State Legislators Push Senate and Assembly Bills for Sustainable Green Energy-


Assembly Bill 522 was recently proposed to initiate a Nevada State Energy Commission, which will help educate the public about saving energy, ease and accelerate the permit/lease process developers need from the Federal Bureau of Land Management to begin renewable energy, collect information about the companies to certify they meet tax decrease specifications and manage rebate programs for renewable energy development ventures. Previously, such duties have been spread among a variety of task services, committees, and agencies. If passed, AB 522 will help fortify current tax cut qualifications and present more accountability for companies delving into the green energy revolution. Businesses in large counties will be required to produce at least seventy-five new green energy jobs in the second quarter of its construction period and those jobs will need to compensate 110 percent of the statewide average of about $19/hour. Organizations will also need to make a principal investment of $10 million, increased from the present stipulation of $1 million. The discount for sales tax would also adjust so that businesses must pay local school support taxes, however, property tax reduction won’t involve any portion of the sales tax that supports education. North Las Vegas Assemblywoman, Marilyn Kirpatrick-D, studied the state’s existing tax abatements used to attract businesses in the meeting, stating, “We have to stay competitive, stay on the cutting edge, but at the same time we have to make sure that Nevada workers are part of the process.” She also went on to say that the new commission representative will be required to collect data which will help track businesses fulfillment with the obligations put in place. “There’s an accountability measure now, so we can go back and track them, and they’re not necessarily guaranteed the abatement unless they follow the rules,” said Kirkpatrick.

Nevada’s green energy potential is more than sufficient; the state is often referred to as the “Saudi Arabia of alternative energy”. Generous wind energy, solar power and plentiful hot springs have given Nevada an exceptional advantage in progressing statewide renewable energy investment opportunities. Despite their green energy generating capabilities, a significant issue hindering state renewable energy development is inadequate transmission lines connecting northern and southern power grids, a vital communication tool necessary to export renewable energy to other areas. Furthermore, the process for certification and development is much more difficult in Nevada, since 86 percent of the state is federally owned land. “You can have all the abatements in the world, but unless you have a system where you can move the projects forward smoothly, and without transmission lines, there’s no way,” affirmed Ausra Solar lobbyist, Alfredo Alonso. A further concern for statewide renewable energy is that not all companies will benefit from the AB 522 bill; currently, geothermal power plants are excluded due to budget cuts for that specific alternative energy. There are many legislators who support leaving geothermal power out of property tax cuts; although Assemblyman Chad Christensen, R-Las Vegas – who helped create the bill – would like to see it incorporated as a dependable form of renewable energy, stating, “We’re still working that out. I would like to see geothermal included, because Nevada is the place to put a geothermal project.” Senate Bill 358 also attempts to simplify the current measure by supplying a State Commissioner and offering more liberal tax discounts, which was brought forth by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas. Another proposal submitted by Horsford is the green jobs action, SB 152, which recommends using federal stimulus dollars to create renewable energy job prospects, train the upcoming renewable energy workforce and integrate smarter inter-state transmission lines. Many hope that the bills will pass, as Nevada is one of the states with the most renewable energy production ability; it will definitely take utmost persistence and perseverance from city and government officials to make Nevada’s green energy dream a reality.