February 27 11:09 PM

The Conservation Hotlist

Published

By the Conservation Voters of South Carolina

IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK

Conservation Bank Funding (PRIORITY)

As the full House considers the 2008-‘09 budget in the upcoming weeks, we encourage members to follow the lead of the Ways and Means Committee, and make additional funding for the Conservation Bank a priority. We ask the General Assembly to appropriate an additional $20 million for the Conservation Bank next year and to make a serious commitment to incremental installments over the next five years. We consider an increase in funding as a down payment toward protecting our state’s natural heritage.

South Carolina’s rapid growth exceeds the amount of land conserved, and project requests far surpass the available funds. Last year, grant requests totaled $42 million, nearly double the $24 million funded.

Net Metering (H.3395, S.684, PRIORITY) H.3395 by Representatives Laurie Funderburk and Mac Toole will be considered by the House Public Utility Subcommittee (Representatives Bill Sandifer- Chair, Grady Brown, Glen Hamilton, Phillip Owens, Skipper Perry, Olin Philips) on Tuesday, February 26 upon adjournment of the full L.C.I. Committee (approximately 3:30) in Blatt Room 403.

S.684 remains in Judiciary Subcommittee (Sen. Luke Rankin- Chair, Robert Ford, Randy Scott, Paul Campbell). A second meeting has not yet been scheduled. These bills require the SC Energy Office and the Office of Regulatory Staff to provide the legislature with recommendations on the process and procedures for establishing a net metering program at all of the state’s electric utilities.

Green Power (H.4705, PRIORITY)

This bill by Rep. Joan Brady establishes a pilot program whereby three state agencies, the Budget and Control Board, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health and Environmental Control, will purchase at least 1 percent of their electricity from green power programs that are available in their service areas. H.4705 remains in the House Ways and Means Committee.

IN THE SENATE THIS WEEK

Reliable Water (S.428)

Stakeholders continue negotiations in an effort to reach consensus on several key components of S.428, including guidelines for determining how much water must remain in our rivers and streams to foster a healthy environment. The Agriculture Committee (Sen. Danny Verdin- Chair, Larry Grooms, Phil Leventis, Harvey Peeler, John Matthews, Yancey McGill, Brad Hutto, Dick Elliott, Jake Knotts, Ronnie Cromer, Kevin Bryant, Chip Campsen, Ray Cleary, Joel Lourie, Kent Williams, Jim Ritchie, Paul Campbell) will meet to consider this bill at its next meeting in March.

The Surface Water Reporting, Use and Permitting Act would regulate large withdrawals of surface water, and give the state the ability to permit and manage its finite water resources. Since neighboring states have already approved such legislation, we are at a disadvantage if we can’t accurately account for the amount of water needed by our existing users.

The conservation community continues to advocate for a bill that provides equitable protection of water levels for recreation, aquatic life, industry and agriculture.

Energy Efficiency Package (S.1140, 1141, 1142, 1143, PRIORITY)

Last week, Senators Glenn McConnell, Harvey Peeler, Luke Rankin, Larry Martin, Phil Leventis, Thomas Alexander, Wes Hayes, Brad Hutto, Nikki Setzler and Catherine Ceips introduced four bills that set goals and establish incentives to help make South Carolina more energy efficient:

S.1140 establishes energy efficiency and renewable energy goals for state government and directs state agencies to procure energy efficient products and replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs by July 1, 2011 (referred to Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee).

S.1141 establishes an incentive program for the purchase of Energy Star certified manufactured homes in South Carolina by providing a $750 rebate payment and a sales tax exemption to consumers (referred to Finance Committee).

S.1142 provides a state income tax credit equal to 20 percent of the federal credit for qualified expenditures on photovoltaic, solar and fuel cell property and provides a sales tax exemption for the purchase of equipment that produces electricity from a renewable energy source (referred to Finance Committee).

S.1143 provides two one-month sales tax holidays for the purchase of energy efficiency appliances, ranging from water heaters to programmable thermostats, during October, National Energy Efficiency Month, and April, National Earth Month (referred to Finance Committee).

Operation Empowered (S.1076, PRIORITY)

This bill by Sen. Glenn McConnell would create a private, non-profit fund to assist low-income South Carolinians in reducing their energy consumption. Key legislators have been working with the conservation community, investor-owned utilities, Santee Cooper and the electric cooperatives to build support for a package of energy efficiency bills that will help South Carolinians become more energy efficient. This bill remains in a Judiciary Subcommittee (Sen. Luke Rankin- Chair, Robert Ford, Randy Scott, Paul Campbell).

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