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Bill

SB 336

Emergency generators; Department of Environmental Quality to amend its regulations regarding use.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Danica Roem

Virginia DEQ to revise emergency generator regulations, affecting air quality standards and operational rules for backup power systems statewide.

Senate committee offered
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 336

Legislative bill overview

SB 336 directs Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality to amend its regulations governing the use of emergency generators. The bill passed its initial committee review with a substitute version and is currently in the Finance and Appropriations Committee. The specific regulatory changes are not detailed in the available action history.

Why is this important

Emergency generator regulations affect air quality, noise pollution, and public health, particularly in residential and sensitive areas. How Virginia regulates generator use during emergencies, maintenance testing, and routine operations impacts both environmental protection and property owners' ability to maintain backup power during outages.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of "emergency" definition: Disagreement over what circumstances qualify for generator use (natural disasters, grid failures, routine testing, etc.) and how strictly to enforce limitations
  • Air quality vs. reliability trade-offs: Balancing stricter emissions standards against concerns that over-regulation could discourage generators that provide critical backup power during outages
  • Property rights and local control: Questions about whether state-level regulations preempt local ordinances and how much flexibility individual property owners or municipalities should have in generator operations

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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