Bill Description: Senate Bill 1303 would expand the types of “renewable energy resources” the state can fund with royalties from federal lands and allow for other appropriations.
Rating: -1
Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?
Senate Bill 1303 would amend Section 57-1306, Idaho Code, which deals with “moneys received from the sale, royalties, bonuses, or rental of renewable energy resources on lands of the federal government.”
Currently, 90% of such funds, along with “any moneys from the federal government collected pursuant to the federal power act, 16 U.S.C. 803(e)(1), for the use of lands of the federal government” is deposited by the state treasurer into the “renewable energy resources fund.” The law says, “Moneys in the renewable energy resources fund may be expended pursuant to appropriation and may be used by the administrator of the office of energy and mineral resources consistent with duties, powers and authorities of the office.”
The bill would change the name of the “renewable energy resources fund” to the “energy resources fund” and make two changes to the law, both of which would serve to expand the scope of (and consequently, the spending from) this fund.
The first change would be to expand the definition of “renewable energy resources,” which is currently limited to “geothermal, wind and solar resources.” Under the bill, it would be defined as “geothermal, wind, solar, and other sustainable energy resources.”
It would not define “sustainable energy resources,” which allows for future expansion of the definition simply by deeming an “energy resource” to be “sustainable”.
The second change would add another source of funding for the (now renamed) “energy resources fund,” namely “such other moneys as may be provided by legislative appropriation.” This change could result in a significant expansion of the fund’s current limited purpose.
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