Virginia offshore wind authority debates code rewrite, narrows list of statutory duties; elects new chair

The Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority spent most of its virtual meeting reviewing proposed revisions to the authority’s enabling statute and clarified which duties and powers the authority will keep, which should be reassigned to an offshore wind division or other state agencies, and which items to remove as out of scope.

“We've talked the last meeting and even before that about potentially revising the existing code, that deals with our authority. Right?” Will (outgoing chair) said as the group began its item-by-item review of suggested changes. The discussion ran through definitions, organizational language, the authority’s powers and duties, and multiple operational subsections pulled from older energy-authority statutes.

Members agreed to a set of consistent edits intended to modernize language and remove functional duplication with other agencies. The authority voted (by voice) to approve the minutes at the start of the meeting and later elected leadership: Ashley McLeod was selected as chair and Chris (vice chair) was re-elected to remain vice chair.

Why it matters: the authority’s enabling statute directs its formal role in advising the governor and General Assembly on offshore-wind development. Changes to that statute determine which functions the authority must perform (and which functions should be handled by the Department of Energy’s Division of Offshore Wind, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Department of Transportation, or private developers). Members repeatedly emphasized avoiding “scope creep” — leaving workforce programs, large capital projects and operational responsibilities where other agencies or developers already lead them while preserving the authority’s advisory and coordinating role.

What the authority changed or agreed to remove

- Supply chain and project definition: members agreed to broaden the definition of an “offshore wind energy project” to explicitly include associated supply chains and ancillary facilities (for example, manufacturing, ports and other land-side improvements). Kathy suggested and the group accepted wording to…