Offshore natural gas & oil resources; Va. Offshore Energy Emergency Response Fund, established. (SB25)
Introduced By
Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) with support from co-patron Del. Tom Garrett (R-Louisa)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Offshore natural gas and oil royalties; establishment of Virginia Offshore Energy Emergency Response Fund and Community College Energy Exploration and Development Fund. Sets out the recipients, proportions, and payment order for the distribution of royalties received by the Commonwealth as a result of offshore natural gas and oil drilling and exploration. The bill establishes the Virginia Offshore Energy Emergency Response Fund and directs to it the first $50 million in royalties, requiring that additional royalties maintain the fund at $50 million if moneys are withdrawn from it. Of the subsequent royalties, the bill directs 20 percent to the Transportation Trust Fund; 10 percent to the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium; 10 percent to the Community College Energy Exploration and Development Fund, a fund established by the bill; 20 percent to the Department of Environmental Quality; and 40 percent to the general fund, with an amount to be determined applied toward commerce and infrastructure in the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
12/11/2013 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14100016D |
12/11/2013 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources |
01/16/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (SB25) |
01/16/2014 | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (9-Y 3-N) (see vote tally) |
01/16/2014 | Rereferred to Finance |
01/23/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (SB25) |
01/29/2014 | Reported from Finance with substitute (16-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/29/2014 | Committee substitute printed 14104495D-S1 |
01/30/2014 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) |
01/31/2014 | Read second time |
01/31/2014 | Reading of substitute waived |
01/31/2014 | Committee substitute agreed to 14104495D-S1 |
01/31/2014 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB25S1 |
02/03/2014 | Read third time and passed Senate (31-Y 9-N) |
02/03/2014 | Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) |
02/03/2014 | Passed Senate (31-Y 9-N) |
02/07/2014 | Placed on Calendar |
02/07/2014 | Read first time |
02/07/2014 | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
02/07/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (SB25S1) |
02/18/2014 | Reported from Commerce and Labor (20-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
02/20/2014 | Read second time |
02/21/2014 | Passed by for the day |
02/24/2014 | Read third time |
02/24/2014 | Passed House (67-Y 32-N) |
02/24/2014 | VOTE: PASSAGE (67-Y 32-N) (see vote tally) |
02/26/2014 | Enrolled |
02/26/2014 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB25ER) |
02/26/2014 | Signed by Speaker |
02/27/2014 | Impact statement from DPB (SB25ER) |
02/28/2014 | Signed by President |
03/24/2014 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 293 (effective 7/1/14) |
03/24/2014 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0293) |
Comments
I have to wonder if the money spent by the State for this clean up would be billed to the agency causing the problem. While it may be nice to have a "fund" for such, taxpayers should not be paying the price for businesses' problems. Any funds used for such cleanup activities should be compensated for by the company. Additionally, there is a 1999 report http://www.environmental-research.com/erc_papers/ERC_paper_1.pdf that gives some good comparisons on the costs and response levels by companies in these instances. Let's not simply throw money at a problem caused by someone else without making sure that such a law clearly paves the way for demanding and receiving just compensation from the causative agent (company). There are many other areas where this money could be spent.
Virginians do not want off shore drilling for gas or oil!
It simply is NOT worth the risks. This bill is not needed.