RICHMOND – A bill that would allow Charlottesville to establish a fund to help city homeowners purchase clean energy technology for their homes was approved by a Senate committee on Tuesday – and was expanded to include Albemarle County and every other locality in Virginia.

Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, introduced the measure, SB 1212, at the request of Charlottesville’s City Council. Under the proposal, Char-lottesville would be permitted to create a pool of money to lend at low interest rates to homeowners who want to buy renewable energy devices, such as solar-energy panels.

The homeowner would then pay back the loan as a charge tacked onto property tax bills. The idea is that the money from the energy cost savings could help the homeowner manage the loan. If the homeowner moves, the loan would stay with the property.

“It makes good sense,” said Deeds, who represents much of the Charlottesville area and is one of three Democrats running for governor. “Energy is going to be the No. 1 issue for the next generation. It’s going to drive job growth.”

Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris told lawmakers that the measure would allow local governments to encourage residents to make home improvements that would reduce energy consumption and improve the environment.

“This is an effort by local government to be a part of the solution,” Norris said.

The Senate Committee on Local Government endorsed the bill in a 14-1 vote. It will now go to the full Senate. If approved, it will be sent to the House of Delegates for consideration.

While presenting the bill to the committee, Deeds amended it to include every other locality in the state.

On Jan. 14, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution seeking the same permission as Charlottesville to create such a financing program. Arlington County next asked Deeds to include it in the legislation. Then two statewide local government groups – the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Municipal League – requested that the measure apply to all jurisdictions as a voluntary program, Deeds said.

“If we’re talking about energy efficiency at the state level, then we need to give localities the ability to practice what we preach,” he said.

Charlottesville Councilor David Brown said roughly half the city’s energy consumption comes from vehicles, while the other half comes from buildings. With a clean energy financing program, he said, the city can reduce the energy consumption of buildings and cut down on the city’s overall carbon footprint.

“A lot of people would like to make these types of investments, but the up-front cost can be expensive,” Brown said. “We would create an ability for these people to finance these investments.”

Brown said a similar program is already in place in Berkeley, Calif.

Green light for speed limits

In other business Tuesday, the House of Delegates unanimously approved a measure to lower the speed limit on Albemarle County’s unpaved roads from 55 mph to 35 mph.

The bill, HB 1837, aims to improve the safety of the county’s gravel and dirt roads, which are often curvy, unlined and frequently lack guardrails.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors pitched the idea, as the board had received complaints from homeowners along such roads who were irritated by the speeding motorists and concerned about safety.

The measure, introduced by Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, was approved 96-0 with no debate on the House floor. It now heads to the Senate, which will consider the bill in the coming weeks.

Bridge renaming

Another bill that advanced Tuesday would re-name the bridge over the Rapidan River on U.S. 29 in honor of two Charlottesville-area soldiers killed in Iraq.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, would designate the bridge as the “Fallen Heroes Memorial Bridge in Honor of Adam J. Fargo and Edwin A. Andino.”

Fargo, a Greene County resident and graduate of William Monroe High School, was killed in Iraq on July 22, 2006. Andino, a graduate of Madison County High School, was killed Sept. 3, 2006.

Doug Fargo, Adam’s father, testified Monday before lawmakers about his son’s service as an Army medic with the 101st Airborne Division.

The bill, HB 2401, was endorsed by the House Committee on Transportation. It now heads to the full House of Delegates.