Energy Bill: State of Florida
The legislation includes a Renewable Fuel Standard requiring that beginning on December 31, 2010, all gasoline sold in Florida contain, at a minimum, 10% ethanol, by volume.
Addressing a broad range of energy and climate related issues
HB 7135 serves as comprehensive energy legislation for the state of Florida. The bill addresses a broad range of energy and climate related issues and builds on previous efforts by the governor and state legislature. HB7135 includes regulatory, policy, incentive and institutional elements and is Florida’s effort to address the "interrelated issues of energy reliability, efficiency, affordability, and diversity and global climate change."
The bill, which includes measures typical of state energy policies throughout the country, sets Florida apart by authorizing the state to establish a cap and trade program for electric utilities which will be managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Several of the bill's measures will affect local government policy and operations, such as extending the Public Service Commission (PSC) authority over certain municipal electric utilities and adopting energy standards for local public buildings (city, county, school). However, it also provides incentives to public entities for achieving the overall greenhouse gas reduction targets.
State of Florida legislation HB7135:
- Creates a 9-member Florida Energy and Climate Commission
- Authorizes the DEP to adopt rules for a Cap-and-Trade Regulatory Program to address GHG emissions from electric utilities
- Revises the State Comprehensive Plan to include goals and policies addressing low carbon electricity generation
- Authorizes the PSC to adopt a Renewable Portfolio Standard for public utilities
- Requires the PSC to adopt goals to increase and promote cost-effective demand-side and supply-side efficiency and conservation programs and renewable energy systems
- Revises laws governing state lands and power plant and power line siting to facilitate expanded power generation
- Provides for standardized interconnection agreements and net metering for all electric utilities
- Reauthorizes an ad valorem tax exemption for renewable energy source devices
- Extends the PSC jurisdiction to municipal utilities meeting certain criteria
- Creates a Renewable Fuel Standard requiring all gasoline sold in Florida contain, at a minimum, 10% ethanol by volume
- Adopts energy standards for the construction of new state, county, municipal, school district, state university, community college, state court, and water management district buildings
- Requires all new construction and renovation of state agency buildings to meet increased energy standards Revises current law governing guaranteed energy, water, and wastewater performance savings contracting
- Includes Climate Friendly Public Business requirements for the use of “green” products, lodging, vehicles, and fuel
The used water from a home, community, farm, or industry that contains dissolved or suspended matter. Not fit for human consumption.Energy that comes from sources that are not depleted by use. Examples include energy from the sun, wind, and small (low-impact) hydropower, plus geothermal energy and wave and tidal systems.A term used for significant changes over an extended period of time in the Earth's natural environments. Climate change can be produced by natural processes (e.g. changes in the Earth's orbit) or by the impact of human behavior (e.g. deforestation). See GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.A liquid produced from the chemical fermentation of sugars in plant materials. The liquid is consumed in alcoholic drinks, used as fuel, and added to gasoline as a fuel enhancer.Greenhouse gases are a part of the Earth's atmosphere and are both naturally occurring and the result of human chemical processes. The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluourocarbons. These gases trap heat and thus contribute to the warming of the planet. See also CFCS and GREENHOUSE EFFECT.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
