S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4479
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN  ACT  to authorize the New York state energy research and development
   authority to enter into agreements to establish a New  York  renewable
   energy laboratory

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative  findings.  New  York  state  is  committed  to
 expanding  and advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects
 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce out of  state  dependency  on
 fossil  fuels,  promote  public  health and create new jobs. The goal of
 this act is to make the state of New York a national and  global  leader
 in renewable energy research and development.
   §  2.  For  purposes  of this act "NYREL" means the New York renewable
 energy laboratory.
   § 3. (a) The New York state energy research and development  authority
 shall  undertake  to establish, through public and private partnerships,
 which shall include New York based colleges  and  universities,  private
 businesses,  and  not-for-profit  entities,  a NYREL to be headquartered
 near JFK International Airport in Jamaica, Queens, New York  City.  Such
 laboratory  shall be an independent not-for-profit corporation organized
 under the laws of the state of New York. It shall be governed by a board
 of directors which shall have seventeen members.
   (b) Such board shall include:
   (i) one member appointed by the chancellor of the city  university  of
 New York (CUNY);
   (ii) one member appointed by the chancellor of the state university of
 New York (SUNY);
   (iii)  four  members  appointed  by the governor; one of whom shall be
 appointed by the governor to be the chair;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05616-02-1

 S. 4479                             2
 
   (iv) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (v) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (vi)  the president of the New York state energy research and develop-
 ment authority;
   (vii) the president of empire state development;
   (viii) the president of the New York power authority;
   (ix) the president of the Long Island power authority;
   (x) the commissioner of the department of environmental conservation;
   (xi) the commissioner of the department of transportation; and
   (xii) the chair of the New York public service commission.
   (c) The New York state energy research and development authority shall
 work with  collaborating  businesses  and  educational  institutions  to
 ensure  that  a  cooperative working relationship is established between
 those institutions and potential participants of such research institute
 so that resources are made available and used in a responsible manner to
 support the successful development of the proposed  research  laboratory
 and  the  creation  of  ongoing linkages between the training, research,
 development, demonstration and  technology  transfer  resources  of  the
 region's higher education institutions, and private sector businesses.
   (d)  The  mission  of  NYREL is to develop renewable energy and energy
 efficiency technologies and practices, advance related science and engi-
 neering, create jobs, promote economic  development  and  manufacturing,
 and transfer knowledge and innovations to address the state's energy and
 environmental  goals.  NYREL  shall  emphasize  a  comprehensive  energy
 approach that encompasses  the  relationship  among  key  systems:  fuel
 production;  transportation;  the  built  environment;  and  electricity
 generation and delivery. Areas of research and development shall include
 but not be limited to the following:  solar,  wind,  geothermal,  tidal,
 energy  storage, energy efficiency, hydropower, biofuel, smart grids and
 alternative transportation, including  electric  vehicles.  NYREL  shall
 have  an education and training component. NYREL shall include a goal to
 recruit minority  students,  scientists,  engineers  and  MWBEs  in  its
 programs.
   (e)  NYREL shall seek to develop partnerships especially with CUNY and
 SUNY campuses  in  Albany,  Buffalo,  Syracuse,  Rochester,  Binghamton,
 Hudson Valley, Long Island and the city of New York.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.