Senate Bill sb0384
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 384
By Senator Bullard
39-366-07
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 for the selection of
10 projects funded by the program; providing
11 criteria for determining project eligibility
12 and prioritizing funding of eligible projects;
13 requiring persons whose project is funded to
14 provide written reports; authorizing rulemaking
15 by the department; providing an effective date.
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17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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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.
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 384
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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 before July 1, 2007. To be eligible for
23 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
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 384
39-366-07
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 to the department an annual written report that
28 describes the activities conducted, the project participants,
29 the benefits resulting in comparison to the initial project
30 goals and objectives, and the events that significantly
31 affected the outcome, including a full accounting of the
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Florida Senate - 2007 SB 384
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1 income and expenditures of the project which specifies the
2 expenditure of funds received under this section. If a project
3 or portion of a project is completed in less than 1 year, the
4 report must be provided within 3 months after completion.
5 (5) The department may adopt rules to administer this
6 section.
7 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.
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10 SENATE SUMMARY
11 Provides for establishment of the Biomass Energy and
Economic Development Program by the Department of
12 Environmental Protection in consultation with the Office
of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development. Requires a
13 competitive process for the selection of projects funded
by the program. Provides criteria for determining project
14 eligibility and prioritizing funding of eligible
projects. Requires persons whose project is funded to
15 provide written reports. Authorizes rulemaking by the
department.
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