Senate Bill S2716

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2716
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 24, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public authorities law, in relation to providing a
   municipal renewable energy system siting database

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative intent. Implementing renewable energy systems
 is critical to achieve the goals in the Climate Leadership and Community
 Protection Act. This bill would establish an actively  managed  database
 for  municipalities  interested  in  siting  renewable energy systems on
 available land within their boundaries. This database will allow munici-
 palities to publish their renewable  energy  goals  and  facilitate  the
 development of renewable energy systems.
   §  2.  The  public  authorities law is amended by adding a new section
 1885 to read as follows:
   § 1885. MUNICIPAL RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM SITING  DATABASE.  1.    THE
 AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH AND MANAGE A MUNICIPAL RENEWABLE ENERGY SITING
 DATABASE  TO  HELP MUNICIPALITIES FACILITATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF RENEWABLE
 ENERGY SYSTEMS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION SIXTY-SIX-P OF THE PUBLIC  SERVICE
 LAW, ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTY WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES.
   2.  THE  DATABASE SHALL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE
 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT NOTIFY  THE  AUTHORITY
 OF THEIR INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING:
   A. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE DESIGNATED MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVE;
   B.  THE  TYPE OR TYPES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS THE MUNICIPALITY IS
 INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING;
   C. AN ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF AVAILABLE MUNICIPAL PROPERTY;
   D. A SUMMARY OF APPLICABLE LOCAL LAWS CONCERNING  THE  ENVIRONMENT  OR
 PUBLIC  HEALTH  SAFETY TO HELP FACILITATE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PERMITTING
 PROCESS PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-FOUR-C OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00586-01-3
              

 S. 2716                             2
 
   E. ANY OTHER INFORMATION THE AUTHORITY DEEMS RELEVANT.
   3.  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL  PROVIDE  ANY  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE TO HELP
 PROMOTE SITING.
   4. THE DATABASE SHALL BE ACTIVELY MANAGED AND UPDATED REGULARLY BY THE
 AUTHORITY.
   5. THE AUTHORITY SHALL PREPARE AND PUBLISH ON THEIR WEBSITE AN  ANNUAL
 REPORT THAT CONTAINS AT A MINIMUM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
   A.  HOW  MANY  NEW MUNICIPALITIES WERE ADDED TO THE DATABASE SINCE THE
 PRIOR YEAR;
   B. WHAT TYPE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS WERE PRIMARILY  REQUESTED  BY
 MUNICIPALITIES;
   C.  THE  ESTIMATED  NUMBER  OF MEGAWATTS GENERATED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY
 SYSTEMS THAT WERE DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF THE DATABASE; AND
   D. STEPS TAKEN TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE DATABASE.
   § 3. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of  section  1902  of  the  public
 authorities  law, as added by section 6 of part JJJ of chapter 58 of the
 laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   (b) In making such assessment the authority  shall  give  priority  to
 previously  developed  sites,  existing  or  abandoned commercial sites,
 including without limitation brownfields, landfills,  former  commercial
 or industrial sites, dormant electric generating sites, LOCATIONS LISTED
 ON  THE  MUNICIPAL  RENEWABLE  ENERGY SYSTEM SITING DATABASE PURSUANT TO
 SECTION EIGHTEEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES   LAW  or
 otherwise underutilized sites;
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to
 paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 1902 of the public authorities
 law made by section three of this act shall be subject to the expiration
 and repeal of such section and shall expire and be deemed repealed ther-
 ewith.