New York A 2720: Enacts the "solar for schools act"; appropriation

Bill Text

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A02720 Summary:

BILL NOA02720 

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SAME ASSAME AS S02632

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SPONSORShrestha

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COSPNSRLevenberg, Forrest, Schiavoni, Colton, Gallagher, Valdez, Rosenthal, Kelles, DeStefano, Brown K,
 Burdick, Gonzalez-Rojas, Reyes, Mitaynes, Burroughs, Taylor, Cunningham, Kassay, Lee, Glick,
 Alvarez, Cruz, Tapia, Simon, Moreno, Griffin

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

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Add §1885, Pub Auth L

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Enacts the solar for schools act which provides grants for eligible school districts to purchase and install solar and geothermal power sources; defines terms; directs the New York state energy and research development authority to establish such grant program; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof; makes an appropriation therefor.

Go to top A02720 Actions:

BILL NOA02720 

&nbsp

01/22/2025referred to corporations, authorities and commissions

03/21/2025reference changed to energy

01/07/2026referred to energy

Go to topA02720 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA02720 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA02720 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 2720

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 January 22, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. SHRESTHA -- read once and referred to the Commit-
 tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting the
 "solar for schools act"; providing for the repeal of such provisions
 upon expiration thereof; and making an appropriation therefor

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "solar for schools act".
 3 § 2. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section
 4 1885 to read as follows:
 5 § 1885. Solar and geothermal for schools grant program. 1. For the
 6 purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following
 7 meanings:
 8 (a) "Eligible applicant" shall mean a public school district and shall
 9 include school districts located in disadvantaged communities as defined
 10 in section 75-0101 of the environmental conservation law.
 11 (b) "Eligible project costs" shall mean any costs related to the
 12 purchase and installation of equipment and any other costs related to a
 13 solar or geothermal energy project.
 14 (c) "Program" shall mean the solar and geothermal for schools grant
 15 program established pursuant to subdivision two of this section.
 16 (d) "Qualified provider" shall mean a person or business that can
 17 evaluate, recommend, design, implement and install a solar or geothermal
 18 energy project.
 19 (e) "School facility" shall mean an educational building and surround-
 20 ing premises owned by an eligible applicant.
 21 (f) "Solar energy or geothermal project" shall mean a project at a
 22 public school facility related to photovoltaic, solar thermal, geother-
 23 mal, or any combination of the above devices that convert, transfer, or
 24 store solar energy, geothermal energy, or both in or into usable forms

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00092-02-5

 A. 2720 2

 1 of thermal energy, electric energy, or both. Projects shall not include
 2 power purchase agreements.
 3 (g) "Solar or geothermal facility site assessment" shall mean an eval-
 4 uation of a school facility performed by a qualified provider to ascer-
 5 tain whether a school facility is capable of supporting a solar energy
 6 or geothermal project and estimates of the amounts by which an eligible
 7 applicant's energy or operating costs will be reduced by a solar or
 8 geothermal energy project.
 9 2. (a) The authority, in coordination with the New York power authori-
 10 ty, shall establish a solar and geothermal for schools grant program for
 11 eligible applicants on a competitive basis.
 12 (b) A grant awarded to an eligible applicant pursuant to this section
 13 shall be eligible for fifty percent of project costs related to a solar
 14 or geothermal energy project. Program funds shall be disbursed to
 15 accepted applicants before work begins. Applicants shall include esti-
 16 mates