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Bill Detail: SB23-016

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Title Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Measures
Status Governor Signed (05/11/2023)
Bill Subjects
  • Energy
  • Natural Resources & Environment
House Sponsors E. Sirota (D)
K. McCormick (D)
Senate Sponsors C. Hansen (D)
House Committee Energy and Environment
Senate Committee Transportation and Energy
Date Introduced 01/10/2023
Summary

Section 1 of the bill requires that, beginning in 2024, each
insurance company issued a certificate of authority to transact insurance
business that reports more than $100 million on its annual schedule T
filing with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
must participate in and complete the NAIC's Insurer Climate Risk
Disclosure Survey or successor survey or reporting mechanism.
Section 2 requires the public employees' retirement association
(PERA) board, on or before June 1, 2024, to adopt proxy voting
procedures that ensure that the board's voting decisions align with, and
are supportive of, the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission
reduction goals.
Section 3 requires PERA to include as part of its annual
investment stewardship report, which report is posted on the PERA
board's website, a description of climate-related investment risks,
impacts, and strategies.
Section 4 adds wastewater thermal energy equipment to the
definition of pollution control equipment, which equipment may be
certified by the division of administration (division) in the department of
public health and environment (CDPHE). Similarly, section 5 adds
wastewater thermal energy to the definition of clean heat resource,
which resource a gas distribution utility includes in its clean heat plan
filed with the public utilities commission.
Section 6 updates the statewide GHG emission reduction goals to
add a 65% reduction goal for 2035, an 80% reduction goal for 2040, and
a 90% reduction goal for 2045 when compared to 2005 GHG pollution
levels. Section 6 also increases the 2050 GHG emission reduction goal
from 90% of 2005 GHG pollution levels to 100%.
Section 7 gives the oil and gas conservation commission
(COGCC) authority over class VI injection wells used for sequestration
of GHG if the governor and COGCC determine, in accordance with a
study that the COGCC conducted in 2021, that the state has sufficient
resources to ensure the safe and effective regulation of the sequestration
of GHG. If the governor and the COGCC determine there are sufficient
resources, the COGCC may seek primacy under the federal Safe
Drinking Water Act and, when granted, may issue and enforce permits
for class VI injection wells. The COGCC shall require, as part of its
regulation of class VI injection wells, that operators of the wells maintain
adequate financial assurance until the COGCC approves the closure of a
class VI injection well site.
Section 8 establishes a state income tax credit in an amount equal
to 30% of the purchase price for new, electric-powered lawn equipment
for purchases made in income tax years 2024 through 2026. A seller of
new, electric-powered lawn equipment that demonstrates that it provided
a purchaser a 30% discount from the purchase price of new,
electric-powered lawn equipment may claim the tax credit.
Current law requires an electric retail utility (utility) to offer a net
metering credit as the means of purchasing output from a community
solar garden (CSG) located within the utility's service territory and
establishes the means of calculating the net metering credit. Section 9
maintains that calculation if the CSG indicates to the utility that the CSG's
subscribers' bill credits change annually. If the CSG indicates to the utility
that the CSG's subscribers' bill credits remain fixed, however, section 9
provides a different calculation for determining the net metering credit.
Sections 10 through 12 incorporate projects to renovate or
recondition existing utility transmission lines into the Colorado Electric
Transmission Authority Act, allowing the Colorado electric transmission
authority to finance and renovate, rebuild, or recondition existing
transmission lines in order to update and optimize the transmission lines.
Section 13 requires a local government to expedite its review of
a land use application that proposes a project to renovate, rebuild, or
recondition existing transmission lines.
Section 14 makes a conforming amendment regarding the updated
statewide GHG emission reduction goals set forth in section 6.

Committee Reports
with Amendments
Full Text
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Fiscal Notes Fiscal Notes (09/07/2023) (most recent)  
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