SB1448: Resource intensive facilities; permitting reqmts., Resource Intensive Facility Fee Fund established.

Legislative Summary

Permitting requirements for resource intensive facilities, Resource Intensive Facility Fee Fund established; report. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) to develop a required permitting process for the construction and operation of resource intensive facilities (RIF), as defined in the bill, to protect the Commonwealth's natural resources environment and the public health. The bill requires the Department to consult with certain state agencies and relevant stakeholders to assist in the development of any conditions and standards for such permit and establishes the Resource Intensive Facility Fee Fund sourced by fees collected by the owner or operator of an RIF to help with the cost to the Department of administering the permit. The bill requires the Department to prepare an annual report explaining the permit status of each RIF and make such report publicly available on its website by October 1 of each year. Prior to the effective date of the required permitting process, the bill requires the Department to establish an advisory panel consisting of representatives of the Department of Forestry, the State Corporation Commission, the Department of Energy, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, and other relevant stakeholders to assist in developing the initial criteria for the permit and to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Commerce and Labor no later than December 1, 2025. The required permitting portion of the bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.