R Street Letter to VA Governor Abigail Spanberger in Support of VA HB 711 and VA SB 347, Solar Energy Preemption
March 27, 2026
The Honorable Abigail Spanberger
Governor of Virginia
Patrick Henry Building
1111 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Re: R Street Institute’s Support for House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 347
Governor Spanberger,
My name is Robert Melvin, and I am the Northeast Region Director at the R Street Institute (RSI), which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public policy organization. Our mission is to engage in research and outreach to promote free markets and limited, effective government in many areas, including electric utility regulations. I am reaching out to your office on my organization’s behalf to express our support for House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 347.
Both measures would help bring clarity over when solar is permitted by right, would create uniform statewide rules for local special exceptions for larger solar projects, and would create guardrails that prevent overly restrictive local regulations on typical on-site solar arrays.[1]
Solar power is a rapidly growing energy source in Virginia as well as the country as a whole.[2] At the same time, a growing number of localities have sought to restrict or prohibit solar development, with as many as one-third imposing restrictions or outright prohibitions.[3]
Rapid growth in recent years has inevitably led to regulatory growing pains. This is especially true given the polarized nature of energy policy in America today.[4] But it’s important that we do not lose sight of the big picture: We need more energy.
The need for additional energy supply will invariably become more pronounced, especially considering that Virginia already imports 36 percent of its electricity, the highest of any state.[5] Energy demand is expected to double over the next decade, so it’s critical that the state take action to allow for additional electricity generation and transmission.[6] Without these changes, Virginia risks stalling economic development by discouraging load growth and undermining efforts to reduce emissions. But beyond energy supply and economic growth, this issue also implicates fundamental property rights.
Landowners have the right to take advantage of the energy produced or captured on their land regardless of whether that energy comes from the sun or another source. While it is appropriate for localities to enact reasonable regulations to address issues like noise or environmental concerns, they must be careful not to carry these regulations to the point that they interfere with the property rights of the landowner. HB 711 and SB 347 strike a balance between the legitimate rights of localities and the property rights of landowners, and for that reason we urge you to sign this legislation into law.
Thank you,
Robert Melvin
Northeast Region Director, State Government Affairs
R Street Institute
rmelvin@rstreet.org
CC: Gerica Goodman, Legislative Director, Office of Governor Abigail Spanberger
Rebecca Eichmann, Policy Director, Office of Governor Abigail Spanberger
Grant Neely, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Communications, Office of Governor Abigail Spanberger
[1] Virginia General Assembly, 2026 Legislative Session, House Bill 711, Last accessed February 26, 2026. https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB711.
Virginia General Assembly, 2026 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 347, Last accessed March 27, 2026. https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB347.
[2] U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Solar power generation drives electricity generation growth over the next two years,” In Brief Analysis, January 16, 2026. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67005#.
[3] Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, “Virginia’s Energy Future is on the Table: Solar Siting Reform for More Affordable, Reliable Power,” Last accessed February 26, 2026. https://marec.us/va-siting-reform/.
Philip Rossetti and Josiah Neeley, “State and Local Permitting Restrictions on Solar Energy Development,” R Street Institute, July 10, 2024. https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/state-and-local-permitting-restrictions-on-solar-energy-development/
[4] Alec Tyson and Bryan Kennedy, “Views on energy development in the U.S.,” Pew Research Center, June 27, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2024/06/27/views-on-energy-development-in-the-u-s/#:~:text=Asked%20about%20the%20state%20of,only%20on%20renewable%20energy%20sources.
[5] U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Virginia was the top net electricity recipient of any state in 2023,” In Brief Analysis, December 20, 2024. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64104#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20utilities%20in%20Virginia,the%20state’s%20total%20electricity%20supply.
[6] Humberto Sanchez, “Data center boom in Virginia will double power demand, report finds,” State Affairs, Pluribus News, December 11, 2024. https://pluribusnews.com/news-and-events/data-center-boom-in-virginia-will-double-power-demand-report-finds/.