S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4583--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
April 12, 2013
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Introduced by Sen. MAZIARZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations -- recommitted to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law and the public authorities law,
in relation to certain reports of the New York state energy and
research development authority
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative intent and findings. Part of the mission of the
New York state energy research and development authority (NYSERDA) is to
help our state achieve its energy goals including reducing our energy
consumption, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, and protect-
ing our environment. Funding for NYSERDA is provided primarily by New
York state ratepayers. NYSERDA has a commitment to public service, and
its workforce reflects its public service orientation. Further, the
state encourages public authorities to participate in the work of the
Council of Contracting Agencies which was created to ensure systematic
collection and timely exchange of information relating to responsibility
and reliability of bidders. Because of NYSERDA's mission and source of
funding, the legislature hereby finds and declares that access to timely
and relevant information on certain NYSERDA programs is necessary to
promote transparency, ensure proper use of funds, and help achieve the
state's energy goals.
S 2. Section 5 of the public service law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. THE COMMISSION SHALL ANALYZE THE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS PREPARED BY
THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN OF
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10217-03-4
S. 4583--A 2
THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW. BY MARCH FIRST OF EVERY CALENDAR YEAR, THE
COMMISSION SHALL MAKE A DETERMINATION ON SUCH SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS AS
DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED
SIXTY-SEVEN OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW.
S 3. Section 1867 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. (A) FOR THE PURPOSE OF FURNISHING THE STATE WITH SYSTEMATIC INFOR-
MATION REGARDING THE STATUS AND THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AUTHORITY, THE
AUTHORITY SHALL SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSION, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE ASSEMBLY
SPEAKER, THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
AND THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY ENERGY COMMITTEE, NO LATER THAN JULY FIRST
AND DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF EVERY CALENDAR YEAR, A COMPLETE AND
DETAILED SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT SETTING FORTH THE INFORMATION DESCRIBED IN
PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.
(B) THE SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS
SUBDIVISION SHALL RELATE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE AUTHORITY UNDER THE RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO
STANDARD PROGRAM AND SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION:
(I) THE AMOUNT OF MONEY COLLECTED UNDER THE RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STAND-
ARD PROGRAM IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS;
(II) A LIST OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS OR OTHER SOLICITATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN PUT OUT TO BID IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS TOGETHER WITH A DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF EACH;
(III) THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS ENCUMBERED, UNENCUMBERED, EXPENDED,
AND CONTRACTED FOR EACH REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND OTHER SOLICITATION
THAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT TO BID IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS;
(IV) A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT COMMENCED THE PERMITTING PROCESS IN THE
PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS TOGETHER WITH A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH
PROJECT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE TYPE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
INVOLVED, THE STATUS OF EACH PROJECT IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND THE
EXTENT TO WHICH THE AUTHORITY COMPLIED WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE
BIDDER AND OTHER COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
TO NEW YORK EXECUTIVE ORDERS NUMBERS 170 AND 170.1;
(V) A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE COMMENCED CONSTRUCTION IN THE PREVI-
OUS SIX MONTHS TOGETHER WITH A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH PROJECT,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE TYPE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY INVOLVED, THE
STATUS OF EACH PROJECT IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, AND THE EXTENT TO
WHICH THE AUTHORITY COMPLIED WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AND
OTHER COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE ORDERS NUMBERS 170 AND 170.1;
(VI) A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN THE PREVIOUS SIX
MONTHS TOGETHER WITH A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH PROJECT, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE TYPE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY INVOLVED AND THE EXTENT
TO WHICH THE AUTHORITY COMPLIED WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AND
OTHER COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE ORDERS NUMBERS 170 AND 170.1;
(VII) THE RESULTS OF EACH REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OR OTHER SOLICITATION
ISSUED IN THE PREVIOUS SIX MONTHS TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF HOW
EACH PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MEETING THE STATE'S GOALS FOR RENEWABLE
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CONSUMER USAGE, AND AN INDICATION OF THE EXTENT TO
WHICH THE AUTHORITY COMPLIED WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AND
OTHER COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE ORDERS NUMBERS 170 AND 170.1; AND
S. 4583--A 3
(VIII) A REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF PROJECTS SELECTED UNDER EACH PROGRAM,
INCLUDING AN INDICATION OF THE COUNTY AND UTILITY SERVICE TERRITORY IN
WHICH THE PROJECT IS LOCATED.
(C) IN THE EVENT THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT
THE REPORTS REQUIRED BY THIS SUBDIVISION DEMONSTRATE THAT OVER TWELVE
CONSECUTIVE MONTHS THE AUTHORITY'S POLICIES AND PROCEDURES UNDER THE
RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD PROGRAM (I) DID NOT LEAD TO CONSTRUCTION
AND COMPLETION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE
STATE TO MEET ITS MOST CURRENT GOALS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY DEPLOYMENT, OR
(II) RESULTED IN A REGIONAL OR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE IMBALANCE, THEN
THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SHALL HALT AND SUSPEND ALL RENEWABLE PORT-
FOLIO STANDARD SOLICITATIONS PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED BY THE AUTHORITY
UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A REMEDIATION PLAN IS ADOPTED TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE
ACTIONS. THE AUTHORITY SHALL WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH THE COMMISSION TO
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A REMEDIATION PLAN. AS A PART OF ANY PLAN SO
ADOPTED, A PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY MAY PETITION THE COMMISSION FOR THE
RETURN OF UP TO TWENTY PERCENT OF THE MONEY COLLECTED BY SUCH UTILITY AS
A PART OF THE RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD PROGRAM, AND SUCH MONIES WHEN
RETURNED SHALL BE USED BY THE UTILITY TO DEVELOP ITS OWN RENEWABLE PORT-
FOLIO STANDARD COMPLIANT PROGRAMS FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEETING THE STATE'S
ENERGY GOALS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, HOWEVER UNDER NO CIRCUM-
STANCE SHALL A UTILITY USE SUCH FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT, OWN OR OPERATE ITS
OWN GENERATING SYSTEMS. ANY SUCH REMEDIATION PLAN MUST BE PROVIDED IN
WRITING TO THE GOVERNOR, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION,
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUTHORITY, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE, THE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE ENERGY AND
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY ENERGY COMMITTEE WITHIN
SIXTY DAYS OF ITS ADOPTION.
(D) WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE
AUTHORITY SHALL JOIN, PARTICIPATE IN, AND COMPLY WITH THE ACTIVITIES AND
PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL OF CONTRACTING AGENCIES ESTABLISHED BY EXECU-
TIVE ORDER NO. 125, DATED MAY 22, 1989, IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE AVAIL-
ABILITY OF AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE DETERMINATIONS BY
THE AUTHORITY RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBILITY AND RELIABILITY OF LOW
BIDDERS FOR THE AWARD OF CONTRACTS.
S 4. This act shall take effect January 1, 2015.