Bill Text: NY S02480 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Creates the dairy farm improved energy efficiency program; provides grants and low interest loans to dairy farms who make energy efficient improvements.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-20 - COMMITTED TO RULES [S02480 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S02480-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2480--A 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 13, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sens. RITCHIE, SERINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- recommitted to the Committee on Corpo- rations, Authorities and Commissions in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee 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: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds and 2 declares that due to their remote locations at the end of the electric 3 grid infrastructure, farms are more difficult to service by electric 4 utilities. Strengthening the energy systems of individual farms and 5 developing micro-grids in remote areas will enhance the overall reli- 6 ability of the electric system. The legislature further finds that 7 assisting dairy farms with high efficiency lighting, high efficiency 8 pumping and cooling equipment, and other energy management systems, will 9 result in significant energy savings and increased milk yields. The 10 legislature hereby declares that providing low cost tools and programs 11 to farmers will help farm operations become more efficient and reduce 12 their cost of doing business. Advancing new technologies will also help 13 to accelerate the development of the energy services industry, thus 14 providing new and expanded job opportunities for New Yorkers. 15 Therefore, the legislature seeks to provide funds to encourage energy 16 efficient dairy farms through grants and low interest loans for approved 17 projects to stimulate the New York state dairy industry. 18 § 2. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the 19 New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a 20 new section 16-aaa to read as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07351-02-8S. 2480--A 2 1 § 16-aaa. Dairy farm improved energy efficiency program. 1. Defi- 2 nitions. For the purpose of this section: 3 (a) "Authority" shall mean the New York state energy research develop- 4 ment authority. 5 (b) "Loan fund" shall refer to the dairy farm improved energy effi- 6 ciency loan fund established pursuant to this section. 7 2. (a) The corporation, with the assistance of the authority, shall 8 establish a dairy farm improved energy efficiency loan fund to provide 9 grants and low interest loans to dairy farms for energy efficiency 10 projects and advanced energy technologies. 11 (b) In order to be eligible to participate in this loan program, a 12 dairy farm must have an energy audit provided through the authority's 13 energy audit program that helps customers make informed electrical ener- 14 gy decisions and implement energy efficiency strategies. 15 3. (a) The corporation shall, within available appropriations, provide 16 financial, technical or other assistance from the loan fund to eligible 17 dairy farms. 18 (b) The corporation is authorized to provide grants and low interest 19 loans from the loan fund for eligible improvements to dairy farms. To 20 be eligible for such grants and loans, a dairy farm shall identify an 21 eligible improvement project and provide necessary documentation. 22 (c) Grants or loans provided by the corporation may be up to one 23 hundred thousand dollars. 24 4. Energy efficiency improvements eligible for grants or low interest 25 loans through the loan fund shall include, but not be limited to: 26 (a) Pre-qualified measures that are proven cost effective investments 27 which reduce energy use; 28 (b) Custom measures that pay for themselves in ten years through 29 reduced energy use; 30 (c) Process improvement measures that reduce manufacturing energy use 31 on a cost-per-unit basis; and 32 (d) Renewable technologies that use the sun, wind, anaerobic digestion 33 of animal wastes or other appropriate technologies to generate heat or 34 power. 35 5. Applications for assistance pursuant to this section shall be 36 reviewed and evaluated by the corporation in cooperation with the 37 authority pursuant to eligibility requirements and criteria set forth in 38 the rules and regulations promulgated by the corporation. 39 6. The corporation and the authority shall submit an annual written 40 report to the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the 41 senate identifying the number of dairy farms assisted through the loan 42 fund program, and the types of improvements implemented and energy cost 43 savings and any other benefits realized by the dairy farms assisted by 44 this program. 45 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
