Virginia Law

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Applicant" means the owner or operator who submits an application to the department for a permit by rule pursuant to this chapter.

"Archive search" means a search of DHR's cultural resource inventory for the presence of previously recorded archaeological sites and for architectural structures and districts.

"Coastal Avian Protection Zones" or "CAPZ" means the areas designated on the map of "Coastal Avian Protection Zones" generated on the department's Coastal GEMS geospatial data system (9VAC15-70-120 C 1).

"Combustion energy project," or "project" means a small renewable energy project that:

1. Is an electrical generation facility with a rated capacity not exceeding 20 megawatts that generates electricity only from biomass, energy from waste, or municipal solid waste; and

2. Utilizes a fuel or feedstock that is addressed as a regulated solid waste by 9VAC20-60, 9VAC20-81, or 9VAC20-120; is defined as biomass pursuant to § 10.1-1308.1 of the Code of Virginia; or both.

"Department" means the Department of Environmental Quality, its director, or the director's designee.

"DCR" means the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

"DGIF" means the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

"DHR" means the Department of Historic Resources.

"Disturbance zone" means the area within the site directly impacted by construction and operation of the combustion energy project.

"Historic resource" means any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, object, or cultural landscape that is included or meets the criteria necessary for inclusion in the Virginia Landmarks Register pursuant to the authorities of § 10.1-2205 of the Code of Virginia and in accordance with 17VAC5-30-40 through 17VAC5-30-70.

"Interconnection point" means the point or points where the combustion energy project connects to a project substation for transmission to the electrical grid.

"Natural heritage resource" means the habitat of rare, threatened, or endangered plant and animal species, rare or state significant natural communities or geologic sites, and similar features of scientific interest benefiting the welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

"Operator" means the person responsible for the overall operation and management of a combustion energy project.

"Owner" means the person who owns all or a portion of a combustion energy project.

"Parasitic load" means the maximum amount of electricity (in megawatts or kilowatts) a combustion energy project uses to run its electricity-producing processes while operating at the rated capacity.

"Parking lot" means an improved area, usually divided into individual spaces and covered with pavement or gravel, intended for the parking of motor vehicles.

"Permit by rule" means provisions of this chapter stating that a project or activity is deemed to have a permit if it meets the requirements of the provision.

"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, joint venture, public or private corporation, trust, estate, commission, board, public or private institution, utility, cooperative, county, city, town, or other political subdivision of the Commonwealth, any interstate body, or any other legal entity.

"Preconstruction" means any time prior to commencing land-clearing operations necessary for the installation of energy-generating structures at the combustion energy project.

"Rated capacity" means the maximum designed electrical generation capacity (in megawatts or kilowatts) of a combustion energy project, minus the parasitic load; sometimes known as "net capacity."

"Site" means the area encompassed by the combustion energy project, plus appurtenant structures and facilities such as fuel processing, delivery, storage, and associated conveyance equipment areas if they (i) are contiguous and (ii) primarily exist to supply fuel for the generation of electricity at that project, to the extent that these areas are under common ownership or operating control by the owner or operator of the combustion energy project.

"Small renewable energy project" means (i) an electrical generation facility with a rated capacity not exceeding 150 megawatts that generates electricity only from sunlight or wind; (ii) an electrical generation facility with a rated capacity not exceeding 100 megawatts that generates electricity only from falling water, wave motion, tides, or geothermal power; or (iii) an electrical generation facility with a rated capacity not exceeding 20 megawatts that generates electricity only from biomass, energy from waste, or municipal solid waste.

"T&E," "state threatened or endangered species," or "state-listed species" means any wildlife species designated as a Virginia endangered or threatened species by DGIF pursuant to §§ 29.1-563 through 29.1-570 of the Code of Virginia and 4VAC15-20-130.

"VLR" means the Virginia Landmarks Register (9VAC15-70-120 B 1).

"VLR-eligible" means those historic resources that meet the criteria necessary for inclusion on the VLR pursuant to 17VAC5-30-40 through 17VAC5-30-70 but are not listed in the VLR.

"VLR-listed" means those historic resources that have been listed in the VLR in accordance with the criteria of 17VAC5-30-40 through 17VAC5-30-70.

"Wildlife" means wild animals; except, however, that T&E insect species shall only be addressed as part of natural heritage resources and shall not be considered T&E wildlife.