Bill Text: OR SB554 | 2011 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to renewable energy resource development areas; appropriating money; declaring an emergency.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-2)
Status: (Failed) 2011-06-30 - In committee upon adjournment. [SB554 Detail]
Download: Oregon-2011-SB554-Engrossed.html
76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 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 1506
A-Engrossed
Senate Bill 554
Ordered by the Senate April 15
Including Senate Amendments dated April 15
Sponsored by Senator EDWARDS, Representatives READ, THOMPSON;
Senator BOQUIST, Representatives GILLIAM, HUFFMAN, JENSON
(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.
Creates Task Force on Renewable Resource Generation and
Transmission Development Areas.
Sunsets task force on date of convening of 2013
{ - legislative session - } { + regular session of Legislative
Assembly + }.
{ + Continuously appropriates to task force moneys
contributed by United States Government or other source for task
force. + }
Declares emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to renewable energy resource development areas;
appropriating money; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. { + (1) The Task Force on Renewable Resource
Generation and Transmission Development Areas is established,
consisting of 15 members appointed as follows:
(a) The Governor shall appoint:
(A) Two members representing consumer-owned utilities that
distribute electricity.
(B) Two members representing investor-owned utilities that
distribute electricity.
(C) One member representing solar electricity generation
technologies.
(D) One member representing wind electricity generation
technologies.
(E) One member representing renewable energy technologies other
than solar or wind.
(F) One member representing agricultural interests in Oregon.
(G) One member representing a conservation organization in
Oregon.
(H) One member representing the federally recognized Indian
tribes in Oregon.
(b) The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Governor, by mutual consent, shall
appoint one member.
(c) The President of the Senate shall appoint two members who
are not affiliated with an entity or group otherwise represented
among the members selected or appointed.
(d) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint
two members who are not affiliated with an entity or group
otherwise represented among the members selected or appointed.
(2) The task force shall:
(a) Identify renewable resource generation development areas
within this state that have potential to support industry
development among renewable energy developers for development of
renewable resource generation projects.
(b) Develop a map of existing generation resources and
transmission lines and potential renewable resource generation
development areas within this state that have potential to
support competition among renewable energy developers for
development of renewable resource generation projects.
(3) In the process of accomplishing the tasks described in
subsection (2) of this section, the task force shall:
(a) Solicit and receive comments, including written comments,
from members of the public.
(b) Consider and give weight to comments received from members
of the public, affected counties, cities, electric utilities,
customers of electric utilities, environmental groups and other
stakeholders or interested parties.
(c) Consider:
(A) The transmission needs of the renewable resource generation
development areas to locations in which customers can use the
renewable resources;
(B) The potential development of various renewable resources,
including, but not limited to, wind, solar, low-impact
hydropower, tidal, wave, biomass, biofuel, ethanol and geothermal
resources;
(C) The particular difficulty lesser concentrations of
renewable resources have in attracting development interest and
transmission investment;
(D) The potential for local community development and
consumption of renewable resources; and
(E) The quality, amount and commercial likelihood of the
development of the resource, including state and federal statutes
that explicitly prohibit the development of specific land
designations within this state.
(4) A majority of the voting members of the task force
constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
(5) Official action by the task force requires the approval of
a majority of the voting members of the task force.
(6) The task force shall elect one of its members to serve as
chairperson.
(7) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing
authority shall make an appointment to become immediately
effective.
(8) The task force shall:
(a) Hold at least four meetings that are open to the public.
(b) Meet at times and places specified by the call of the
chairperson or of a majority of the voting members of the task
force.
(9) The task force may adopt rules necessary for the operation
of the task force.
(10) The task force shall submit a report, and may include
recommendations for legislation, to the Legislative Assembly in
the manner described in ORS 192.245 on or before October 1, 2012.
(11) Members of the task force are not entitled to compensation
or reimbursement for expenses and serve as volunteers on the task
force.
(12) The Legislative Administrator shall provide staff support
to the task force from existing resources or, if approved by the
Legislative Administrator and a majority of the members of the
task force, the task force may accept staff support from a
private entity represented on the task force by an official or
employee of the private entity.
(13) The Legislative Administrator may accept, on behalf of the
task force, contributions of moneys and assistance from the
United States Government or its agencies or from any other
source, public or private, and agree to conditions placed on the
moneys not inconsistent with the duties of the task force.
(14) All moneys received by the Legislative Administrator under
subsection (13) of this section:
(a) Shall be deposited into the General Fund to the credit of
the task force.
(b) Are continuously appropriated to the task force for the
purposes of carrying out the duties of the task force.
(15) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS
174.111, are directed to assist the task force in the performance
of its duties and, to the extent permitted by laws relating to
confidentiality, to furnish information and advice that the
members of the task force consider necessary to perform their
duties. The following individuals are specifically directed or
encouraged, as appropriate, to share expertise with the task
force:
(a) The Director of the State Department of Energy, or the
director's designee.
(b) The Director of the Department of Land Conservation and
Development, or the director's designee.
(c) The Executive Director of the League of Oregon Cities, or
the executive director's designee.
(d) The Executive Director of the Association of Oregon
Counties, or the executive director's designee.
(e) The Director and Chief Executive of the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy, or
the director and chief executive's designee. + }
SECTION 2. { + Section 1 of this 2011 Act is repealed on the
date of the convening of the 2013 regular session of the
Legislative Assembly as specified in ORS 171.010. + }
SECTION 3. { + This 2011 Act being necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency
is declared to exist, and this 2011 Act takes effect on its
passage. + }
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