Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (409)

Authority: Title 45.1, Chapter 26, Code of Virginia.

A. Out of this appropriation, $38,362 the first year and $38,362 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for dues and expenses for the Southern States Energy Board.

B. To defray the costs of implementing the Virginia Energy Management Program, the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is authorized to have included in state fuel oil, natural gas, electricity, and similar energy contracts a provision for suppliers to collect from using agencies and remit to the department an administrative surcharge. The surcharge shall reflect the department's actual costs to administer the program. Additionally, the department is authorized, consistent with federal funding rules, to distribute energy-related federal funds as grants or as loans to other state or nonstate agencies for use in financing energy-related projects, and to recover from the recipient an administrative service charge to recover the department's costs of administering such grant or loan programs.

C. Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 $950,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided for research and development to accelerate and assist private development of the Virginia Wind Energy Area and attendant industry.

D. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year from the general fund shall be provided to comply with the provisions of HB 1261 and SB 615, as adopted by the 2014 Session of the General Assembly.

E. Out of this appropriation, $70,000 shall be used in the first year by the Division of Energy to develop the necessary guidelines implementing the provisions of the renewable energy grant program as contemplated by § 45.1-395, Code of Virginia. The Division of Energy shall establish and publish these guidelines no later than December 1, 2014.