Senate Bill No. 665
(By Senators Guills, Barnes and Hunter)
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[Introduced February 20, 2006; referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §24-2-19, relating to
the Public Service Commission generally; placing a moratorium
on construction and installation of wind power projects until
adoption of rules by the Public Service Commission; and
directing the Public Service Commission to promulgate rules.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §24-2-19, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2. POWERS AND DUTIES OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
§24-2-19. Wind power projects.
(a) In order to provide meaningful involvement and
participation to all interested parties in determining whether to
make a finding of public interest and, if necessary, in developing wind power projects, the commission is directed to: (1) Propose and
adopt rules governing the use, construction and installation of
wind power projects; (2) Provide notice to all interested parties
of each public meeting to be held by the commission in studying
whether to make a finding of public interest and, if necessary, in
developing wind power projects; (3) Consult with all interested
parties attending such public meetings; and (4) Report periodically
to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance of the Legislature
or any relevant interim study committee appointed by the Joint
Committee on Government and Finance on the commission's progress on
these issues.
(b) No public utility, person or corporation may construct,
install, or otherwise site wind power projects, wind turbines, or
any other power project that converts wind into electrical energy,
until the commission proposes, adopts, and enacts rules pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Public
Service Commission to promulgate rules relating to wind power
projects, and to place a moratorium on further wind power projects
until the rules are promulgated.
§24-2-19 is new; therefore, underscoring and strike-throughs
have been omitted.