An Act To Require State Agencies To Use Renewable and Sustainable Energy and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §1770-A is enacted to read:
§ 1770-A. Renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Environmentally preferable products and services" means products and services that, when compared with other similar products or services, as applicable, contain recycled materials, conserve energy or water, minimize waste and packaging, are less toxic or hazardous, reduce the generation, release or disposal of toxic substances, protect open spaces or otherwise lessen the impact of such products or services on public health and the environment.
B. "Sustainability coordinator" means a person designated by a state agency to oversee that agency's work to implement the renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines established pursuant to subsection 2.
2. Renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction timelines and targets. The Governor's Energy Office, the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection, Efficiency Maine Trust, Department of Administrative and Financial Services and Department of Transportation shall establish, by February 1, 2021, renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines for all state operations. Solar panels or similar solar technologies must be considered and included as a method to achieve the targets and timelines whenever possible. The Governor's Energy Office shall post the targets and timelines on its publicly accessible website.
3. State agency sustainability coordinators. Each state agency shall designate a sustainability coordinator and may establish internal sustainability teams.
4. Leadership team. The sustainability coordinators designated under subsection 3 by the Governor's Energy Office, Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, Department of Environmental Protection, Efficiency Maine Trust, Department of Administrative and Financial Services and Department of Transportation compose the leadership team and shall meet regularly to track the progress in meeting the renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines and to identify, develop and implement additional requirements to improve consistency and cost efficiencies in the targets and timelines. The Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and the Governor's Energy Office sustainability coordinators shall facilitate and support the work of the leadership team.
5. Agency sustainability coordinators to work with leadership team. An agency's sustainability coordinator shall act as the agency's liaison with the leadership team under subsection 4. An agency's sustainability coordinator shall develop and implement a plan for the agency to meet or exceed the renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines established pursuant to subsection 2. In developing the plan, the sustainability coordinator shall consider policies including, but not limited to:
A. Installing solar panels or similar solar technologies on existing public buildings;
B. Prioritizing energy and fuel efficiency when upgrading building systems, appliances and vehicle fleets;
C. Installing renewable and sustainable energy generation and energy storage on state property or procuring energy from low-carbon sources;
D. Promoting use of electric vehicles and installation of electric vehicle charging stations on state property; and
E. Reducing employees' vehicle mileage by encouraging video conferencing; telework options; and commuting by carpool, public transit, bike and foot and by offering preferred parking, bike storage and other incentives to encourage these options.
6. Program. The Governor's Energy Office shall coordinate with the Efficiency Maine Trust to create a program to promote and fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs or increase low-carbon energy adoption and efficiency, including solar panels or similar solar technologies.
7. Capitol Planning Commission master plan. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall update the master plan developed by the Capitol Planning Commission pursuant to section 299 to implement the renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines established in subsection 2.
8. Biennial report. Every 2 years, the leadership team under subsection 4 shall submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature that includes, for all state agencies and operations, the annual energy use, energy sources, greenhouse gas emissions and progress on the renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines established in subsection 2. Each state agency shall post the report on the agency's publicly accessible website.
9. Procurement. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, all state agencies shall procure environmentally preferable products and services whenever such environmentally preferable products and services are readily available, perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value to the State. Agencies shall consider the total cost of ownership of products and services, including all costs associated with the production, purchase, transportation, use, operation and disposal of such products or services. Agencies shall consider environmentally preferable products and services sourced in the State when total costs are competitive.
10. Waste management. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, all state agencies shall encourage practices that lead to healthier and less wasteful workplaces. Such practices may include, but not be limited to, improving recycling and composting, reducing use of plastic, foam and single-use products and providing information to state employees about reducing their workplace carbon footprints and reducing solid waste in the workplace. Annual recognition may be awarded to agencies, projects or employees that are leading by example.
11. New facility siting and designing. State agencies shall account for climate change projections, including, but not limited to, sea level rise and increased precipitation and temperature, when siting and designing new state facilities and other construction projects. When procuring leased space, state agencies shall make every available effort to increase the resiliency of these facilities and infrastructure. Agencies shall consider continuity of operations and resilience in building system design for critical facilities.
summary
This bill requires renewable and sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines to be established for state agencies by February 1, 2021. Solar panels or similar solar technologies must be considered and included as a method to achieve the targets and timelines as appropriate. The bill requires the Governor's Energy Office, the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Efficiency Maine Trust, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and the Department of Transportation to work together to establish these targets and timelines and to submit a biennial progress report to the Governor and the Legislature. Each of these offices and departments, and each other state agency, must designate a sustainability coordinator. The sustainability coordinator is responsible to develop and implement a plan for the agency to meet or exceed the targets and timelines. State agencies are required to procure environmentally preferable products and services as long as certain conditions are met. State agencies are encouraged to adopt and implement practices to decrease waste in the workplace. State agencies are required to account for climate change when siting or designing new state facilities or other construction projects.