PACE Resolution

RESOLUTION:     SUPPORT to amend EXISTING Enabling legislation (a40004) regarding MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FINANCING PROGRAMs

WHEREAS, most energy consumed in the Tompkins County community is used for heating and lighting buildings, making retrofitting the existing building stock key to making significant strides in reducing energy use in the community; and

WHEREAS, in November 2009, by Chapter 497 of the Laws of 2009, the State of New York authorized an amendment of the General Municipal Law by creating Article 5-L to allow municipalities to create Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs (known in New York State as "Sustainable Energy Financing Programs") to promote the deployment of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement measures at residential and commercial properties; and

WHEREAS, Sustainable Energy Financing Programs assist property owners interested in making energy efficiency improvements or installing renewable energy systems in their buildings by providing a new financing mechanism to augment federal and state incentive programs; and

WHEREAS, Sustainable Energy Financing Programs are self supporting and designed to have no adverse budgetary impact to the municipality administering the program, and will be an "opt-in" benefit affecting only those residents who choose to participate; and

 WHEREAS, the Town/Village/City/County of ___________ wishes to increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings, reduce energy costs for residents, reduce carbon emissions to help mitigate climate disruption, reduce the negative health effects of fossil fuel emissions, create and retain local jobs in the energy audit and energy contracting sector, and bolster the local economy by saving residents monies which would otherwise be spent on energy costs; and

WHEREAS, the Town/Village/City/County of ___________  wishes to explore mutually beneficial ways of:

• Leveraging private sources of capital with other public and private resources to accomplish these objectives; and
• Coordinating efforts with Federal, State, and other agencies and authorities to assure that activities are compatible with the plans and programs of the cooperating municipalities; and

 WHEREAS, the Sustainable Energy Financing Program enabled by Article 5-L should be amended to allow broader sources of funding while securing and facilitating such programs, and such legislation is now pending in the New York State Senate and Assembly, now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Council/Board of Trustees/Legislators of Town/Village/City/County of __________ supports pending legislation in the NYS Senate (#S7683) and companion legislation in the NYS Assembly (#TBA) to amend, strengthen and correct technical deficiencies within the current enabling laws authorizing Sustainable Energy Financing Programs,

RESOLVED, further, That the Town/Village/City/County of __________ Clerk is authorized to forward this resolution in support of amending current enabling laws authorizing Sustainable Energy Financing Programs to Governor David A. Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, Senator George Winner, Senator James Seward, Senator Michael Nozzolio, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, and the New York State Association of Counties/ New York State Association of Towns/New York Conference of Mayors.