BILL NUMBER:  S6009A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the public authorities law, in
relation to school energy efficiency collaboration programs

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL :

This legislation amends Chapter 403 of the Laws of 2016 which created
a mechanism by which schools looking to install energy efficiency
technologies can do one stop shopping to acquire the technical,
financial and regulatory processes that will help with the efficient
implementation of public school energy projects across New York State.
Original bill omitted private and religious schools from participation
in the collaborative. This bill adds both groups.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1 Amends Chapter 403 of the Laws of 2016 to include
representatives of private and religious schools to the school energy
collaborative program.

Section 2 This act shall take effect immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Each year, over $1 billion dollars are spent on energy costs by school
              

districts all across New York State. Costs vary by school districts
with smaller school districts incurring costs of several million
dollars per year and larger school districts like New York City have
bills totaling over $300 million per year to heat and light their
school buildings.

As energy costs continue to rise and as school budgets are facing
increasing constraints leading to cuts in enrichment programs,
increased class sizes, reduction of support staff and cuts in teaching
staff, it is important that practical and tangible opportunities to
institute cost savings are given our highest priority. Chapter 403 of
the Laws of 2016 created a multidisciplinary collaborative program to
better meet the unique energy conservation and energy cost reduction
needs of schools in New York State.  However, law inadvertently
omitted private and religious schools from the collaborative created.
This legislation corrects that situation.

Chapter 403 of the Laws of 2016 began the development of a
multidisciplinary approach to identify and develop energy efficiency
projects in schools in collaboration with NYSED, NYSASBO, NYSSBA,
NYPA, LIPA, NYSERDA, energy service companies (ESCOs), and utility
programs. The collaborative will serve to provide support on
developing the technical aspects of projects, share case studies and
other information on completed projects, develop demonstrations,
provide training opportunities for building operators, and provide a
comprehensive catalog of informational and financial resources
available to schools pursing energy projects. Such a collaborative
will reduce redundancies, raise awareness, and promote the efficient
implementation of energy projects across the state. The Collaborative
will identify opportunities for energy savings by gathering data on
current use.

A complete understanding of energy usage and improvement options can
help schools to prioritize and plan for capital improvements in
addition to simpler low-cost measures.

In 2012, the Legislature authorized and the Governor approved a review
of how new energy efficiency and green technologies could help schools
reduce and eventually eliminate their huge and rising energy costs.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New legislation, amends Chapter 403 of the Laws of 2016.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.