BILL NUMBER: S4480

SPONSOR: RANZENHOFER
 
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 technol-
ogies 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 collabo-
rative. This bill adds both groups.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 Amends Chapter 403 of the Laws of 2016 to include represen-
tatives of private and religious schools to the school energy collabora-
tive 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 multidisci-
plinary approach to identify and develop energy efficiency projects in
schools in collaboration with NYSED, NYSASBO, NYSSBA, NYPA, LIPA, NYSER-
DA, energy service companies (ESCOs), and utility programs.  The colla-
borative 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 opportu-
nities for building operators, and provide a comprehensive catalog of
informational and financial resources available to schools pursing ener-
gy projects. Such a collaborative will reduce redundancies, raise aware-
ness, 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:

2017-18 - S.6009-A/A.7637-A - ENERGY/Passed Assembly

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.