South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

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Bill 4766

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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

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COMMITTEE REPORT

May 22, 2008

H. 4766

Introduced by Reps. Lowe, Merrill, Crawford, Ballentine, Cobb-Hunter, Hagood, Harrell, Limehouse, E.H. Pitts, Scarborough, Spires, Young, Brady, R. Brown and Mulvaney

S. Printed 5/22/08--S.    [SEC 5/23/08 1:35 PM]

Read the first time April 30, 2008.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4766) to amend Section 48-52-620, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to energy conservation plans for state agencies, so as to provide specific energy, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, on page 2, by striking line 3 and inserting:

/    consumption for buildings in use on July 1, 2008, by twenty percent by July 1, 2020, relative to year     /

Amend the bill further, as and if amended, on page 3, by striking line 13 and inserting:

/    whose function is defined as athletics or research. For state technical colleges, this definition does not apply to those facilities whose primary function is to provide technical training and education in programs where significant energy consumption is necessary for the conduct of the academic program.        /

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

DANIEL B. VERDIN III for Committee.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 48-52-620, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ENERGY CONSERVATION PLANS FOR STATE AGENCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC ENERGY CONSUMPTION REDUCTION GOALS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, TO PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FROM ANNUAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR AN AGENCY IMPLEMENTING ALL AVAILABLE, COST-EFFECTIVE ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES, AND TO DEFINE THE TERM "ENERGY CONSUMPTION"; TO AMEND SECTION 48-52-640, RELATING TO PURCHASE OF ENERGY CONSERVATION PRODUCTS BY A STATE AGENCY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE ENERGY OFFICE MAY CERTIFY FOR PROCUREMENT ONLY A PRODUCT THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS FEDERAL ENERGY STAR STANDARDS, AND TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF AN INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULB USED BY A STATE AGENCY WITH A COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULB WHEN THE INCANDESCENT BULB NEEDS REPLACING, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 48-52-620 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 48-52-620.    (A)(1)    Each state agency and public school district shall submit for approval to the State Energy Office an energy conservation plan and energy conservation goals, including energy consumption goals for buildings in use on July 1, 2008, with a goal to reduce energy consumption by at least one percent annually for five consecutive years beginning July 1, 2008. The plan also must have a goal of ultimately reducing energy consumption by twenty percent by July 1, 2020, relative to year 2000 levels. An agency shall implement all available cost-effective energy-saving measures to pursue these goals. In determining whether an energy-saving method is cost effective, an agency should primarily consider the measure's cost effectiveness over a five-year period rather than within one fiscal year. The State Energy Office shall provide agency assistance and information needed to help meet these goals.

(2)    The provisions of this section do not apply to a building designed, constructed or rehabilitated, and maintained in compliance with the Energy Independence and Sustainable Construction Act of 2007.

(B)    In order to monitor energy consumption, the State Energy Office must determine those state buildings which that require individual metering. Metering must be installed by the agency, the cost of which must be borne by the agency responsible for the utility bill for the building.

(C)(1)    Each state agency and public school district annually shall submit periodic energy conservation reports in the manner and at such the times as required by the State Energy Office.

(2)    An agency that does not attain the annual reduction goals required by this section shall include in its report a detailed justification that it implemented all available, cost-effective energy conservation methods.

(3)    An agency that submits a report indicating it has implemented all available, cost-effective energy-saving measures as contemplated in subsection (A) is exempt from these reporting requirements for a year in which a subsequent report would indicate no status change. The agency must notify the State Energy Office that the agency is exempt under this item.

(D)    Each public school district and state agency shall submit to the State Energy Office and each state agency shall include in its annual report to the State Budget and Control Board:

(1)    activities undertaken implementing its energy conservation plan; and

(2)    progress made in achieving its energy conservation goals.

(E)    The State Energy Office shall compile the reports submitted pursuant to subsection (C) to be submitted annually, no later than December thirty-first, to the General Assembly. The State Energy Office shall provide suggested formats for plans and goals that must be submitted pursuant to subsection (A), reporting forms for reports required by subsection (C), and all technical assistance necessary for state agencies and school districts to satisfy the requirements of these subsections.

(F)    For purposes of this article:

(1)    'Energy consumption' includes, but is not limited to, electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and propane. Energy consumption must be measured using BTU's for each gross square foot.

(2)    'State agency' means a state government agency subject to the procurement code. For state institutions of higher learning, this definition only applies to those facilities greater than ten thousand gross square feet and does not include those facilities whose function is defined as athletics or research."

SECTION    2.    Section 48-52-640 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 48-52-640.    (A)    A vendor of energy conservation products making an energy conservation claim and attempting to sell to state government shall submit the product to the State Energy Office for evaluation and certification.

(B)    Only Energy conservation products certified by the State Energy Office may be purchased by a state agency subject to the state procurement code, but only if the State Energy Office considers use of the energy conservation product more cost efficient than an uncertified product over a five-year period. The State Energy Office may certify only a product that meets or exceeds the Federal Energy Star standards designed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy.

(C)    All A state agencies agency shall submit a disclaimer statement to the State Energy Office with their its annual report stating that they it did not purchase any an energy conservation products product that had not been certified by the State Energy Office.

(D)    Each state agency head shall require the agency's procurement officer or other person authorized to purchase supplies for the agency to replace an incandescent light bulb used by the agency with a compact fluorescent bulb when the incandescent bulb needs to be replaced, and if the agency determines use of a compact fluorescent bulb is more cost effective over a five-year period than use of an incandescent bulb. A state agency may purchase incandescent bulbs for the agency if the agency verifies, in writing, that compelling circumstances require the use of incandescent bulbs."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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