Senate File 452 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 368)
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 172)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act directing the office of energy independence to establish a
2 community grant program for energy efficiency projects, and
3 allocating appropriated amounts for purposes of funding the
4 program.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 469.10, Code 2009, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new subsection:
1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 4A. Of the moneys appropriated to the
1 4 office and deposited in the fund, notwithstanding section
1 5 469.9, subsection 4, the board shall utilize four percent of
1 6 the amount appropriated for each fiscal year for purposes of
1 7 awarding grants for energy efficiency projects pursuant to the
1 8 community grant program established in section 469.11. Of the
1 9 moneys allocated pursuant to this section for each fiscal
1 10 year, the office may utilize up to fifty thousand dollars for
1 11 administrative costs. Moneys allocated to the program which
1 12 remain unawarded at the close of the fiscal year may be
1 13 utilized by the office for any other purpose specified in and
1 14 consistent with this subchapter.
1 15 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 469.11 ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS
1 16 == COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM.
1 17 1. The office shall establish a community grant program
1 18 with the objective of assisting communities and organizations
1 19 to implement projects intended to reduce energy consumption
1 20 and make communities in this state more sustainable and energy
1 21 efficient.
1 22 2. a. Eligible applicants for the program shall include
1 23 cities, counties, nonprofit organizations, organizations
1 24 involved with energy efficiency or conservation efforts, and
1 25 environmental organizations or groups.
1 26 b. Eligibility and approval criteria shall be established
1 27 by the office by rule, and shall incorporate the criteria
1 28 established in section 473.41, subsection 1, paragraphs "a"
1 29 through "d", with regard to the energy city designation
1 30 program.
1 31 c. Projects shall encourage partnerships between public
1 32 and private sector groups, and develop collaboration and
1 33 community involvement in energy efficiency efforts. Eligible
1 34 projects may include but are not limited to the following:
1 35 (1) Projects promoting the installation of renewable
2 1 energy systems by homeowners or small businesses.
2 2 (2) Projects for the development of community energy
2 3 saving plans.
2 4 (3) Programs that publicize energy savings opportunities
2 5 in the community.
2 6 (4) Kindergarten through grade twelve education programs
2 7 that focus on increasing community energy efficiency efforts.
2 8 (5) Projects for the creation of community or regional
2 9 energy efficiency alliances.
2 10 (6) Projects for the development of a low=cost energy
2 11 efficiency public awareness campaign, highlighting strategies
2 12 and success stories.
2 13 d. To qualify for a grant pursuant to the program, an
2 14 applicant must document the ability to provide matching funds
2 15 of at least fifty percent of the total cost of the project,
2 16 either in cash or in kind.
2 17 3. The office shall establish an application and approval
2 18 process that shall result in the awarding of an approved grant
2 19 within a three=month period following receipt by the office of
2 20 an application. Grants awarded pursuant to the program shall
2 21 range from between one thousand dollars and fifty thousand
2 22 dollars each.
2 23 4. The office shall prepare an annual report summarizing
2 24 the operation of the program, and shall submit the report by
2 25 January 1 each year to the Iowa power fund board.
2 26 EXPLANATION
2 27 This bill directs the office of energy independence to
2 28 establish a community grant program for energy efficiency
2 29 projects. Grant awards pursuant to the program would vary
2 30 between $1,000 and $50,000, and eligibility and approval
2 31 criteria shall be established by the power fund board by rule,
2 32 including criteria specified with reference to the energy city
2 33 designation program in Code section 473.41. The bill provides
2 34 a nonexclusive list of possible eligible projects, and states
2 35 that projects subject to a grant award shall encourage
3 1 partnerships between public and private sector groups, and
3 2 develop collaboration and community involvement in energy
3 3 efficiency efforts. The bill provides that the office shall
3 4 utilize 4 percent of the amount annually appropriated to the
3 5 office during the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2009, and
3 6 ending June 30, 2011, for purposes of funding the program, and
3 7 out of that amount the office may utilize up to $50,000 for
3 8 administrative costs. These provisions are set forth in the
3 9 bill notwithstanding Code section 469.9, subsection 4, which
3 10 specifies due diligence activities and documentation
3 11 requirements relating to entities conducting business,
3 12 research, or programs in this state and receiving financial
3 13 assistance from the fund.
3 14 The bill specifies that applicants for the program may
3 15 include cities, counties, nonprofit organizations,
3 16 organizations involved with energy efficiency or conservation
3 17 efforts, and environmental organizations or groups. An
3 18 applicant shall be required to document the ability to provide
3 19 matching funds of at least 50 percent in either cash or kind.
3 20 The bill provides that approved grants shall be awarded within
3 21 three months following submission of an application.
3 22 The office is directed to prepare and submit to the Iowa
3 23 power fund board an annual report summarizing the operation of
3 24 the programs.
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