Establishes a floating solar incentive and education program

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4571

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    February 7, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
          cations

        AN  ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to establishing
          a floating solar incentive and education program

          THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section  1.  The  public  authorities  law  is amended by adding a new
     2  section 1885 to read as follows:
     3    § 1885. FLOATING SOLAR INCENTIVE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. 1. AS USED  IN
     4  THIS  SECTION  THE  TERM  "FLOATING SOLAR" SHALL MEAN SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC
     5  SYSTEMS MOUNTED ON FLOATING STRUCTURES OR PLATFORMS ON THE SURFACE OF  A
     6  BODY  OF  WATER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CANALS, LAKES, RESERVOIRS,
     7  AND PONDS.
     8    2. THE AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A FLOATING SOLAR  INCEN-
     9  TIVE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM PURSUANT TO STANDARDS AND CRITERIA PROMULGAT-
    10  ED  BY  THE  AUTHORITY  WHICH  SHALL  PROVIDE  INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
    11  INCLUDING  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE,  ACCESS  TO  INDUSTRY  STANDARDS,  AND
    12  FINANCING  AVAILABLE  THROUGH  THE  AUTHORITY OR OTHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
    13  SECTOR SOURCES, TO MUNICIPALITIES, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, DESIGN  PROFES-
    14  SIONALS, AND POTENTIAL OWNERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLOATING SOLAR.
    15    3. THE PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    16    (A) GRANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLOATING SOLAR;
    17    (B)  IDENTIFICATION OF BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES FOR SITING FLOAT-
    18  ING SOLAR PROJECTS THAT PROTECT THE ECOSYSTEMS OF BODIES OF WATER;
    19    (C) MONITORING ANY IMPACTS FLOATING SOLAR MAY HAVE ON  WATER  QUALITY,
    20  WATER CONSERVATION, AND ALGAE CONTROL; AND
    21    (D)  ESTABLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
    22  ABOUT SITING, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE,  AND  AVAILABLE  INCENTIVES  ON
    23  FLOATING SOLAR.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09075-01-5
        S. 4571                             2

     1    4.  THE  AUTHORITY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
     2  AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, SHALL  PROMULGATE  ALL
     3  RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.
     4    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
     5  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
     6  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
     7  tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
     8  completed on or before such effective date.