STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10611
IN ASSEMBLY
June 20, 2024
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Santabar-
bara) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Energy
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to establishing
the "go green schools act" to assist schools in converting to renewa-
ble energy systems as a primary source of energy
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 "go green schools act".
3 § 2. Article 8 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
4 new title 9-D to read as follows:
5 TITLE 9-D
6 GO GREEN SCHOOLS ACT
7 Section 1920. Definitions.
8 1921. Mapping.
9 1922. Study.
10 1923. Reporting.
11 § 1920. Definitions. For the purposes of this title:
12 (a) "authority" shall have the same meaning as set forth in subdivi-
13 sion two of section eighteen hundred fifty-one of this article; and
14 (b) "renewable energy systems" shall have the same meaning as defined
15 in section sixty-six-p of the public service law.
16 § 1921. Mapping. 1. The authority shall develop a mapping tool to
17 provide to schools to assist such schools in converting to renewable
18 energy systems as a primary source of energy.
19 2. The mapping tool shall be posted prominently and publicly on the
20 authority's website and shall include the following features:
21 (a) provide sufficient information and guidance to schools to compre-
22 hensively evaluate what type or types of renewable energy systems will
23 be the most cost effective option for meeting the energy needs of each
24 school in the state; and
25 (b) renewable energy system siting information, such as: land use
26 cover data; disadvantaged communities; brownfields; previously disturbed
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14229-03-4
A. 10611 2
1 and developed sites including but not limited to large rooftops, parking
2 lots, and landfills; agricultural soils and agricultural districts;
3 forests; wetlands, floodplains, and waterbodies; historic, cultural, and
4 archaeological resources; public parks, preserves and recreational
5 resources; conserved and protected lands; hosting capacity; distrib-
6 ution, and transmission lines; and topography as relevant to siting
7 renewable energy systems.
8 3. The authority shall complete and post the mapping tool on its
9 website on or before December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-six.
10 § 1922. Study. 1. The authority, within twelve months of the effective
11 date of this title, shall conduct a study of the financial feasibility
12 and sustainability of converting each public school district to renewa-
13 ble energy as a primary source of energy.
14 2. Such study shall include, but not be limited to:
15 (a) the ability of each school district to safely house its own inde-
16 pendent energy harnessing source and store the energy harnessed, includ-
17 ing the use of nearby structures to create local storage battery facili-
18 ties nearby;
19 (b) the ability to plug schools that are not connected to a renewable
20 energy source into existing renewable energy sources, including but not
21 limited to solar farms, hydrogen energy plants, wind farms, geothermal,
22 and other renewable energy sources, as approved by the authority, that
23 are nearby;
24 (c) the creation of microgrids to connect school districts to local
25 renewable energy sources, and the cost to upkeep such microgrids; and
26 (d) recommendations regarding the most feasible renewable energy
27 sources for converting public school districts to renewable energy,
28 including the most cost-effective routes to connect schools with such
29 renewable energy sources.
30 § 1923. Reporting. 1. (a) The authority, no later than three months
31 following the completion of the mapping required pursuant to section
32 nineteen hundred twenty-one of this title and the study required pursu-
33 ant to section nineteen hundred twenty-two of this title, shall submit a
34 report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the
35 speaker of the assembly, containing the results of such mapping and the
36 findings of such study.
37 (b) The report required pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision
38 shall include, but not be limited to:
39 (i) recommendations for the most efficient ways to convert schools to
40 renewable energy systems; and
41 (ii) recommendations for financial savings programs to incentivize
42 school districts to convert to renewable energy systems.
43 2. The authority, no later than twelve months following the completion
44 of the mapping required pursuant to section nineteen hundred twenty-one
45 of this title and the study required pursuant to section nineteen
46 hundred twenty-two of this title, shall submit a second report to the
47 governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the
48 assembly, containing projections regarding the sustainability and upkeep
49 costs of the renewable energy projects recommended in the first report
50 required pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
51 § 3. Section 1854 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
52 new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
53 9. To develop and provide a mapping tool and assistance to each public
54 school district in converting to renewable energy sources as a primary
55 source of energy pursuant to title nine-D of this article.
56 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.