Every Wednesday, Stateside Associates will feature energy-related legislative, regulatory, and federal programs impacting state and local public policies and proceedings, including upcoming Groups events, activities, and conversations in This Week in Energy.
For more information on our Energy Practice, please contact Taylor Beis.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
MASSACHUSETTS
The Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity will hold a hearing on September 11 regarding HB 83, which establishes a special legislative commission to study load growth from AI and data centers.
Contact: Ian Thompson
The Joint Committee on Transportation will hold a hearing on September 16 regarding measures including the following:
- SB 2358, which requires the secretary to promulgate rules and regulations to ensure that 100% of light-duty vehicles within public vehicle fleets and motor vehicle fleets serving a public purpose to be electric vehicles by 2035 and medium-and heavy-duty vehicles by 2040.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
- HB 3700, which requires a retail provider of electricity for EV charging to publicly display and maintain on each public electric vehicle charging station at least one sign stating the price per kilowatt-hour of electricity sold from that station.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
- HB 3631, which establishes a financing program for the construction, reconstruction, and renovation of municipal parking facilities to provide electric vehicle charging stations.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
REGULATORY and LOCAL UPDATES
REGULATORY HIGHLIGHTS
CALIFORNIA
The Energy Commission will hold a workshop on September 11 concerning behind-the-meter installations of energy storage systems.
Contact: Benjamin Williams
NEW YORK
The State Energy Planning Board will hold public hearings on September 16, 17, and 18 concerning the draft 2025 State Energy Plan.
Contact: Jose Cordero
VERMONT
The Public Utility Commission will hold a workshop on September 15 to discuss an energy efficiency potential study.
Contact: Genevieve Kaplan
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
For more information regarding the below local highlights, please contact Stephanie Rojo, Senior Director of Local Services.
ARIZONA
On September 9, the Chino Valley City Council met in executive session under A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3) to receive legal advice on utility-scale solar regulations. A week earlier, on September 2, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to advance an ordinance prohibiting utility-scale solar, wind, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). The ordinance would still permit smaller-scale systems if the power is used exclusively on-site. This action follows the Town Council’s March decision to reject utility-scale projects and direct staff to prepare a formal ban.
CALIFORNIA
On September 9, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors considered a resolution opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, urging the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to adopt a similar position, and reaffirming the city and county of San Francisco’s commitment to strong climate action and air quality protections.
NEW YORK
On September 15, the New York City Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will consider a bill that would require the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), also known as the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), to create a mobile app with information about the locations of each electric vehicle charging station imposed on a map of the city, the voltage, charging level, and electric vehicle connector types provided by each station, whether each station can be used to charge e-bikes, and, to the extent the city has or can reasonably obtain such information, a real time display indicating whether each station is available or in use. The app will allow users to filter the electric vehicle charging stations based on such information.
VIRGINIA
On September 9, the James City County Board of Supervisors considered amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding data centers. The proposed changes follow a March 2025 resolution directing the Planning Commission to review how data centers are defined and permitted. Per a city memorandum, data centers bring benefits such as high-paying jobs, substantial tax revenue, and minimal traffic impacts. They also raise concerns about large building footprints, heavy energy and water use, air emissions from backup generators, continuous noise, and hazardous e-waste.
GROUPS EVENTS
For more information on upcoming events, contact Taylor Beis.
There are no energy-related Groups events this week.
