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AN ACT
RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY; AMENDING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
AND RENEWABLE ENERGY BONDING ACT TO PROVIDE FOR ASSESSMENTS,
CREATE A REVOLVING FUND, INCREASE THE DURATION OF INSTALLATION
CONTRACTS AND REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR A STATE PLAN; MAKING
AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. Section 6-21D-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005,
Chapter 176, Section 1) is amended to read:
"6-21D-1. SHORT TITLE.--Chapter 6, Article 21D NMSA
1978 may be cited as the "Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Bonding Act"."
Section 2. Section 6-21D-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005,
Chapter 176, Section 3) is amended to read:
"6-21D-3. BUILDING ASSESSMENTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
MEASURES.--
A. Upon the request of a state agency or a school
district, the department may perform an energy efficiency
assessment of a state or school district building to identify
the energy efficiency measures that can be installed and
operated at a total price that is less than the energy cost
savings realized. In addition, the assessment shall include a
schedule for funding and installing the energy efficiency
measures that will realize significant energy cost savings in
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the shortest time frame. The department shall develop the
assessment of:
(1) state buildings in conjunction with the
property control division of the general services department,
the staff architect of the division, the capitol buildings
planning commission and other state agencies with control and
management over buildings; and
(2) school district buildings, in
conjunction with the public education department, the public
school capital outlay council and the public school facilities
authority.
B. State agencies and school districts shall
cooperate with the department in the assessment performed
pursuant to Subsection A of this section."
Section 3. Section 6-21D-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005,
Chapter 176, Section 4) is amended to read:
"6-21D-4. CONTRACTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ENERGY
EFFICIENCY MEASURES.--Pursuant to an energy efficiency
assessment performed under Section 6-21D-3 NMSA 1978 and with
the approval of the department, a state agency or school
district may install or enter into contracts for the
installation of energy efficiency measures on the building
identified in the assessment. An installation contract shall
be entered into pursuant to the Procurement Code, except that
the contract may be entered into for a term of up to ten
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years. The installation or contracts shall address provisions
concerning payment schedules, monitoring, inspecting,
measuring and warranties as are necessary to ensure that the
energy efficiency measures will be installed and the energy
cost savings realized in the manner most beneficial to the
state; provided that bonds shall not be issued pursuant to the
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bonding Act without a
finding by the department that the energy cost savings
realized from the energy efficiency measures will be greater
than the debt service due on the bonds issued to finance the
energy efficiency measures."
Section 4. Section 6-21D-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005,
Chapter 176, Section 7) is amended to read:
"6-21D-7. ENERGY EFFICIENCY BONDS AUTHORIZED--
CONDITIONS--PROCEDURE.--
A. The authority is authorized to issue and sell
from time to time revenue bonds, known as "energy efficiency
bonds", in an amount outstanding at any one time not to exceed
twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), payable solely from the
fund, in compliance with the Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Bonding Act and the New Mexico Finance Authority Act
for the purpose of installing energy efficiency measures when
the department has certified the need for the bonds and the
conditions of Subsection C of this section have been
satisfied.
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B. The net proceeds from the bonds are
appropriated to the authority for the purpose of making
distributions to one or more state agencies or school
districts that, pursuant to an energy efficiency assessment by
the department, have committed to install energy efficiency
measures or entered into contracts for the installation of the
measures. Upon receipt of a distribution, the state agency or
school district shall deposit into the energy efficiency
assessment revolving fund the cost incurred by the department
to make the energy efficiency assessment on the building and
shall use the remainder for the installation of energy
efficiency measures pursuant to the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Bonding Act, provided that, after the
installation of the energy efficiency measures, any unexpended
balance of the bond proceeds shall revert to the energy
efficiency and renewable energy bonding fund.
C. Bonds shall not be issued pursuant to this
section unless:
(1) a state agency or school district has
committed to install or has entered into one or more contracts
pursuant to Section 6-21D-4 NMSA 1978 for the installation of
energy efficiency measures and the department has certified
that the resulting energy cost savings will be realized within
a reasonable time;
(2) considering the timeliness and amount of
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energy cost savings estimated to be realized from the energy
efficiency measures, the department has certified the
approximate date when the energy cost savings are most likely
to equal or exceed the debt service due on the bonds to be
issued to fund the energy efficiency measures;
(3) the life of energy efficiency measures
meets or exceeds the life of the bonds allocable to those
energy efficiency measures as determined by the department and
the authority; and
(4) based on the department's certification,
the debt service on the bonds has been structured by the
authority to preclude the annual debt service payments due
until the date that the cost savings equal or exceed the debt
service.
D. Each series of bonds shall be issued pursuant
to the provisions of the New Mexico Finance Authority Act,
except as otherwise provided in the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Bonding Act."
Section 5. Section 6-21D-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005,
Chapter 176, Section 10) is amended to read:
"6-21D-10. ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED.--No later than
December 1 of each year, the department shall report to the
legislature and to the governor on its activities during the
previous fiscal year in administering the provisions of the
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bonding Act. The
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report shall include:
A. details concerning all payments made for the
installation of energy efficiency measures;
B. details concerning all expenditures made in
administering the provisions of the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Bonding Act;
C. a list of all buildings on which an energy
efficiency assessment has been performed and the buildings in
which energy efficiency measures were installed;
D. details showing how the energy cost savings
were calculated;
E. an analysis of whether the program has been
cost-effective;
F. a summary of activities being conducted during
the present fiscal year; and
G. any additional information that will assist the
legislature and the governor in evaluating the program."
Section 6. A new section of the Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Bonding Act is enacted to read:
"ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT REVOLVING FUND.--The
"energy efficiency assessment revolving fund" is created in
the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations,
gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the fund and
reimbursements of costs incurred by the department in
performing energy efficiency assessments pursuant to the
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Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bonding Act. Income
from the fund shall be credited to the fund, and money in the
fund shall not revert or be transferred to any other fund at
the end of a fiscal year. Money in the fund is appropriated
to the department for the purposes of performing energy
efficiency assessments. Expenditures from the fund shall be
made on warrant of the secretary of finance and administration
pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of energy,
minerals and natural resources."
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