25470-25474
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 25470-25474
25470. As used in this chapter: (a) "Act" means the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). (b) "Allocation" means a loan of funds by the Department of General Services pursuant to the procedures specified in this chapter. (c) "Building" means any existing structure that includes a heating or cooling system, or both. Additions to an existing building shall be considered part of that building rather than a separate building. (d) "Department" means the Department of General Services. (e) "Energy audit" means a determination of the energy consumption characteristics of a building that does all of the following: (1) Identifies the type, size, and energy use level of the building and the major energy using systems of the building. (2) Determines appropriate energy conservation maintenance and operating procedures. (3) Indicates the need, if any, for the acquisition and installation of energy conservation measures. (f) "Energy conservation maintenance and operating procedure" means a modification or modifications in the maintenance and operations of a building, and any installations therein, based on the use time schedule of the building that are designed to reduce energy consumption in the building and that require no significant expenditure of funds. (g) "Energy conservation measure" means an installation or modification of an installation in a building that is primarily intended to reduce energy consumption or allow the use of a more cost-effective energy source. (h) "Energy conservation project" means an undertaking to acquire and to install one or more energy conservation measures in a building, and technical assistance in connection with that undertaking. (i) "Fund" means the Energy Efficient State Property Revolving Fund. (j) "Project" means a purpose for which an allocation may be requested and made under this chapter. Those purposes shall include energy audits, energy conservation and operating procedures, and energy conservation measures in existing buildings, and energy conservation projects. (k) "State agency" means a unit of state government, including any department, agency, board, or commission under the State of California. (l) "State-owned building" means a building that is primarily occupied by offices or agencies of a unit of state government and includes those properties owned by the State of California. 25471. (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Energy Efficient State Property Revolving Fund for the purpose of implementing this chapter. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the money in this fund is continuously appropriated to the department, without regard to fiscal years, for loans for projects on state-owned buildings and facilities to achieve greater, long-term energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy cost and use avoidance. (b) The fund shall be administered by the department. The department may use other funding sources to leverage project loans. (c) For the 2009-10 fiscal year, the sum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) shall be transferred into the Energy Efficient State Property Revolving Fund from money received by the commission pursuant to the act to be used for purposes of the federal State Energy Program. (d) The Controller shall disburse moneys in the fund for the purposes of this chapter, as authorized by the department. (e) Moneys in the fund, including all interest earnings, shall be clearly delineated and distinctly accounted for in accordance with the requirements of the act. 25472. (a) The department, in consultation with the commission, shall establish a process by which projects are identified and funding is allocated. (b) Beginning July 1, 2009, the department shall use money in the fund for projects that will improve long-term energy efficiency and increase energy use savings. (c) The department shall comply with the requirements of the act and implementing guidelines of the commission, including, but not limited to, performance metrics, data collection, and reporting. All projects must be consistent with these requirements and guidelines. (d) Funding prioritization shall be granted to those projects that are cost-effective and will yield immediate and sustainable energy efficiency, energy conservation, energy use cost savings, and cost avoidance. (e) The department shall fund allowable projects through a loan to the appropriate state agency or agencies occupying the building or facility for which the project will be performed. (f) The department shall determine a reasonable loan repayment schedule that may not exceed the life of the energy conservation measure equipment, as determined by the department, or the lease term of the building in which the energy conservation measure is installed. (g) Maximum loan amounts shall be based on estimated energy cost savings that will allow state agencies to repay loan principal and interest within the maximum repayment term specified in this section. (h) The department shall periodically set interest rates on the loans based on surveys of existing financial markets and at rates of not less than 1 percent per annum. (i) Annual loan repayment amounts shall be structured so as to reflect the projected annualized energy cost avoidance estimated from the completed project. The department may utilize a direct billing methodology to recover loan repayments for completed projects. 25473. (a) On or before January 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the department, in collaboration with the commission, shall submit to the Legislature's fiscal and appropriate policy committees a report that includes an initial list of projects identified and planned for the 2009-10 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter. The report also shall include the anticipated cost of each project, an analysis of the results of the methodology, and an estimate of energy savings to be achieved. (b) On or before July 1, 2010, the department, in collaboration with the commission, shall submit to the Legislature an update to the January 1, 2010, report. 25474. (a) Any repayment of loans made pursuant to this chapter, including interest payments, and all interest earnings on or accruing to, any money resulting from the implementation of this chapter in the Energy Efficient State Property Revolving Fund, shall be deposited in that fund and shall be available for the purposes of this chapter. (b) The department may recover costs of administering the projects and related costs through energy utility rebates awarded to the state agency as a result of completed projects up to 5 percent of the project loan amounts. Project costs can include energy efficiency improvements and costs associated with managing the project and administering the loan program, including all reporting requirements.