment on a proposal to construct an overhead electrical transmission line of 150 kilovolts or more prior to approving the request; and

WHEREAS, upon the request of 20 or more interested parties, the State Corporation Commission is further required to conduct at least one such public hearing in the area that would be affected by the construction of the line; and

WHEREAS, the State Corporation Commission often directs that proceedings for the consideration of applications for the construction of overhead electrical transmission lines be conducted by the one of the Commission's hearing examiners, at which the testimony of persons who testify is transcribed by court reporters; and

WHEREAS, the State Corporation Commission is authorized to revise the toll rates charged by the operator of the Dulles Greenway pursuant to the Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988, and public hearings with regard to toll rate increase applications have been convened in such proceedings by one of the Commission's hearing examiners; and

WHEREAS, while transcripts of public hearings are provided to the Commissioners as part of the record that the three Commissioners consider in rendering their orders on such applications, the importance of the issue to persons speaking at the public hearings might not be fully conveyed by the reading of a transcript; and

WHEREAS, the attendance by at least one of the Commissioners of the State Corporation Commission at one or more of the public hearings on such applications would both ensure that the depth of the sentiments expressed at such hearings is shared with the body charged by law with deciding on the application and increase the public's sense that the State Corporation Commission is committed to hearing information presented by citizens and considering their views and concerns; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the Commissioners of the State Corporation Commission be encouraged to attend public hearings on applications for construction of high voltage transmission lines and for increases in toll rates; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the Commissioners of the State Corporation Commission so that they may be apprised of the sense of the Senate of Virginia in this matter.