SB645
Air Pollution Control Board; regulations, small renewable energy projects, anaerobic tech., report.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Chief Patron:
Scott Surovell (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Air Pollution Control Board regulations; small renewable energy projects; anaerobic digestion technology; report.
Provides that for the purposes of a permit by rule for a small renewable energy project under existing law, a small renewable energy project includes an electrical generation facility with a rated capacity not exceeding 100 megawatts that generates electricity from biomass, energy from waste, or municipal solid waste and ... (More) its dedicated associated interconnection facilities, provided that such facility is capable of processing the majority of its organic waste, including food waste and municipal sludge, with anaerobic digestion technology by January 1, 2030. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with relevant stakeholders, to (i) assess all practicable technologies available to waste-to-energy facilities to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions, (ii) assess technologies to create biomethane, and (iii) recommend any legislative changes necessary to create market conditions to ensure the viability of such program. The bill also directs the Department to report its findings to the Air Pollution Control Board by December 1, 2026. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/14/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102504D
- 01/14/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
- 02/10/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)
- 02/10/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/10/2026 - Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26107665D-S1
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)
- 02/19/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/19/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/19/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
- 02/24/2026 - House: Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources
- 02/24/2026 - House: Placed on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Agenda
- 02/25/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
- 02/25/2026 - House: House subcommittee offered
- 02/25/2026 - House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N)
- 02/25/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26108639D-H1
- 02/25/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
- 02/26/2026 - House: Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
- 03/01/2026 - House: Placed on Appropriations Agenda
- 03/02/2026 - House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
- 03/02/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26108798D-H2
- 03/04/2026 - House: Read second time
- 03/05/2026 - House: Read third time
- 03/05/2026 - House: committee substitute rejected
- 03/05/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 03/05/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 03/05/2026 - House: Passed House with substitute (93-Y 5-N 0-A)
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- 03/10/2026 - House: House insisted on substitute
- 03/10/2026 - House: House requested conference committee
- 03/11/2026 - Senate: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/11/2026 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/11/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Surovell, Williams Graves, Pekarsky
- 03/12/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/12/2026 - House: House Conferees: Tran, Simonds, Ware
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Conference substitute printed 26109892D-S2
- 03/13/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (87-Y 10-N 0-A)
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/20/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)
- 03/30/2026 - Senate: Enrolled
- 03/30/2026 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB645ER)
- 03/30/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/31/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB645)
- 03/31/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/31/2026 - Senate: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
- 03/31/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
