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Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 and 5 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §3327, sub-§7  is enacted to read:
 
7.  Wind and other energy planning assistance.     The council shall provide wind and other energy planning assistance in accordance with this subsection.
 
A.  The council shall develop information resources and coordinate the activities of member agencies to assist the State's political subdivisions, rural electrification cooperatives and other municipal or quasi-municipal entities or municipally owned corporations that provide electric transmission, distribution or generation services to develop, design, construct, install and finance wind and other renewable electricity generation projects to the extent possible using available financing incentives under federal and state law.
 
B.  The council shall coordinate the activities of member agencies to assist the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of General Services in identifying and planning for the construction of wind and other renewable electricity generation projects to be located at buildings or public works now owned or leased or constructed, acquired or leased by the State or any department, office, board, commission or agency of the State for the purpose of providing all or a portion of the electricity needs of such state facilities. The council shall assist the Department of Administrative and Financial Services in developing proposals for the development of such projects to be financed from money borrowed by the State to the extent possible using available financing incentives under federal law.
 
The council shall form one or more advisory groups of persons with relevant expertise and experience to advise the council in undertaking its responsibilities under this subsection. In its annual report submitted pursuant to subsection 4, the council shall describe its activities pursuant to this subsection.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 9 to 13 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 9. 35-A MRSA §3403, sub-§3  is enacted to read:
 
3.  Opportunities for development of wind energy resources.    The chair of the Energy Resources Council established in Title 5, section 3327 shall monitor developments in technology and in state and federal law to determine whether opportunities are available for the development of wind energy resources by the State's agencies, political subdivisions, rural electrification cooperatives and other municipal or quasi-municipal entities or municipally owned corporations that provide electric transmission, distribution or generation services. The chair shall regularly advise the Energy Resources Council of the chair's findings under this subsection.’
Amend the bill by inserting after section 13 the following:
‘Sec. 14. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Public Improvements - Planning/Construction - Administration 0057
 
Initiative: Provides funds for a part-time Mechanical Engineer position.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09	
POSITIONS - FTE COUNT	0.000	0.500	
Personal Services	$0	$39,185	
 	  	  	
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$39,185	
 
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment amends the provisions of the bill regarding the responsibilities of the Energy Resources Council to provide wind and other energy planning assistance to clarify that this assistance is intended to cover municipal or quasi-municipal entities and municipally owned corporations that provide electric service in addition to the State's political subdivisions and rural electrification cooperatives. It amends the provision of the bill regarding monitoring of legal and technological developments that may affect the potential for development of wind power resources to direct the chair of the Energy Resources Council, rather than the Public Utilities Commission, to do this work.
This amendment removes the provisions of the bill that expand the authority of municipal electric districts and rural electrification cooperatives to allow them to sell energy to wholesale customers and to buy and sell electricity products in addition to electricity and to allow municipal electric districts to sell electricity and electricity products outside the district. It also removes the provision that establishes a state policy favoring the development and ownership of wind energy projects by state agencies and political subdivisions. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)