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Legislative & Regulatory
Update 
New Jersey
The following three bills were reported from the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on 1/14/2013.
S-814: Would Create Insurance Fund for Roof Damage from Solar Installations
The bill establishes a "Solar Roof Installation Warranty Program" within the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). The purpose of the program is to provide a source of indemnification to commercial, industrial and institutional building owners who install solar photovoltaic equipment on roofs but are unable to obtain sufficient warranty or insurance coverage against roof damage resulting from such installations. To implement the program, the NJEDA is required to establish, administer and maintain a "Solar Roof Installation Warranty Fund" in consultation with the Department of Banking and Insurance and the Board of Public Utilities.
Commercial, industrial and institutional building owners would be required to apply for participation in the warranty program at the time of installation of photovoltaic equipment on the roof, and to demonstrate to NJEDA that the installer does not offer a comprehensive 20-year warranty on the roof and that the installation of the equipment is not covered by any other warranty or insurance policy. The cost of participation would be $1,000 and the maximum amount to be paid from the warranty fund for a loss for any one building would be $50,000.
S-980 (Identical Bill A-2416):
Would Direct Dept. of Transportation to Advocate for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
The bill directs the New Jersey Department of Transportation to examine and encourage the development of electric vehicle charging stations, or any other source for supplying electricity for the charging of electric vehicles, as part of any project financed by the Transportation Trust Fund Authority.
S-2193 (Identical Bill A-3416):
Would Provide Tax Breaks for Alternative Fuel Vehicles & Related Equipment
The bill would provide that the sale of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and motor vehicles fueled exclusively by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or propane would be exempt from half of the tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act." The bill would also provide that the sale of equipment used exclusively to refuel or recharge such vehicles would be fully exempt from the tax.
Governor Issues Conditional Veto on Clean Car Commission Bill, Offers Alternative
Conditional Veto received in Assembly, 1/28/2013.
A-3028 (Identical Bill S-2198): With Gov. Chris Christie's action, the Assembly once again has the bill, which would create a 13-member Clean Car Commission (CCC) to encourage the state to adopt incentives to purchase clean cars. The CCC would also advise the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on low emission vehicle standards. The Governor vetoed the bill based upon inconsistencies with the State Energy Master Plan's emphasis on private rather than public investment, and recommends "identifying and reducing regulatory and other impediments to the usage of alternatively fueled vehicles" as an incentive to development and use of those vehicles rather than tax incentives. The veto also recommends shifting the focus of the bill from personal automobiles only to fleets or mass transit where alternative fuel may be more viable and may provide more environmental benefits.
Veto Message
Bill Information Page
Pennsylvania
Pa. DEP Announces Temporary Reactivation of Rebate Program to Fund Solar Projects
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced that it has received $7.25 million in funding to complete the DEP's Sunshine Solar Program, which had been in a waiting-list phase since August 2011 due to lack of funds. The additional funding will help pay for solar projects for homeowners and small businesses in the Commonwealth. The funding is enough to provide rebates for all projects on the waiting list and an estimated 400 additional installations this year, officials said.
In addition, Rep. Greg Vitali announced that he intends to introduce legislation to provide $25 million a year to the Sunshine Solar program, with the funds coming from the Marcellus Shale Impact Fee.
PADEP News Release
Rep. Vitali Statement
State Rep Will Introduce Bill to Bolster Renewable Energy Requirements
Rep. Greg Vitali announced he will introduce legislation that would increase the amount of electricity that electric distribution companies like PECO must obtain from renewable sources from 8 percent by 2021 to 15 percent by 2023. The legislation would also increase the requirement which must be satisfied from solar photovoltaic sources to 1.5% by 2023. The current requirement is 0.5% by 2020.
Rep. Vitali Statement
Federal
"Fiscal Cliff" Law Includes Extension of Wind Energy Tax Credit
The Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the Investment Tax Credits (ITC) will be extended until January 1, 2014, under the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, passed by Congress on January 1, 2013, and signed by President Obama. The extension of the PTC, included in the bill to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff," would apply to all U.S. wind projects that start construction in 2013.
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