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2022 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Floor Approved)

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Farmland Preservation Assessment (language only)

Item 98 #3s

Item 98 #3s

Agriculture and Forestry
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Language

Page 86, after line 1, insert:

"3. The Department shall work to develop a map or repository of prime farmland and, in doing so, shall consult with relevant and necessary state agencies, including the Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Energy. Such agencies shall provide assistance, including access to relevant data or information for the purpose of developing a map or repository of prime farmland, as defined in § 3.2-205 of the Code of Virginia, to the Department upon request. The Department may enter into agreements with private nonprofit groups for the purpose of gathering additional data to identify land with conservation easements or agricultural potential and land that would be more suitable for development with solar energy collection devices or energy storage devices. The Department may work with Phase I and Phase II Utilities to identify relevant distribution and transmission grid information to further assist localities in siting determinations regarding solar energy collection devices or energy storage devices. Such electric distribution and transmission grid information shall not be subject to the disclosure requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). The Department shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an initial report on the development of a map or repository for prime farmland no later than December 1, 2022. The report shall include recommendations for the appropriate permanent location for such map or repository, methods by which such map or repository can be made available for public use, and the estimated initial and ongoing costs to be incurred in maintaining such map or repository. The development of the report and recommendations by the Department shall be funded from amounts in this Item."



Explanation

(This amendment directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to collaboratively develop a map of prime farmland to assist localities in making solar energy siting decisions.)