Every Wednesday, Stateside Associates will feature energy-related legislative, regulatory, and federal programs impacting state and local public policies and proceedings, including upcoming Groups events, activities, and conversations in This Week in Energy.
For more information on our Energy Practice, please contact Taylor Beis.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
HAWAII
The House Housing Committee will hold a hearing on February 12 regarding:
HB 346. This measure provides rebates for the installation of eligible electric vehicle-ready parking stalls for new construction of affordable housing.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
HB 243: This measure requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a streamlined grid-ready home interconnection process. It also requires a report to the Legislature on the streamlined grid-ready home.
Contact: Ian Thompson
The Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on February 12 regarding SB 1588. This measure establishes a nuclear energy task force within the state energy office to advance nuclear power by studying the feasibility of using advanced nuclear power technologies; evaluating the benefits, risks, and barriers to developing advanced nuclear technology; and identifying potential short-term and long-term nuclear energy goals.
Contact: Ian Thompson
INDIANA
The Senate Utilities Committee will hold a hearing on February 13 regarding HCR 3. This measure urges the regional transmission organizations Indiana is a part of (MISO and PJM) to take steps to prioritize transmission and generation additions proposed by load serving entities and determined by the Utility Regulatory Commission as necessary for resource adequacy.
Contact: Ian Thompson
MARYLAND
The Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hold a hearing on February 13 regarding:
SB 116: This measure requires the Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration, and University of Maryland School of Business to study the potential environmental, energy, and economic impacts of data center development in Maryland.
Contact: Ian Thompson
SB 316: This measure establishes a statewide energy storage goal, creates a zero-emissions credit program for nuclear power plants, modifies offshore wind transmission requirements, creates an SREC-II renewable energy credit program, creates a small solar program, establishes state energy procurement goals, and provides General Assembly support for the renewal of the license for the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant.
Contact: Ian Thompson
SB 332: This measure establishes a task force to study the "premature retirement of electricity generation facilities". The task force must assess cost savings for customers, the impact of retirement on reliability, the environmental impacts of premature retirement, potential electric shortages, and an infrastructure transition analysis.
Contact: Ian Thompson
The Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hold a hearing on February 18 regarding SB 913. This measure requires the owner of public electric vehicle supply equipment to register with the Secretary of Agriculture on or before certain dates.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
NORTH DAKOTA
The House Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on February 13 regarding HB 1614. This measure prohibits an automated truck tractor from being operated on a highway to transport passengers or goods unless an individual with a valid commercial driver's license is physically present in the automated truck tractor. The individual must be able to monitor the performance of the automated truck tractor and take control of driving the vehicle.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
OHIO
The House Energy Committee will hold a hearing on February 12 regarding: HB 15. This measure generally restructures numerous portions of Ohio's electricity market and provides numerous provisions related to electric equipment taxation
Contact: Ian Thompson
OKLAHOMA
The House Energy Committee will hold a hearing on February 12 regarding HB 1375. This measure requires the Corporation Commission to submit a requisition for a technical and legal feasibility study regarding nuclear energy generation in Oklahoma.
Contact: Ian Thompson
VERMONT
The House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on February 12 regarding HB 125. This measure requires the Department of Public Services to publish a report regarding the economic impacts of the clean energy transition.
Contact: Ian Thompson
WASHINGTON
The House Consumer Protection and Business Committee will hold a hearing on February 14 regarding HB 1721. This measure authorizes a qualified zero-emissions vehicle manufacturer to provide direct sales of such vehicles if it establishes at least two service centers within the state and provides a mobile service for vehicle owners within the state, before the commencement of any direct sales of zero-emissions vehicles.
Contact: Maxwell Klein
REGULATORY and LOCAL UPDATES
REGULATORY HIGHLIGHTS
CALIFORNIA
The Public Utilities Commission will accept comments until February 17 on an order instituting a rulemaking on customer-generated renewables for priority communities.
Contact: Marshall Bellando
MASSACHUSSETTS
The Grid Modernization Advisory Committee will meet on February 13 to discuss a summer stakeholder session, upcoming Council agendas, and other topics.
Contact: Genevieve Kaplan
NEW YORK
The Department of Public Service will hold a public hearing on February 18 and 19 on proposed rules concerning the Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act.
Contact: Jose Cordero
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
For more information regarding the below local highlights, please contact Stephanie Rojo, Senior Director of Local Services.
COLORADO
On February 14, the Fort Collins Planning and Zoning Commission will consider an item pertaining to Building Performance Standards (BPS). The city is exploring BPS to reduce carbon emissions from local buildings, improve air quality, and boost economic opportunities by setting energy efficiency targets for commercial and multi-family buildings with flexible compliance options and community input shaping the proposed policy. If approved, BPS would require building owners to meet energy efficiency targets based on building type with options like waivers, caps, and renewable energy credits to accommodate unique circumstances.
MARYLAND
On February 11, the Montgomery County Council held a public hearing to review Executive Regulation 17-23AM, Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). The regulation would set numerical site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) performance standards for building groups, define how renewable energy will be incorporated into performance metrics, and define the elements required in Building Performance Improvement Plans (BPIPs). The regulation is required by Bill 16-21, which expanded the number of buildings covered by existing benchmarking requirements, created a Building Performance Improvement Board, and required energy performance standards to be established by regulation for covered buildings with a gross floor area of 25,000 gross square feet or greater.
Meeting video: Link to Meeting Video
OREGON
On February 13, the Portland Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee will receive a carbon emissions briefing. The committee will discuss the city’s carbon emissions and ongoing climate action efforts.
GROUPS EVENTS
For more information on upcoming events, contact Taylor Beis.
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
Winter Policy Summit
Washington, D.C.
February 23 - 26
