SB 1353: High-energy facilities; water and energy usage info. reports statewide clearinghouse established.

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

High-energy facilities; water and energy usage information reports; statewide clearinghouse established. Requires any owner or operator of a high-energy facility, as defined in the bill, to submit to the Department of Environmental Quality no later than May 1, 2026, and on a quarterly basis thereafter, a report that contains certain information relating to water and energy usage for each such facility. The bill requires the Department, no later than July 1, 2026, to design, implement, and maintain a publicly accessible website to serve as a statewide clearinghouse for information relating to water and energy usage of all high-energy facilities operating in the Commonwealth. The bill provides that, in order to fully cover the costs of designing, implementing, and maintaining the statewide clearinghouse, the Department shall assess an initial fee on each owner or operator of a high-energy facility and may assess an annual fee thereafter for each year that such high-energy facility is in active use. The bill requires any owner or operator of a high-energy facility to notify the Department of any substantial change in operations or technologies that would require an update to the information required by the bill at least 60 days prior to making such change. The bill also requires the Department to convene a work group of stakeholders for the purpose of identifying additional information required to be published to the statewide clearinghouse. Such work group is required to convene at least three times by July 1, 2026, in a manner that is open to the public, and each such meeting is required to include a public comment period of no less than 60 days following such meeting.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 5, 2025Left in Finance and Appropriations
2. January 28, 2025Committee substitute printed 25106403D-S1
3. January 28, 2025Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)
4. January 28, 2025Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1353)
5. January 13, 2025Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
6. January 13, 2025Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25102932D