2019 -- S 0661 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC002060/SUB A/2 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DISTRIBUTED GENERATION | |
INTERCONNECTION | |
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Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Conley, Lombardo, and Coyne | |
Date Introduced: March 21, 2019 | |
Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 42-140 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Energy |
2 | Resources Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections: |
3 | 42-140-11.1. Comprehensive solar energy siting ordinances by municipalities. |
4 | (a) No later than April 30, 2020, all cities and towns shall each have adopted or updated |
5 | existing comprehensive solar siting ordinances addressing roof, carport and ground mounted solar |
6 | systems. |
7 | (b) Municipalities shall provide their first-time or updated draft comprehensive solar |
8 | siting ordinances to the office of energy resources and the division of statewide planning no later |
9 | than January 31, 2020, for the state agencies to review. The office of energy resources shall notify |
10 | the municipal official within five (5) business days of receipt of the drafted or updated ordinance |
11 | and shall provide written feedback to the municipality within thirty (30) business days. The office |
12 | of energy resources shall review drafted ordinances in coordination with the state building code |
13 | commission and fire safety code board of appeal to ensure consistency with state building, |
14 | electric and fire code law as defined in § 23-27.3 and the state’s renewable energy generation and |
15 | interconnection laws as defined in chapters 26, 26.3, 26.4 and 26.6 of title 39. |
16 | (c) A municipality which does not adopt a comprehensive solar siting ordinance by April |
17 | 30, 2020, may be denied access to the state renewable energy growth and renewable energy fund |
18 | programs that are associated with solar systems that are twenty-five kilowatts (25kw) or higher |
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1 | until the municipality has adopted a comprehensive solar siting ordinance. |
2 | (d) The determination on access to the state renewable programs associated with solar |
3 | systems shall be made by the commissioner of the office of energy resources in consultation with |
4 | the division of statewide planning. The determination by the office of energy resources shall be |
5 | limited to whether the new or updated comprehensive solar siting ordinance is consistent with |
6 | state building, electrical and fire codes and renewable generation laws and regulations. In order |
7 | to avoid losing access to the state renewable energy programs associated with solar systems the |
8 | municipality shall submit an explanation for delay in adopting or updating its comprehensive |
9 | solar siting ordinance to the office of energy resources and division of statewide planning within |
10 | forty-five (45) business days of the April 30, 2020, deadline, with an actionable plan to adopt a |
11 | comprehensive solar siting ordinance. This section shall not apply to any projects or active |
12 | systems that have submitted interconnection applications or have been awarded tariffs or grants |
13 | by the state or electric distribution company on or before April 30, 2020. |
14 | (e) All adopted municipal comprehensive solar siting ordinances shall be posted on the |
15 | office of energy resources’ website. Any updates made by a municipality to its comprehensive |
16 | solar siting ordinance in the future shall be provided to the office of energy resources for posting |
17 | within thirty (30) days of passage of ordinance updates by the municipality. |
18 | (f) The office of energy resources shall maintain and publish a list of municipalities in |
19 | compliance with this section and those that are not in compliance. The list shall be sent to the |
20 | governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house by May 15, 2020. |
21 | 42-140-11.2. Technical assistance to municipalities. |
22 | The office of energy resources and division of statewide planning shall, upon request, |
23 | provide technical assistance to any municipality in the development of its renewable energy siting |
24 | ordinances. |
25 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC002060/SUB A/2 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DISTRIBUTED GENERATION | |
INTERCONNECTION | |
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1 | This act would require municipalities to adopt comprehensive solar siting ordinances |
2 | addressing both roof, carport and ground mounted solar systems. |
3 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC002060/SUB A/2 | |
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