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SB645Introduced in the Senate

Air Pollution Control Board; regulations, small renewable energy projects, anaerobic tech., report.

Passed

Introduced by Scott Surovell, District 34

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Air Pollution Control Board regulations; small renewable energy projects; anaerobic digestion technology; report. Provides that for the purposes of a permit by rule for a small renewable energy project under existing law, a small renewable energy project includes an electrical generation facility in a locality in Planning District 8 with a rated capacity not exceeding 100 megawatts that generates electricity from biomass, energy from waste, or municipal solid waste and its dedicated associated interconnection facilities, provided that such facility is capable of processing the majority of its organic waste, including food waste and municipal sludge, with anaerobic digestion technology by January 1, 2030. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with relevant stakeholders, to (i) assess all practicable technologies available to waste-to-energy facilities to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions, (ii) assess technologies to create biomethane, and (iii) recommend any legislative changes necessary to create market conditions to ensure the viability of such program. The bill also directs the Department to report its findings to the Air Pollution Control Board by December 1, 2026.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0901)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

7 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) · March 14, 2026

22

Yes

17

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

What do people think?

Citizen Voice

How would you vote on this bill?

An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.

One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1No
Mark Obenshain2No
Chris Head3No
David Suetterlein4No
Travis Hackworth5No
Todd Pillion6No
William Stanley7No
Mark Peake8No

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102504D

  2. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)

  4. Senate committee offered

  5. Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

  6. Committee substitute printed 26107665D-S1

  7. Rules suspended

  8. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  9. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  10. Read second time

  11. Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to

  12. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  13. Rules suspended

  14. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)

  17. Placed on Calendar

  18. Read first time

  19. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

  20. Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources

  21. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)

  22. House subcommittee offered

  23. Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N)

  24. Committee substitute printed 26108639D-H1

  25. Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

  26. Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)

  27. Committee substitute printed 26108798D-H2

  28. Read second time

  29. Read third time

  30. committee substitute rejected

  31. committee substitute agreed to

  32. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  33. Passed House with substitute (93-Y 5-N 0-A)

  34. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)

  35. House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)

  36. House insisted on substitute

  37. House requested conference committee

  38. Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  39. Conferees appointed by Senate

  40. Senate Conferees: Surovell, Williams Graves, Pekarsky

  41. Conferees appointed by House

  42. House Conferees: Tran, Simonds, Ware

  43. Conference Report released

  44. Conference report agreed to by House (87-Y 10-N 0-A)

  45. Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)

  46. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)

  47. Enrolled

  48. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB645ER)

  49. Signed by President

  50. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)

  51. Signed by Speaker

  52. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  53. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  54. Approved by Governor-Chapter 901 (effective 7/1/2026)

  55. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0901)

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