SB 565 will Reduce Greenhouse Emissions in Virginia
Richmond, Virginia – Today, The Senate of Virginia passed Senator Scott Surovell’s Bill to allow for captured methane emissions to be used as energy. SB 565, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 35-5, will allow for these emissions, which otherwise would inflict environmental harm, to be used as a renewable energy source in Virginia.
“Because of the Senate’s vote today, we are one step closer to making Virginia a national leader in cleaning up greenhouse gas pollution” Surovell said. “This bill will incentivize companies responsible for methane emissions in Virginia to capture fugitive methane and use it as a renewable energy source. I am thankful to my colleagues in the Senate for providing such overwhelming and bipartisan support for this bill, and look forward to continuing to work toward preserving our environment for future generations”.
The bill follows President Biden’s commitment at the United Nations’ COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow to The Global Methane Pledge, which aims to limit methane emissions by 30% compared with 2020 levels by 2030. Methane is 85 times more potent at capturing solar energy than carbon dioxide and is responsible for a third of current warming from human activities.
The legislation allows natural gas companies to reduce methane emissions by:
- Investing in enhanced leak detection;
- Purchasing low emissions methane; and
- Investing in projects to construct infrastructure to capture or develop biologically-derived methane systems through measures such as waste composting, municipal sewage operations, and capturing landfill gas or gas from animal feeding operations.
Nearly identical legislation carried by Delegate Israel O’Quinn has passed out of committee in the House of Delegates and will receive final vote on Monday.