dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – A resurrected state Senate bill that would raise the property tax on windmills cleared the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee on Monday, but not without bipartisan opposition.
SB 439 brings back to life a bill sponsored last year byt then-Energy chair Randy Smith, R-Tucker. Smith is now Senate president and SB 439 is sponsored by current Energy chair Chris Rose, R-Monongalia.
Wind turbines and towers are currently considered pollution control facilities and taxed as personal property at salvage value – 5% of the original cost based on 79% of the full value of the property. That 5% figure depreciates annually. The legislation originated in 2001 and was updated in 2007.
SB 439 would change that to tax wind turbines and towers and the attached components as real property. A fiscal note with last year’s bill said it would produce $6.1 million in additional annual revenue: $1.8 million for the General Fund, $2.5 million to the county schools and $1.8 million to the county commissions.
Chris Hall representing Clear Way Energy – a developer and owner of wind, solar, battery and natural gas projects – stood to oppose the bill. He noted that Clear Way has ongoing contracts with such companies as Toyota and Google to supply green power.
Clear Way has 1 gigawatt of wind power in operation and development, he said, with three wind farms in Mineral and Grant Counties, with a total $2.2 billion in current and planned investments, generating $8 million in state and local tax and lease payments.
The company, he said, is planning an $800 million repowering project at its Mount Storm facility in Grant Counti, that will produce $60 million in county taxes over the life of project. The tear-down and rebuild plan will result in 54 fewer turbines. It has received wide community support.
Another $400 million investment is planned for 2026 in Grant and Tucker counties, he said.
“This legislation here would endanger both of those projects,” he said, and undercut the state’s reputation for being a stable, reliable business partner.
Hall cautioned bill supporters about changing state policies to react to changes in federal policy that fluctuate form administration to administration.
Sen. Rupie Phillips, R-Logan, noted that many windmill components come from foreign sources. “The bulk of it’s not made in America, we know it.”
He also said that the tax break isn’t offered for coal projects. “In energy, we need to be fair and this isn’t fair.” Why not put money toward reliable clean coal technology instead of intermittent wind projects?
Sen. Craig Hart, R-Mingo, raised the issue of companies using wind power to meet their green ESG – environmental, social and governance – requirements.
Hall responded that the motivation isn’t the real issue. “We’re providing a type of energy that’s in demand.” These project provide job and tax revenue.
Hart countered that coal makes more jobs. But Hall responded that green companies are investing in current and former coal communities and both types of power can co-exist. “We need every job we can get in West Virginia.” They can’t stop renewables but they can drive the investment to other states.
Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, the sole Democrat on the committee, opposed the bill, citing jobs. Coal provides many jobs, but, “when those jobs have left, who else is coming?”
Sen. Glenn Jeffries, R-Putnam, also opposed it, saing West Virginia has touted itself as an all-of-the-above energy state. This bill could drive out more than $1.2 billion in investment. Businesses look for stability.
Some of the conversation hovered around the proportion of wind power in West Virginia and the PJM regional grid. PJM has public policy and fuel economics are driving a capacity shift. Its current fuel mix is 48.4% natural gas, 22.1% coal and 18.1% nuclear. In ht elast half of 2024, wind made up just 3.14% of its fuel mix.
But new PJM interconnection requests reflect the new greener consciousness: 40% are solar – 2,200 projects in queue, totaling 109,397 megawatts. There are 180 wind projects in queue, totaling 22,012.6 MW. And there are 50 natural gas projects in queue, totaling 7,566 MW.
The committee approved the bill in a voice vote. It heads next to Finance, where it died last year.
