Washington D.C. On Course To Pass Historic Climate Bill

As the federal government doubles down on denying climate change, the nation’s capital is moving toward using 100 percent renewable energy.

The nation’s capital just took a major step toward passing the most ambitious climate bill in the country—at a time when the federal government denies the need for such laws.

Tuesday (November 27), the Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously for the Clean Energy D.C. Omnibus Act of 2018, more commonly referred to as the Clean Energy D.C. Act. The law would move the city’s power grid entirely to renewable energy sources by 2032, making it the first municipality to do so.

Election 2018: Clean Energy’s Future Could Rise or Fall with These Governor’s Races

Governors have the power to set the agenda on renewable energy or throw up roadblocks to its progress. It's become an issue in several races this year.

Some of the most consequential elections for climate policy this fall could be the 36 governor's races, where a blue wave could position clean energy advocates as a significant counterforce against the Trump administration's fossil fuel agenda.

Virginia Senate Passes Utility Regulation Overhaul

Despite floor speeches from lawmakers from both parties calling it a mistake, the state Senate voted 26-13 on Friday to pass the utility regulatory reform package endorsed by Gov. Ralph Northam and spearheaded by Dominion Energy, Virginia’s biggest utility.

“Let’s be honest,” said Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax City. “This bill is being written to benefit ... an industry giant.”

The far-reaching legislation shifts Virginia to what Dominion calls a “reinvestment model” that lets the company keep millions in earnings that would otherwise be returned to customers in exchange for investments in grid upgrades and renewable energy, among other spending, over the next decade.

Supporters bill it as a way to transform the state’s electrical grid to match a shift in the utility industry that better incorporates solar, wind and battery storage and hardens the system against storms and cyberattacks. The legislation has a host of bells and whistles, including a push for expensive programs to put distribution and transmission lines underground, $200 million in credits for Dominion customers for past overpayments, and about $1 billion in energy efficiency investments.