Senate Bill sb1520
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1520
By Senator Bullard
39-533-06
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Biomass Energy and
3 Economic Development Program; providing
4 definitions; directing the Department of
5 Environmental Protection, in consultation with
6 the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic
7 Development to establish a program to fund
8 biomass energy projects; requiring a
9 competitive process to select projects funded
10 by the program; providing criteria to determine
11 project eligibility and prioritize funding of
12 eligible projects; requiring persons whose
13 project is funded to provide written reports;
14 authorizing rulemaking by the department;
15 providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Biomass energy and economic development.--
20 (1) As used in this section, the term:
21 (a) "Biomass energy" means a source of energy that is
22 developed or deployed in this state and derived from renewable
23 organic matter.
24 (b) "Department" means the Department of Environmental
25 Protection.
26 (c) "Financial assistance" means funding through
27 various means, including grants, loans, or loan guarantees.
28 (d) "Renewable organic matter" means paper and trees,
29 plants, or animal wastes that are naturally recurring and,
30 unlike fossil fuels, can be used to produce energy
31 indefinitely without diminishing in availability or abundance.
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1520
39-533-06
1 (e) "Sponsor" means the person or group of persons
2 that seeks or receives funding for a project under this
3 section.
4 (2) The department, in consultation with the Office of
5 Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development shall establish the
6 Biomass Energy and Economic Development Program. The purpose
7 of the program is to stimulate the development and deployment
8 of biomass energy in a manner that provides widespread
9 economic benefits in this state, including more jobs,
10 increased business and educational opportunities, and enhanced
11 energy self-sufficiency by a reduced reliance on imported
12 fossil fuels. The department shall administer the program as
13 provided in this section.
14 (3) Using funding that is available from state or
15 federal sources, the Biomass Energy and Economic Development
16 Program shall provide financial assistance to eligible
17 projects that are selected through a competitive-procurement
18 process.
19 (a) Program funds may not be used for conferences, for
20 organizational support, or to support a project or phase of a
21 project if the financing for that project was secured or
22 otherwise approved on or before July 1, 2006. To be eligible
23 for funding, a project must:
24 1. Assist with achieving the purpose of the program as
25 stated in subsection (2).
26 2. Have a sponsor whose technical and financial
27 experience and credentials are appropriate to successfully
28 undertake and complete the project.
29 3. Be proposed for completion within 2 years, or such
30 other period as the department specifies by rule. A
31
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1520
39-533-06
1 longer-term project may be divided into shorter phases that
2 are evaluated as separate projects.
3 4. Produce biomass energy.
4 5. Specify deliverables and have a work plan and
5 budget that are feasible and complete.
6 6. Achieve other goals that are consistent with the
7 purpose of the program as stated in subsection (2) and adopted
8 by rule of the department.
9 (b) In selecting eligible projects, the department
10 shall give priority to new biomass energy projects that:
11 1. Leverage significant commercial, institutional,
12 financial, or technical resources.
13 2. Have demonstration value that will accelerate the
14 commercial deployment of biomass energy.
15 3. Coordinate initiatives within the State University
16 System involving the research, development, demonstration, and
17 deployment of biomass energy.
18 4. Build technical and financial capability for
19 biomass energy within a region.
20 5. Foster sustainable development in rural areas of
21 this state.
22 6. Are not otherwise easily fundable.
23 7. Achieve other goals that are consistent with the
24 purpose of the program as stated in subsection (2) and adopted
25 by rule of the department.
26 (4) Each sponsor receiving funds under this section
27 shall provide the department with an annual written report
28 that describes the activities conducted, the project
29 participants, the benefits resulting in comparison to the
30 initial project goals and objectives, and the events that
31 significantly affected the outcome, including a full
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2006 SB 1520
39-533-06
1 accounting of the income and expenditures of the project which
2 specifies the expenditure of funds received under this
3 section. If a project or portion of a project is completed in
4 less than 1 year, the report must be provided within 3 months
5 after completion.
6 (5) The department may adopt rules to administer this
7 section.
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
9
10 *****************************************
11 SENATE SUMMARY
12 Provides for establishment of the Biomass Energy and
Economic Development Program by the Department of
13 Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Office
of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. Requires a
14 competitive process to select projects funded by the
program. Provides criteria to determine project
15 eligibility and prioritize funding of eligible projects.
Requires persons whose project is funded to provide
16 written reports. Authorizes rulemaking by the department.
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.