NY State Senate Bill 2021-S157

Senate Bill S157

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Enacts the "Long Island public school solar and geothermal act" to provide funding to public schools located within Nassau or Suffolk county for solar panels and ground source heat pump systems; appropriation

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to energy and telecommunications
Jan 06, 2021	referred to energy and telecommunications

2021-S157 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3484
Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Appropriations
Laws Affected:: Amd §1854, Pub Auth L
Versions Introduced in 2019-2020 Legislative Session:: S3776, A7964

2021-S157 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "Long Island public school solar and geothermal act" to provide funding to public schools located within Nassau or Suffolk county for the purchase and installation of solar panels and ground source heat pump systems; makes an appropriation therefor.

2021-S157 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S157

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting the
"Long Island public school solar and geothermal act"; and making an
appropriation therefor

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation creates the Long Island Public School Solar and Geoth-
ermal Act, known as LIPSSGA. Specifically $10 million is appropriated
and made available to fifty school districts located within Nassau and
Suffolk Counties for the installation of solar panels or ground source
heat pumps.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Names this act as the Long Island Public School Solar and
Geothermal Act.

Section 2 makes grants of $200,000 available to 50 public school
districts in Nassau and Suffolk County. This funding is to be used for
the purchase and installation of photovoltaic solar panels, or ground
source heat pump systems. To qualify for funding for the installation of
solar panels a plan shall be submitted detailing how the school district
intends to cover a minimum of 50% of a school district's suitable roof
space that is eligible for building aid.  This section also states that
grants shall be made available for a period of thirty months from the
successful application of a school district.

Section 3 allocates $10,000,000 to the New York State Energy Research
and Development Fund (NYSERDA).

Section 4 is the effective date of April 1, 2022.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

One megawatt of energy generated by solar panels can power 150-165 homes
on average and prevent about 1,000 tons of CO2 from entering the atmos-
phere. Investment in solar panels pay for themselves over a period of
15-20 years and then return a positive funding stream. Global heat pump
systems, more commonly known as geothermal systems handle all of the
heating and cooling of the building they are associated with and would
significantly reduce the energy costs of a school district. Reports show
that geothermal systems save between 30-70% of heating costs and 20%-50%
for cooling costs.

This legislation seeks to help incentivize Long Island schools to
install either solar or geothermal energy systems. Beyond the positive
environmental impact and cost savings the installation of these renewa-
ble energy sources there is a unique opportunity for STEM education
specifically designed around solar and geothermal energy.  As Long
Island schools struggle to stretch every dollar, this legislation would
save school districts money on their energy costs.  Climate change is
real and occurring now, as a State we must look at innovative ways to
harness and expand our renewable energy footprint.  With over 30 million
square feet of rooftops available in Long Island School Districts, and
the untapped potential of geothermal energy.  The ability to harness
this clean renewable energy is significant and should be explored.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 3376A/A.7964

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

$10 million.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect April 1, 2022.

2021-S157 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    157
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  KAPLAN -- 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 enacting the
   "Long Island public school solar and geothermal act";  and  making  an
   appropriation therefor
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and  may  be  cited  as  the  "Long
 Island public school solar and geothermal act".
   § 2. Section 1854 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 22 to read as follows:
   22.  A.  TO MAKE GRANTS FROM AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, IN AMOUNTS
 OF TWO HUNDRED  THOUSAND  DOLLARS,  TO  FIFTY  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS
 LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU OR THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, TO PROVIDE
 SUCH  SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF
 PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS OR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS WITHIN SUCH
 DISTRICT. GRANTS SHALL BE MADE UPON APPLICATION BY SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICTS
 TO THE AUTHORITY IN A MANNER AND FORM TO BE DETERMINED BY THE AUTHORITY.
 IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC
 SOLAR PANELS  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  SUCH  APPLICATION  SHALL
 INCLUDE A PLAN PROPOSED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDING FOR THE INSTAL-
 LATION  OF  PHOTOVOLTAIC  SOLAR  PANELS ON A MINIMUM OF FIFTY PERCENT OF
 SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S SUITABLE ROOF SPACE ON BUILDINGS THAT ARE  ELIGI-
 BLE FOR STATE BUILDING AID.  GRANTS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD
 OF THIRTY MONTHS FROM THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   B. NO SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT RECEIVES A GRANT PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH A OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE  SUBJECT TO A REDUCTION IN STATE EDUCATION AID
 DUE  TO MONEYS SAVED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A RESULT OF LOWER UTILITY
 COSTS RESULTING FROM THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00826-01-1

 S. 157                              2
 
 PANELS OR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS PURSUANT TO   PARAGRAPH  A  OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION.
   §  3. The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000), or so much thereof
 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the New York state energy
 research and development authority from any moneys in the state treasury
 in the general fund to the credit of the  state  purposes  account,  not
 otherwise  appropriated, for the purposes of carrying out the provisions
 of section two of this act. Such sum shall be payable on the  audit  and
 warrant  of  the  state comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by
 the New York state energy research and  development  authority,  or  its
 duly designated representative in the manner provided by law.
   § 4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2022.

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