The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission is a permanent legislative study commission which operates pursuant to Chapter 22.1 of Title 9 of the Code of Virginia. Although the Commission has been statutory in nature only since July 1, 1979, a like Commission was created and continued throughout most of the last decade through a series of Senate Joint Resolutions. The Energy Study Commission, also created and continued through a series of Senate Joint Resolutions in the 1970's, was merged into the Coal and Energy Commission when the latter was made permanent in 1979.

The Commission is composed of twenty members: eight from the House of Delegates, five from the Senate, and seven citizens appointed by the Governor. Senate and House members serve terms which coincide with their terms of office in their respective houses. Otizen members serve four year terms; the terms of all those currently serving expire July 1, 1983. The members are as follows: from the House of Delegates, James F. Almand, J. Paul Councill, Jr., Joseph A. Johnson, George W. Jones, Glenn B. McClanan, Lewis W. Parker, W. Ward Teel, and A. Victor Thomas; from the Senate, Herbert H. Bateman, Frederick C. Boucher, Daniel W. Bird, Jr., Charles J. Colgan, and Virgil H. Goode, Jr.; and citizen members Harold K. Anderson, Walter C. Ayers, Eugene F. Brady, L. Blaine carter, Herbert O. Funsten, Ph.D., J. Richard Lucas, Ph.D., Frank T. Sutton, III, and Fred W. Walker. In addition, the following individuals serve as ex-officio members: Eugene F. Brady, Senator John C. Buchanan, Delegate Donald A. McGlothlin, Sr., Delegate Ford C. Quillen, Fred D. Rosi, Ph.D., and Richard A. Wolfe, Jr., Ph.D.

The Commission held several meetings during the year, and studied and heard testimony on a broad range of topics, including coal export facilities, uranium mining, and the development of a state energy plan. The bulk of its activities, however, were done through the Commission's subcommittees, which reported to the Commission as follows.