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The Voice of the

Commonwealth's Counties

VACo Supports Local-Option Tax Incentive for Larger Industrial-Scale Solar Installations

SB 902 (Lucas) makes it a local option to provide a property tax exemption for solar facilities greater than 100 Megawatts (MW) in electric generating capacity. Under current law such facilities greater than 20 MW in generation capacity are provided a mandatory 80 percent exemption from local property tax.

Action Required – Please call Senate Finance Committee Members now to Support SB 902. The bill will be heard in the Committee tomorrow morning.

TALKING POINTS

Solar facilities generating greater than 100 MW in generating capacity typically occupy more than one square mile in land, and are in effect large-scale power plants with oversized footprints.

In 2017, the General Assembly increased from 100 to 150 MW the allowable size for an expedited state permitting process for solar facilities. Since the law became effective July 1, 2017, seven projects greater than 100 MW totaling more than 11 square miles, have applied for the expedited process.

This bill allows localities, at their discretion, to provide a tax incentive for these larger installations.

KEY CONTACTS

Senate Finance Committee: Norment (Co-Chair), Hanger (Co-Chair), Howell, Saslaw, Lucas, Newman, Ruff, Wagner, McDougle, Vogel, Carrico, Obenshain, Barker, Dunnavant, Stuart, Dance

VACo Contact: Joe Lerch, AICP

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