00                      CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 196(ENE)                                                                    
01 "An Act relating to the renewable energy grant fund and recommendation program."                                        
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1. AS 42.45.045(a) is amended to read:                                                                   
04            (a)  A renewable energy grant fund is established as a separate fund to finance                              
05       certain energy projects in Alaska for the purpose of providing affordable energy to                           
06       all communities in the state.                                                                                 
07    * Sec. 2. AS 42.45.045(d) is amended to read:                                                                      
08            (d)  The authority shall, in consultation with the advisory committee                                        
09       established under (i) of this section and the Department of Natural Resources,                                    
10 (1)  develop a methodology for determining the order of projects that                                                   
11 may receive assistance, including separate requirements for grant eligibility, and adopt                                
12 regulations identifying criteria to evaluate the benefit and feasibility of projects for                                
13 which an applicant applies for support from the legislature, with the most weight being                                 
14 given to projects that serve any area in which the average cost of energy to each                                       
15 resident of the area exceeds the average cost to each resident of other areas of the                                    

01       state, and significant weight being given to a statewide balance of grant funds and to                            
02       the amount of matching funds an applicant is able to make available;                                              
03                 (2)  provide technical assistance to communities with a population                                  
04       of less than 2,000 to help the community prepare and submit grant applications                                
05       for projects;                                                                                                 
06                 (3)  annually solicit and review grant applications for projects;                                   
07                 (4)  make recommendations to the legislature for renewable power                                    
08       production reimbursement grants; and                                                                              
09                 (5) [(3)]  not later than 10 days after the first day of each regular                               
10       legislative session, submit to the legislature a report summarizing and reviewing each                            
11       grant application submitted under this section and a recommended priority for                                     
12       awarding grants.                                                                                                
13    * Sec. 3. AS 42.45.045 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                              
14 (m)  The advisory committee appointed under (i) of this section shall elect a                                           
15 chair from among its members. The chair serves for a term of two years. The chair                                       
16 may not serve for consecutive terms. After a year of not serving as chair, the member                                   
17 is eligible for election as chair again. The advisory committee shall meet at the call of                               
18       the chair.