Several significant pieces of state legislation have made the news in the last couple weeks.
In New Jersey, the state assembly passed by a vote of 79 to 1 a bill exempting renewable energy systems from property taxes. It now heads to the state Senate for further consideration.
Under the measure, accepted renewable energy sources would include solar technology, wind energy, fuel cells, geothermal technology, and methane gas from landfills. The exemption would be applicable to any residential, commercial or industrial building which has been outfitted with a certified renewable energy system.
A separate bill being considered in the Senate would essentially define solar and wind power generation as agricultural activity–protecting it from nuisance complaints and allowing for installations on preserved farmlands. New Jersey is a leader in farm preservation with 18% of its farmland protected from development.
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that would require energy companies to pursue cost-effective renewable sources for energy before relying on traditional sources like coal, oil or natural gas.
The bill also includes other sweeping changes, such as the establishment of a "green communities program" that would allow communities to use state loans and grants for conservation and renewable energy projects. Other measures include requirements for state agencies to buy fuel-efficient vehicles and a system through which homeowners or tenants can buy renewable energy products with no up-front costs and pay them off through monthly installments on their utility bills.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal signed into law the Advanced Biofuel Industry Development Initiative, one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching legislation packages in the nation supporting an advanced biofuel industry. The new law includes a variable blending pump pilot program and a hydrous ethanol pilot program.
It also supports a decentralized network of small biofuel manufacturing and overall market expansion. Under the law, state agencies must purchase or lease alternative fuel vehicles.
The city of Pittsburgh wants to join the ranks of big cities like New York and San Francisco that are leading the push to reduce U.S. greenhoue gas emissions. The City Council is presented its Climate Action Plan this week, outlining a path to 20% reductions in emissions by 2023. The council plans to vote in August on legislation to enact the plan which, in addition to hiring a sustainability coordinator, will address emissions from government buildings, Housing Authority apartment buildings, the city’s 1,000 vehicle fleet and other low-hanging fruit.
In Florida, governor Charlie Christ signed into law an energy bill approved by the Legislature in April. The bill sets a target for ethanol to make up 10% of the state’s fuel supply by 2010. It also sets new buidling efficiency standards and creates strong incentives for renewable energy projects, such as the new photovoltaic systems announced today by Florida Power & Light.
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