Bill Text: OR HB2300 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to compressed natural gas; prescribing an effective date.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Failed) 2013-07-08 - In committee upon adjournment. [HB2300 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2013-HB2300-Introduced.html

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     77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .

LC 2512

                         House Bill 2300

Sponsored by Representative READ; Representative GARRETT
  (Presession filed.)

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Requires Director of the State Department of Energy to promote
use of compressed natural gas. Gives highest priority for energy
facility tax credits to distribution facilities for compressed
natural gas.
  Applies to applications for preliminary certification submitted
on or after effective date of Act.
  Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to compressed natural gas; creating new provisions;
  amending ORS 469B.136 and 469B.139; and prescribing an
  effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 469B.136 is amended to read:
  469B.136. (1) In determining the eligibility of any facility
for tax credits, { +  the greatest priority shall be given to
distribution facilities for compressed natural gas.
  (2) After the priority required under subsection (1) of this
section, + } preference shall be given to those projects that:
  (a) Provide energy savings for real or personal property within
the state inhabited as the principal residence of a tenant,
including:
  (A) Nonowner occupied single family dwellings; and
  (B) Multiple unit residential housing; or
  (b) Provide long-term energy savings from the use of renewable
resources or conservation of energy resources.
    { - (2) - }   { + (3) + } The Director of the State
Department of Energy shall establish by rule a tiered priority
system to be used in evaluating applicants for certification of
facilities using or producing renewable energy resources. The
tier system shall be based upon the projected costs of
facilities. In determining the eligibility for tax credits and in
allocating the available certified cost pursuant to section 2
(1), chapter 76, Oregon Laws 2010, among facilities, the director
shall subject facilities with higher projected costs to closer
scrutiny, shall compare projects of similar costs against each
other and may certify less than the total cost of any facility
based on this evaluation. The director may employ criteria
including the following factors as defined by rule:
  (a) Technology-specific energy production standards;
  (b) Market sector;
  (c) Delivery of energy into existing distribution and
transmission network;
  (d) Investment payback period;
  (e) Expected lifespan of the facility;
  (f) Potential for long-term viability;
  (g) Environmental standards established by the director;
  (h) Potential to create and sustain new jobs;
  (i) Projected siting in a location that is geographically or
socioeconomically advantageous;
  (j) Demonstrated readiness to begin implementation;
  (k) Amount and quality of energy generated;
  (L) Strength of business plan;
  (m) Provision of operations and maintenance data, with
appropriate protections for trade secrets consistent with ORS
chapter 192;
  (n) Connection to existing infrastructure;
  (o) Third-party review of the applicant's business plan; or
  (p) Data related to projected return on investment.
  SECTION 2. ORS 469B.139 is amended to read:
  469B.139. The State Department of Energy shall by rule
establish all of the following criteria:
  (1) For a high-performance home, the minimum design and
construction standards that must be met or exceeded for a
dwelling to be considered a high-performance home, including but
not limited to standards for the building envelope, HVAC systems,
lighting, appliances, water conservation measures, use of
sustainable building materials and on-site renewable energy
systems. The criteria must also establish the minimum reduction
in estimated net purchased energy that a dwelling must achieve to
be considered a high-performance home.
  (2) For a homebuilder-installed renewable energy system, the
minimum performance and efficiency standards that a solar
electric system, solar domestic water heating system, passive
solar space heating system, wind power system, geothermal heating
system, fuel cell system or other system utilizing renewable
resources must achieve to be considered a homebuilder-installed
renewable energy system.
  (3) For a high-efficiency combined heat and power facility, the
minimum performance and efficiency standards that the facility
must achieve to be considered a high-efficiency combined heat and
power facility.
  (4) For a facility using or producing renewable energy
resources, standards relating to criteria required under ORS
469B.136   { - (2) - }  { +  (3) + }.
  (5) Standards, consistent with the definitions in ORS 469B.130,
relating to what constitutes a single facility.
  SECTION 3.  { + Section 4 of this 2013 Act is added to and made
a part of ORS chapter 469. + }
  SECTION 4.  { + The Director of the State Department of Energy
shall:
  (1) Promote the public's use of, and advertise to the public
the availability of, compressed natural gas.
  (2) Encourage commercial fueling networks to offer compressed
natural gas at their stations and shall facilitate the awarding
of loans under ORS 470.510 to further that purpose.
  (3) Develop a plan to facilitate the conversion of school bus
fleets, transit agency fleets and garbage collection vehicle
fleets to the use of vehicles that run on compressed natural gas.
The plan must:
  (a) Include methods for promoting private companies that
operate fueling stations for compressed natural gas that are open
to the public.
  (b) Include programs to encourage school districts, mass
transit districts and garbage collection agencies to enter into
long-term supply contracts with private companies that will
supply compressed natural gas at fueling facilities that are open
to the public. + }
  SECTION 5.  { + The amendments to ORS 469B.136 by section 1 of
this 2013 Act apply to applications for preliminary certification
under ORS 469B.157 that are submitted on or after the effective
date of this 2013 Act. + }
  SECTION 6.  { + This 2013 Act takes effect on the 91st day
after the date on which the 2013 regular session of the
Seventy-seventh Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die. + }
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