News

New Mexico Media Outlets Peddle Pseudoscience for State Department of Health - by Dr. Ken Stoller

How to Prevent Corporate Lobbyists from Destroying Your Health and Welfare - by Stephen Fox

The Renewable Energy Legislative Agenda - by Ben Luce

Sierra Club 2007 Legislative Priorities Focus on Cleaner Energy - by Tom Robey

Legislative Priorities of CVNM and New Mexico’s Conservation Community - by Leanne Leith

Renewable Energy Legislative Agenda
by Ben Luce

The Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE) and its allies will be promoting an ambitious renewable energy and energy efficiency agenda in the Legislative Session beginning on February 18. Many of these have the support of the Governor and Legislators already, but several don’t or have special problems and can really benefit from people contacting their legislators. The bills underlined below need the most help. To receive progress alerts as things unfold, you can join the CCAE’s “Clean Energy Network” either online at www.NMCCAE.org or send email to info@NMCCAE.org

The agenda currently includes:

- Increasing the “Renewable Energy Standard” to require utilities to produce 25% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020, and to extend the RES to electric cooperatives. This program supports distributed (rooftop) systems as well as utility-scale. Such standards are the primary driver of renewable energy development in the US today.
- Enhancing the NM Renewable Energy “Production Tax Credit”: Increase the credits to support “Concentrating Solar Power”, which uses giant mirrors to concentrate heat to drive turbines, and to decrease the minimum size of eligible systems to 1 megawatt, and expand the “5% co-investor provision” from just c-corporations (big corporations) to any taxpayer, both to allow farms and smaller businesses to benefit.
- Increase the funding for Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Programs by at least $2.0 million per year.
- Remove Regulatory Barriers to Low Income Utility Programs: A legal ruling called the “Mountain States Decision” currently prevents low-income utility rates that take into account the special circumstances of low-income people.
- Requirements for Low Income in Utility Programs: This bill would implement “increasing block rates” which will charge customers a higher rate the more they consume, and give low-income ratepayers a discount.
- Special New Tax Incentives for Green Building, Energy Efficient Appliances, Clean Energy Manufacturing Companies, and Biofuel Production and Filling Stations.
- Property Tax and Gross Receipts Exemptions for Solar Energy Systems: Right now, a business that installs a solar energy system risks a property tax hike that can wipe out the benefit of the solar tax credits over a decade or so.
- Land, Wildlife, and Clean Energy Fund: To provide Clean Energy Grants for Tribes, State entities, Schools, and Municipalities. ``````````````````
- Enhancements to the Existing Solar Tax Credits: Make credits “refundable” (a rebate) for nonprofits and low-income residents who do not have tax liabilities large enough to absorb the solar credits as they stand. Also to make LLCs eligible: Most developers today are set up as Limited Liability Corporations, and cannot take advantage of the solar tax credits in their current form.
- Renewable Energy Transmission Authority: New Mexico is running short of electric transmission lines in the Eastern Plains and Southern areas that will severely limit the of wind and solar power development. This new entity would give the state the power to get these projects done without waiting for foot-dragging utilities.
- Carbon Cap & Trade Resolution: This bill would enable NM to implement a program to cap carbon dioxide emissions, and join an emissions trading program with other states.
- Requirements for “Solar Ready Roofs”: This would require changes to building codes to require proper solar roof orientation, mounting brackets, etc., to lower the cost of future solar installations.
- Solar Covenants Legislation: This bill would prevent codes and covenants from prohibiting solar.
- Incorporate “energy affordability” into Regional Housing Authority Reform: This bill would allow affordable housing mortgages to take into account, and therefore promote, greater energy conservation.
- Memorial to support the “2030 Challenge” to reduce use of fossil fuels in buildings.