State Level (Pending)

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE): What it is, and whether it can be implemented in Arizona

Posted on February 21, 2014 by brbarker

The essentials

(download full brief here)

  • Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) offers a path for building owners to fund energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects.
  • Under the PACE framework, a local government provides the up-front capital for a building owner to install an energy efficiency project and/or a renewable energy system on their building. The building owner repays the capital over the course of 20 years through a property assessment tax.
  • PACE is being successfully used in 12 states and Washington, D.C. for commercial properties. Many states also allow PACE financing for residential properties, but most residential financing programs have been shelved for now while the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issues rules related to lien seniority for mortgaged homes.
  • Developing a PACE program in Arizona would require passage of PACE-enabling legislation. PACE-enabling bills have been introduced in past legislative session, but have not been signed into law.
  • During the current 2014 session, State Reps. Orr (R) and Sherwood (D) are sponsoring PACE-enabling bill HB 2206.

E-SIDS & PACE Financing: local solutions to up-front costs to clean energy

Posted on April 24, 2012 by brbarker

(download full brief)

The essentials

  • Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Special Improvement Districts are funding mechanisms for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects within each district.
  • Funds are collected through a voluntary, 20-year property assessment tax.
  • AZ State Rep. Chad Campbell introduced Arizona HB 2298 this session, which would allow for the establishment of E-SIDS in Arizona.

SCM 1004 Recycling spent nuclear fuel; management

Posted on March 24, 2012 by brbarker

(download full brief)

The essentials

  • State Senator Al Melvin (R-26) sponsored SCM 1004, which requests access to money in the federal U.S. Nuclear Waste Fund
  • That money would be used to construct the nation’s first permanent nuclear recycling and waste storage site within Arizona
  • The federal Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future recently found an urgent need for permanent nuclear waste storage for the 65,000+ metric tons of nuclear waste in the U.S.
  • There are multiple significant risks connected with creating a permanent site, including risk from transportation of nuclear waste from the 43 states currently storing the waste and risk regarding potential groundwater contamination