S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8453

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 16, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Economic Development

AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
  relation to creating the dairy farm improved energy efficiency program

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Legislative  findings.   The legislature hereby finds and
declares that due to their remote locations at the end of  the  electric
grid  infrastructure,  farms  are  more difficult to service by electric
utilities.  Strengthening the energy systems  of  individual  farms  and
developing  micro-grids  in  remote areas will enhance the overall reli-
ability of the electric system.   The  legislature  further  finds  that
assisting  dairy  farms  with  high efficiency lighting, high efficiency
pumping and cooling equipment, and other energy management systems, will
result in significant energy savings and increased  milk  yields.    The
legislature  hereby  declares that providing low cost tools and programs
to farmers will help farm operations become more  efficient  and  reduce
their cost of doing business.  Advancing new technologies will also help
to  accelerate  the  development  of  the energy services industry, thus
providing new and expanded job opportunities for New Yorkers.
  Therefore, the legislature seeks to provide funds to encourage  energy
efficient dairy farms through grants and low interest loans for approved
projects to stimulate the New York state dairy industry.
  S  2.  Section  1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the
New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a
new section 16-w to read as follows:
  S 16-W. DAIRY FARM IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY  PROGRAM.    1.    DEFI-
NITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION:
  (A) "AUTHORITY" SHALL MEAN THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH DEVELOP-
MENT AUTHORITY.
  (B)  "LOAN  FUND"  SHALL REFER TO THE DAIRY FARM IMPROVED ENERGY EFFI-
CIENCY LOAN FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
  2. (A) THE CORPORATION, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF  THE  AUTHORITY,  SHALL
ESTABLISH  A  DAIRY FARM IMPROVED ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOAN FUND TO PROVIDE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD02257-05-3

A. 8453                             2

GRANTS AND LOW INTEREST LOANS  TO  DAIRY  FARMS  FOR  ENERGY  EFFICIENCY
PROJECTS AND ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.
  (B)  IN  ORDER  TO  BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS LOAN PROGRAM, A
DAIRY FARM MUST HAVE AN ENERGY AUDIT PROVIDED  THROUGH  THE  AUTHORITY'S
ENERGY AUDIT PROGRAM THAT HELPS CUSTOMERS MAKE INFORMED ELECTRICAL ENER-
GY DECISIONS AND IMPLEMENT ENERGY EFFICIENCY STRATEGIES.
  3. (A) THE CORPORATION SHALL, WITHIN AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS, PROVIDE
FINANCIAL,  TECHNICAL OR OTHER ASSISTANCE FROM THE LOAN FUND TO ELIGIBLE
DAIRY FARMS.
  (B) THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE GRANTS AND  LOW  INTEREST
LOANS  FROM  THE LOAN FUND FOR ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS TO DAIRY FARMS.  TO
BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH GRANTS AND LOANS, A DAIRY FARM  SHALL  IDENTIFY  AN
ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND PROVIDE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION.
  (C)  GRANTS  OR  LOANS  PROVIDED  BY  THE CORPORATION MAY BE UP TO ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
  4. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS OR LOW  INTEREST
LOANS THROUGH THE LOAN FUND SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
  (A)  PRE-QUALIFIED MEASURES THAT ARE PROVEN COST EFFECTIVE INVESTMENTS
WHICH REDUCE ENERGY USE;
  (B) CUSTOM MEASURES THAT PAY  FOR  THEMSELVES  IN  TEN  YEARS  THROUGH
REDUCED ENERGY USE;
  (C)  PROCESS IMPROVEMENT MEASURES THAT REDUCE MANUFACTURING ENERGY USE
ON A COST-PER-UNIT BASIS; AND
  (D) RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES THAT USE THE SUN, WIND, ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
OF ANIMAL WASTES OR OTHER APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES TO GENERATE  HEAT  OR
POWER.
  5.  APPLICATIONS  FOR  ASSISTANCE  PURSUANT  TO  THIS SECTION SHALL BE
REVIEWED AND EVALUATED  BY  THE  CORPORATION  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE
AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA SET FORTH IN
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE CORPORATION.
  6.  THE  CORPORATION  AND THE AUTHORITY SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL WRITTEN
REPORT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE IDENTIFYING THE NUMBER OF DAIRY FARMS ASSISTED THROUGH  THE  LOAN
FUND  PROGRAM, AND THE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS IMPLEMENTED AND ENERGY COST
SAVINGS AND ANY OTHER BENEFITS REALIZED BY THE DAIRY FARMS  ASSISTED  BY
THIS PROGRAM.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.