Off-the-Floor meeting of Assembly Energy Committee scheduled for June 5 to discuss legislation related to cross-utility CDG bill credits and local approval of Article 10 decisions

The New York Assembly Energy Committee will meet during the legislative session on Wednesday, June 5. As the meeting is scheduled as “off-the-floor”, the specific time and location are not available at this point. The following bills are on the meeting agenda:

• A7286 – This bill is the companion to S5627 – Relates to expanding customer access to community distributed generation, and has been identified by SEA as a key bill. As last discussed in Flash Update 19-21, if enacted, the bill would direct the Public Service Commission (PSC) to require the utilities to create a system of tariffs and accounting practices to allow for the transfer of bill credits from Community Distributed Generation (CDG) projects in one utility service territory to the accounts of subscribers in a different utility service territory. S5627 is on the Senate floor calendar.
• A3340 – This bill would amend the Article 10 process to require local community approval of the Siting Board’s decision on a facility’s Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need. The bill would require that a public referendum be held following the final decision by the Siting Board, and require that a majority (51% or more) of voters in the county or district pass the referendum in order to grant the certificate. The bill was introduced in January and does not have a Senate companion; given the unclear momentum of the bill, SEA has flagged it as a “Bill to Watch” and will report if there is any further activity on the legislation.