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For Immediate Release
December 5, 2007
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Senate Passes Measure to Update Alternative Energy Portfolio
Standards
Clarifies law
to include biomass and low-impact hydropower resources.
Harrisburg – The state Senate today approved legislation that updates
Pennsylvania's alternative energy law to include biomass and low-impact
hydropower energy resources, according to Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21), who chairs
the Senate Special Session Committee on Energy Policies.
White said Special Session Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Sen. Mike Waugh
(R-28), corrects the exclusion of resources which were intended to be included
with passage of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004. The
resources were inadvertently omitted or nullified by subsequent Department of
Environmental Protection and Public Utility Commission legal interpretations
which failed to reflect the legislative intent of the law.
Special Session Senate Bill 25 incorporates provisions found in Special
Session Senate Bill 31, sponsored by Senator Don White (R-41). The bill also:
- Limits the resources clarified as part of Tier 1 sources to only those
generated in Pennsylvania. This provision is very similar to the underlying
provision of the entire AEPS law which limits eligible resources within a
defined geographic area and is similar to limitations found in other states
with renewable portfolio standards.
- Directs the PUC to increase the existing Tier I percentages required
under the AEPS law by an amount equal to those credits generated under the
bill. Therefore, there is no negative impact on existing Tier 1 alternative
energy resources.
Senator White worked directly with affected wind and other renewable energy
companies to find common ground on this important issue.
"This is a common-sense provision that corrects disparities within the
current AEPS while protecting other existing renewable resources like wind and
solar," said White.
The bill, among an array of measures approved recently by the Special Session
committee, was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT:
Pat Henderson
(717) 787-9684
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