SJ28: Driving under influence of alcohol; VSCC to study decrease in convictions.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 28

Offered January 10, 2018
Prefiled January 5, 2018
Requesting the Department of Environmental Quality to study the long-term and short-term economic impacts of a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Report.
Patron-- Lewis

Referred to Committee on Rules

WHEREAS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the number of "nuisance flooding" days in Norfolk has increased 325 percent since the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 16 (2014) and Senate Joint Resolution No. 3 (2014) established a joint subcommittee to formulate recommendations for the development of a comprehensive and coordinated planning effort to address recurrent flooding; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 84 (2016) and Senate Joint Resolution No. 58 (2016) continued for two additional years the joint subcommittee to formulate recommendations for the development of a comprehensive and coordinated planning effort to address recurrent flooding and renamed it as the Joint Subcommittee on Coastal Flooding; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 50 (2012) and Senate Joint Resolution No. 76 (2012) requested the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to study strategies for adaptation to prevent recurrent flooding in Tidewater and Eastern Shore Virginia localities; and

WHEREAS, the resulting VIMS report, entitled "Recurrent Flooding Study for Tidewater Virginia," published as Senate Document No. 3 (2013), states: "Recurrent flooding is a significant issue in all localities in Virginia coastal localities and one that is predicted to become worse over reasonable planning horizons (20–50 years)."; and

WHEREAS, the VIMS report found that "[i]mpacts from flooding can range from temporary road closures to the loss of homes, property and life. In coastal Virginia, the cost of large storm damage can range from millions to hundreds of millions of dollars per storm."; and

WHEREAS, the Secure Commonwealth Panel, established by § 2.2-222.3 of the Code of Virginia to "monitor and assess the implementation of statewide prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives and where necessary review, evaluate, and make recommendations relating to the emergency preparedness of government at all levels in the Commonwealth," created a Recurrent Flooding Sub-Panel to further assess the threat of recurrent flooding and sea level rise in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Secure Commonwealth Panel Recurrent Flooding Sub-Panel's report, entitled "Recommendations to the Secure Commonwealth Panel on the Issue of Sea Level Rise and Recurrent Flooding in Coastal Virginia" (2014), states that "[t]he Commonwealth should identify or establish a fund to assist localities and regions [to] meet their match requirements and otherwise assist them with the costs of adaptation planning."; and

WHEREAS, the City of Norfolk hired the U.S. branch of the Dutch engineering firm Fugro, which estimated a cost of at least $1 billion to fulfill the firm's adaptation and protection plans in Norfolk; and

WHEREAS, a number of homeowners, businesses, schools, and health care facilities in Virginia's coastal communities regularly battle issues associated with recurrent flooding and the threat of increasing sea level rise and severe storms; and

WHEREAS, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the program to implement the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between signatory states dated December 20, 2005, and as may be amended, and the corresponding model rule that established a regional carbon dioxide electric power sector cap and trade program; and

WHEREAS, it may be advisable for the Governor to include the Commonwealth of Virginia as a full participant in RGGI and for the Department of Environmental Quality to adopt rules and regulations in compliance with RGGI, establishing a carbon dioxide cap and trade program to reduce emissions released by electric generating stations, and permit holders of carbon dioxide allowances to trade them in a regional market established through RGGI; and

WHEREAS, it may be beneficial to establish a Commonwealth Resilience Fund to consist of all RGGI proceeds received in accordance with the Commonwealth's participation in such initiative as well as any funds appropriated by the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, the Fund could be used to (i) assist localities in Hampton Roads and the coastal region of the Commonwealth, to be defined by the Department of Environmental Quality, with sea level rise and recurrent flooding adaptation and resilience efforts; (ii) support energy efficiency and conservation programs to provide energy efficiency and conservation grants and support the development and promotion of energy efficiency programs and conservation in the Commonwealth; (iii) provide economic development, education, and workforce training programs for families and businesses in Southwest Virginia for the purpose of revitalizing communities negatively impacted by the decline of fossil fuel production; and (iv) establish a renewable energy generation program to provide renewable energy grants and support the development and promotion of distributed renewable, noncarbon-emitting energy technologies in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, such uses for the Fund could result in massive economic benefits for the Commonwealth both in the short-term creation of jobs and increases in tax spending and also in the long-term development of infrastructure, new technology, and industry; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Department of Environmental Quality be requested to study the long-term and short-term economic impacts of a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

In conducting its study, the Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) shall study the process necessary to include the Commonwealth as a full participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the potential economic risks and benefits of such participation, as well as the subsequent economic effects experienced by other states.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department for this study, upon request.

The Department shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2018, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.