Signed by Governor Chris Sununu

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a motion to adopt an "ought to pass" report for a bill that amends state energy and utility policies.

Highlights:

• Repeals the requirement for gas and electric utilities to submit least cost integrated resource plans with the public utilities commission (Sec. 1).

• Repeals the requirement that a municipal host under the Limited Electrical Energy Producers Act be located in the same municipality as all group members (Sec. 2).

• Requires that the Department of Energy provides an estimate of the annual cost of compliance with electrical renewable portfolio standards in customer’s electric bills (Sec. 3)

• Amends the responsibilities of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Committee as followed (Sec. 8):

• Removes the responsibility to monitor construction and operation of any energy facility;

• Removes the responsibility of enforcing the required terms and conditions of an issued certificate;

• Authorizes the committee to adjudicate enforcement matters;

• Removes ability to delegate the monitoring of construction or operations of any energy facility.

• Amends the application of certificate as followed (Sec. 9):

• Requires that applications are to be filled with the state agency having jurisdiction;

• Requires that the committee provide a notice of acceptance of the application to the applicant and applicable state agency.

• Requires that the committee approve changes of ownership and the transfer of certificates within 90 days of a petition if the new holder has adequate financial, technical, and managerial capabilities to assure construction and operations of the facility continue to comply with the terms and conditions of the certificate (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes public hearings to be joint hearings, except for state agencies and programs that are required by state or federal law to comply with program specific notice and public hearing requirements (Sec. 11).

• Amends monitoring and enforcement policy and assigns the transfers responsibility from the committee to the Department of Energy (Sec. 12).

• Authorizes the department to adopt additional rules regarding its monitoring and enforcement of responsibilities (Sec. 12).

• Requires that the committee issues an order granting or denying a certificate and summarize issues of concern expressed during public information sessions and hearings (Sec. 16).

• Appropriates money in the Site Evaluation Committee Fund for all monitoring and enforcement costs of the department, except the costs charged directly to applicants or owners (Sec. 16).

• Authorizes the department to engage additional technical, legal, or administrative support to fulfill requirements and charge them directly to the applicant or energy facility owner (Sec. 16). 

Full Bill Text