House
Energy and Utilities Subcommittee will take up two good bills and two bad bills
tomorrow morning. Please make calls
today!
Please
call the Subcommittee members listed below to urge them to SUPPORT HB 865 and
867 by Rep. Ray Rodrigues.
HJR
865 and HB 867 (both titled Renewable Energy
Source Devices) are
linked:
·
HB
865 would put a constitutional amendment on the 2016 ballot to extend the exemption
from ad valorem taxation for renewable energy devices to commercial and
industrial properties (instead of limiting the exemption to residential
property only.)
·
HB
867 is an implementing bill that would go into effect immediately when voters
adopt the amendment proposed in HB 865.
This would avoid the problem that happened with the residential tax
exemption amendment that voters adopted in 2008. The legislature failed to implement it for five
years.
The
Senate companion bills to Rep. Rodrigues’ bills
(SJR 400 (the constitutional amendment) and SB 402 (the implementing
bill)) both passed their first committee yesterday 8-0.
Please
also urge members to OPPOSE HB 949 by Rep. Wood and
House Memorial 949 by Rep. Rodrigues:
HB 849 -- Legislative Ratification/Department
of Environmental Protection by Rep.
Wood is
designed to prevent or delay Florida’s DEP from submitting a State
Implementation Plan (SIP) to comply with EPA’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) by
requiring legislative ratification before submission. If DEP
submits the plan without prior legislative ratification in order to meet the
deadline every rule that is needed to implement the SIP would have to be
ratified by the legislature before it can become effective. At best, this would mean long delays in
reducing carbon emissions. At worst, it
would prevent Florida from choosing how to meet the requirements of the CPP and
a federal plan would be imposed on the state.
The Clean Power Plan is part of the
President’s Climate Action Plan and proposes new carbon standards for power
plants. Florida’s s target reduction is
38% of our current emissions by 2030.
The EPA plan is heavily tilted toward
natural gas, but Florida is free to create its own plan. Our state is more than ready for renewable
energy and increased energy efficiency.
Transitioning to clean, renewable energy and saving energy through
increased efficiency will:
o reduce
emissions that hurt human health and
increase climate disruption
o increase
the diversity of our energy portfolio and reduce the state’s vulnerability to
price spikes
o create
jobs in the solar PV and thermal industry sector
o result
in lower energy costs for residents and businesses alike
HM 949 -- Regulation of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil
Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units by
Rep. Rodrigues
This
memorial sends a message to the US Congress urging them to direct the EPA to
decrease the EPA’s goals for carbon reduction and to delay both the
implementation and the deadlines for achieving the goals of the Clean Power
Plan. Delay is usually considered good
legal strategy, but it’s a bad idea where the health of the state and its
people is concerned.
House Energy and Utilities Subcommittee 2015
Rep. Dane Eagle, Chair 850-717-5077 dane.eagle@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Halsey Beshears, Vice Chair 850-717-5007 halsey.beshears@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Jason Brodeur 850-717-5028 jason.brodeur@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Janet Cruz 850-717-5062 janet.cruz@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Dwight Dudley 850-717-5068 dwight.dudley@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Tom Goodson 850-717-5050 tom.goodson@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Walter Bryan 'Mike' Hill 850-717-5002 mike.hill@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Matt Hudson 850-717-5080 matt.hudson@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Mike La Rosa 850-717-5042 mike.larosa@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Jeanette Nuñez 850-717-5119 jeanette.nunez@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel
Vasilinda 850-717-5009 michelle.rehwinkel@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Ray Rodrigues 850-717-5076 ray.rodrigues@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Alan Williams 850-717-5008 alan.williams@myfloridahouse.gov
