PRINTER'S NO. 1456
No. 1176 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY LEACH, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, CALTAGIRONE,
COHEN, CONKLIN, CURRY, DePASQUALE, FABRIZIO, FRANKEL,
FREEMAN, GEORGE, GERGELY, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, HARHAI,
HENNESSEY, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, KING, LENTZ, LONGIETTI,
MANDERINO, MANN, McGEEHAN, McILVAINE SMITH, M. O'BRIEN,
PAYTON, PETRONE, READSHAW, ROSS, RUBLEY, SABATINA, SCAVELLO,
SOLOBAY, STURLA, SURRA, TANGRETTI, WALKO, WANSACZ, YOUNGBLOOD
AND HORNAMAN, MAY 1, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, MAY 1, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 27 (Environmental Resources) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for use of the Growing
3 Greener Bond Fund to support the installation of residential
4 solar energy systems and related education; and establishing
5 the Residential Solar Power Assistance and Education Fund.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Section 6116(c)(1) of Title 27 of the
9 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
10 § 6116. Establishment of bond fund and allocation and use of
11 bond proceeds.
12 * * *
13 (c) Allocation and use of funds.--Moneys in the bond fund
14 shall be allocated and used as follows:
15 (1) The amount of $230,000,000 to the Department of
16 Environmental Protection for its existing programs for
1 watershed protection, mine and acid mine drainage
2 remediation, plugging of abandoned oil and gas wells,
3 advanced energy projects as authorized in subparagraph (i),
4 residential solar energy assistance and education as
5 authorized in subparagraph (iii), flood protection,
6 geological hazards and brownfields remediation. At least
7 $60,000,000 shall be used for acid mine drainage abatement
8 and mine cleanup efforts. The Department of Environmental
9 Protection is authorized to make portions of these moneys
10 available to the following Commonwealth agencies and
11 authorities for the purposes designated:
12 (i) up to $10,000,000 annually to the Energy
13 Development Authority for advanced energy projects; [and]
14 (ii) up to $5,000,000 annually to the Department of
15 Community and Economic Development for brownfields
16 remediation[.]; and
17 (iii) up to $11,000,000 to the Residential Solar
18 Power Assistance and Education Fund for purposes of
19 Chapter 64 (relating to residential solar energy
20 assistance and education).
21 * * *
22 Section 2. Title 27 is amended by adding a chapter to read:
23 CHAPTER 64
24 RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ENERGY ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION
25 Sec.
26 6401. Scope.
27 6402. Legislative intent.
28 6403. Definitions.
29 6404. Department powers and duties.
30 6405. Fund.
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1 6406. Residential solar energy system.
2 § 6401. Scope.
3 This chapter relates to residential solar energy assistance
4 and education.
5 § 6402. Legislative intent.
6 It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage
7 Pennsylvania homeowners to utilize solar energy to power
8 heating, cooling, hot water and electrical systems in their
9 homes through partially subsidizing installation costs for solar
10 energy systems. In furtherance of this objective, the
11 Commonwealth must develop public education programs to inform
12 homeowners of the uses and benefits of solar power.
13 § 6403. Definitions.
14 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
15 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
16 context clearly indicates otherwise:
17 "Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
18 the Commonwealth.
19 "Fund." The Residential Solar Power Assistance and Education
20 Fund established in section 6405 (relating to fund).
21 "Residence." The owner's primary residence.
22 "Residential solar energy system." An arrangement or
23 combination of components installed in a residence that utilizes
24 solar radiation to produce energy designed to provide heating,
25 cooling, hot water and/or electricity. The arrangement or
26 components shall not include equipment that is part of a
27 nonsolar energy system or which uses any sort of recreational
28 facility or equipment as a storage medium.
29 "Solar energy." A renewable or alternative energy system
30 that converts sunlight directly into energy.
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1 § 6404. Department powers and duties.
2 The department has the following powers and duties:
3 (1) To administer this chapter.
4 (2) To administer the fund under section 6405 (relating
5 to fund).
6 (3) To promulgate regulations to implement this chapter
7 within 18 months of the effective date of this section and
8 establish minimum standards that must be met in addition to
9 the required Federal standards.
10 § 6405. Fund.
11 (a) Establishment.--The Residential Solar Power Assistance
12 and Education Fund is established as a separate fund in the
13 State Treasury.
14 (b) Purpose.--The department shall use the fund to subsidize
15 the installation of residential solar energy systems.
16 § 6406. Residential solar energy system.
17 (a) General rule.--An owner of a residence that installs a
18 solar energy system may be entitled to a reimbursement as
19 provided under this section. The funds shall be allocated on a
20 first-come, first-served basis until the funds are depleted.
21 (b) Limitation.--Reimbursement shall be limited to 60% of
22 the costs incurred for installing a residential solar energy
23 system.
24 (c) Appropriation.--The sum of $11,000,000 is hereby
25 appropriated from the Growing Greener Bond Fund to the
26 Residential Solar Power Assistance and Education Fund for the
27 fiscal year July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, to carry out the
28 provisions of this chapter. This appropriation is a continuing
29 appropriation and shall not lapse.
30 (d) Use of fund.--The moneys in the fund shall be used for
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1 the following purposes:
2 (1) The use of supplies and equipment directly related
3 to the installation of a residential solar energy system.
4 (2) Educating the public on the uses of solar power
5 systems in order to promote new technology, increase
6 incentives for energy efficiency and relay the advantages of
7 diversifying energy sources.
8 (3) Maintaining an infrastructure in this Commonwealth
9 so that Pennsylvania-based companies will be able to complete
10 the necessary installations to meet the requirements of the
11 act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213), known as the
12 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.
13 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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