HB 369 - AS INTRODUCED
2023 SESSION
23-0261
08/10
HOUSE BILL 369
AN ACT establishing a task force to provide energy relief on farms.
SPONSORS: Rep. McGhee, Hills. 35; Rep. Ming, Hills. 35; Rep. Vallone, Rock. 5; Rep. Stapleton, Sull. 6; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a task force to provide energy relief on farms.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
23-0261
08/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT establishing a task force to provide energy relief on farms.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Sunlit Farm Energy Relief Task Force. Amend RSA 425 by inserting after section 26 the following new subdivision:
Sunlit Farm Energy Relief Task Force
425:27 Sunlit Farm Energy Relief Task Force.
I. There is established a sunlit farm energy relief task force which shall assist New Hampshire farmers in accessing money to transition to cleaner and more sustainable electric generation practices and lowering electricity costs.
II. Membership of the task force shall be as follows:
(a) The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food, or designee.
(b) The commissioner of the department of energy, or designee.
(c) Two solar industry experts, appointed by the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food.
(d) Two members of the agricultural community, appointed by the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food.
(e) An expert on procuring federal funding for state agencies, appointed by the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food.
(f) A representative of the United States Department of Agriculture, appointed by that department.
(g) A representative of the department of business and business affairs, appointed by the commissioner.
III. The task force shall:
(a) Establish a sunlit farms energy relief program to determine how New Hampshire farmers may qualify for federal renewable agriculture funding, under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Public Law No. 117-169 to help transition their electricity costs to more local, sustainable generation practices.
(b) Establish the criteria and application process for farmers to apply for financial assistance in conjunction with the federal Inflation Reduction Act guidance and secure timing and updates from the United States Department of Agriculture as to relevant federal milestones and deadlines.
(c) Determine whether it is worthwhile to use federal funds to provide tax credits for farmers planning to invest in stationary or tracking arrays to defray or eliminate electricity costs from their operations; determine whether supplying a one-time credit on sustainable infrastructure might make greater investment feasible. The task force shall determine how the Inflation Reduction Act funding may best be used by New Hampshire farmers to allow them to modernize their farm energy practices. The overriding goal is to help farmers to lower their future cost of doing business, and to support a healthy, local food supply for the people of New Hampshire.
(d) Make a recommendation to the general court by October 1, 2023, on the potential economic benefits of adopting an agricultural net metering credit for power generated beyond 1 MW (and below 5 MW). The task force shall also submit a report of it's findings to the house science, technology, and energy committee and the senate environment and energy committee by November 1, 2023.
(e) The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food shall serve as the chair of the task force and shall call the first meeting of the task force. Four members of the task force shall constitute a quorum.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.