2023 New York Laws › PBA - Public Authorities › Article 8 - Miscellaneous Authorities › Title 9-C - Renewable Energy Outreach and Community Planning Assistance Program › 1910 - Statement of Legislative Findings and Intent.

* § 1910. Statement  of  legislative findings and intent. 1. Findings.
The legislature hereby finds, determines, and declares:
(a) New York will need  to  accelerate  the  deployment  of  renewable
energy  projects,  both  large-scale  and distributed energy systems, in
order to achieve the mandates of the New York state  climate  leadership
and  community  protection act enacted as chapter one hundred six of the
laws of two thousand nineteen (the "CLCPA").
(b) In addition to the authority's procurement programs  and  improved
state   permitting   processes,   renewable   energy   projects  require
collaboration between host communities and renewable  energy  developers
in order to be successfully and appropriately sited and constructed.
(c) Local land use decisions are important to meeting the goals of the
CLCPA,  but  communities  often do not have capacity or sufficient tools
and information to effectively plan for renewable energy siting.
(d) Community concerns regarding the potential impacts of  large-scale
and  distributed  energy  systems  are  different,  but both can provide
energy cost savings for residents and businesses in the community, local
infrastructure improvement, local tax  revenue  and  economic  benefits,
local job creation, and cleaner air.
(e)  There has been a lack of information about the local benefits and
impacts of renewable energy technology development and the best ways for
communities to maximize benefits while avoiding and mitigating impacts.
(f) A multi-pronged approach  is  necessary  to  provide  communities,
including  disadvantaged communities as designated under the CLCPA, with
the information and tools necessary to support  the  appropriate  siting
and  acceptance  of  renewable  energy  sources,  including wind, solar,
storage and transmission and distribution upgrades.
2. Intent. It is the intent of the legislature in enacting this  title
to  empower the authority to establish effective programs and mechanisms
to:
(a) Educate the public and build consensus on the benefits of a  shift
to  renewable energy technologies, which will provide jobs, lower energy
costs and reduce price volatility, and reduce the need for  fossil  fuel
based  power,  bringing clean air and public health benefits and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions that lead to climate change and its impacts;
(b) Provide  information  and  assistance  to  communities  and  local
representatives  to  promote  the  appropriate  and successful siting of
renewable  energy  projects,  including   wind,   solar,   storage   and
transmission and distribution system upgrades;
(c)  Equip  local  governments with the tools they need to effectively
consider natural and working lands, the potential  for  co-location  and
dual-use  solutions,  effective  utilization  of previously disturbed or
developed sites, and protecting disadvantaged communities when  planning
for renewable energy projects in their communities; and
(d)  Help  communities  develop  and  adopt local planning, zoning and
other policies that support the sustainable and equitable development of
local renewable energy technology  through  processes  that  ensure  and
enhance  public  outreach,  education  and  engagement,  particularly in
frontline communities that have historically  been  disenfranchised  and
discriminated against in the local land use decision-making process.
* NB Repealed December 31, 2031