Ensure that disadvantaged communities receive 35% of benefits.
- Date Due:
- N/A
- Responsible Entity:
- NYS Agencies
- Action:
- Ensure that disadvantaged communities receive 35% of benefits.
- Summary:
- NYS agencies, authorities and entities, in consultation with the EJWG and CAC, will invest to ensure that disadvantaged communities receive 35% of overall benefits of spending on clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects or investments, with the goal of achieving 40%.
- Status:
- ONGOING: The New York Public Utility Commission has adopted a goal for 40% of the benefits of post-2019 Clean Energy Fund spending to go to Disadvantaged Communities under the CLCPA. ONGOING: The New York Public Utility Commission has adopted a goal for 40% of the benefits of post-2019 Clean Energy Fund spending to go to Disadvantaged Communities under the CLCPA. On Sept. 11, 2023, Governor Hochul announced a State Energy Financing Fund for entities offering affordable financing for decarbonization projects that deliver benefits to disadvantaged communities. DEC and NYSERDA have released draft guidance for State entities to inform the investments and benefits reporting on compliance with § 75-0117.
- Statute:
- CLCPA § 2 adds ECL § 75-0117
The CLCPA instructs NYS state agencies, authorities and entities to invest/direct available and relevant programmatic resources in a manner designed to achieve a goal for disadvantaged communities to receive 40% percent of overall benefits of spending on clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects or investments, provided that they receive at least 35% of the benefits.
Statutory Language:
CLCPA § 75-0117: "State agencies, authorities and entities, in consultation with the environmental justice working group and the climate action council, shall, to the extent practicable, invest or direct available and relevant programmatic resources in a manner designed to achieve a goal for disadvantaged communities to receive forty percent of overall benefits of spending on clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects or investments in the areas of housing, workforce development, pollution reduction, low income energy assistance, energy, transportation and economic development, provided however, that disadvantaged communities shall receive no less than thirty-five percent of the overall benefits of spending on clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects or investments and provided further that this section shall not alter funds already contracted or committed as of the effective date of this section."