Virginia Senator Russett W. Perry

The Friends of Buckingham and other concerned citizens flooded the phones of our local representatives. We succeeded in stopping SB1190, a bill proposed by Sen. Creigh Deeds, (D-Charlottesville), that would have wrestled away local control over industrial solar factories.

Habitat destruction, disruption of ecosystems, soil erosion, and potential impacts on local wildlife may be caused due to land clearing for installation; additionally, the manufacturing process of solar panels can involve hazardous chemicals if not properly managed, posing environmental concerns when released.

On Monday, February 3,  the bill did not pass.  (The vote was 20 no to 19 yes.) Then there was a vote to reconsider the bill. Then the bill was “passed by” for the day. Later Monday, Senator Russett W Perry, (D-Parts of Fauquier County and Loudoun County) moved to reconsider the vote that had killed the bill. She then moved to bypass the bill for the day, setting it up for consideration on Tuesday, which her chief of staff said in an email was done so that some possible amendments could be considered.

On Tuesday, Deeds’ motion to pass his bill was approved on a voice vote. He did not explain on the Senate floor then, which is common for such motions.

“I didn’t have the votes for it,” he said in a text message to Cardinal News later. “It shouldn’t have been revived yesterday.”