Senate Bill S7897

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7897

SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
renewable energy data resources to include mapping of certain capital
projects

 
PURPOSE:

To expand existing renewable energy planning mapping requirements to
include large-scale capital projects.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one - Existing public authorities law section 1912 requires
NYSERDA to create publicly available data sources, including a mapping
tool, related to renewable energy development, to "help municipal repre-
sentatives and local communities make informed land use decisions and
communicate local priorities to developers."

              

This bill expands that requirement by requiring that such mapping
include mapping of capital projects receiving at least one million
dollars of state funding approved or completed within the previous five
years, for purposes of providing information on the viability of solar
siting on or near such projects.

The aim is to ensure that when developers are seeking potential solar
sites, they are aware of and can consider major new State-funded
construction locations and developments as potential partners among the
"previously...developed sites" cited in current law such as rooftops,
parking tots, etc.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York
State aims to source 70% of its electricity from renewables by 2030.
Meeting this target wilt require substantial new investment in renewable
generation and transmission capacity. While the State has taken actions
to expand renewables, we still rely too often on developer-led initi-
atives rather than actively promoting renewables as State policy.

New York State spends billions of dollars on capital projects supporting
economic development. This includes loans, grants, tax credits, and
other assistance with construction of housing, commercial space, enter-
tainment, and other facilities.

Currently, NYSERDA is tasked with creating a public mapping toot and
other data to help local governments and developers make well-informed
land use decisions. The tool is intended to "facilitate participation"
in renewable energy siting and planning," and include resources "rele-
vant to" such siting such as land use data, agricultural information
such as soil quality, environmental information, topography, and other
information:

Given the State's role investing in major capital projects, it would be
appropriate for this mapping to include information about such projects
in order for developers to potentially identify partner locations that
may be appropriate for solar siting. Many of these projects feature
large, potentially viable rooftops, parking lots, and other criteria as
listed in the current law that could make them ideal locations for solar
programs. By including these State-supported capital projects in the
public mapping, New York will give developers additional tools for find-
ing renewable energy investment partners.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None - the State is already required by statute to build the mapping
tools and other information, and already has the information about large
capital projects that would be added to the maps.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate