Solar Opportunity and Local Access Rights Act
Latest action · Jun 25, 2007 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Financial Services, and Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJun 25, 2007
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Solar Opportunity and Local Access Rights Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each state regulatory authority with ratemaking authority, and each nonregulated electric utility, to conduct a hearing, and on the basis of such hearing, adopt a net metering standard.
Requires retail electric suppliers to make net metering available to retail customers on a first-come-first-served basis.
Prescribes implementation requirements regarding: (1) net energy measurement; (2) billing practices; (3) ownership of credits; (4) safety and performance standards; and (5) determination of compliance.
Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to publish model interconnection standards for the physical connection between local distribution systems and qualified generation units and qualified electric generation units that do not exceed 2,000 kilowatts of capacity. Requires states to adopt such model standards, subject to FERC approval.
Prohibits a state or nonregulated utility from adopting or enforcing any standard or requirement concerning net metering or interconnection that restricts access to the electric power transmission or local distribution system by qualified generators beyond those established under this Act.
Allows states to adopt or enforce additional incentives or requirements to encourage qualified generation and net metering, including any that afford: (1) greater access to the electric power transmission and local distribution systems by qualified generators; or (2) greater compensation or credit for electricity generated by qualified generators.
Authorizes a contract for renewable energy for public buildings and properties for a maximum period of 30 years.
Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to condition receipt of certain community development block grant (CDBG) funds upon grantee certification that the cost of any permit or license, for construction or installation of any solar energy system for any structure, complies with certain requirements.
Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to issue regulations to prohibit any restriction impairing the ability of the owner or lessee of a one-family residential structure to install or use a solar energy system upon such property.
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a Center for Advanced Solar Research and Development.
Directs the Secretary to issue regulations also requiring that the application for approval of such a system: (1) be processed and approved in the same manner as an application for approval of an architectural modification to the property; and (2) not be willfully avoided or delayed.
Cosponsors 1
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jun 25, 2007.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-NJ | Mike Ferguson | Original | Jun 25, 2007 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 25, 2007Introduced in House
- Jun 25, 2007Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Financial Services, and Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Jun 25, 2007Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1016 | Solar Opportunity and Local Access Rights Act | Related bill | Mar 28, 2007 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Energy.
- Administrative fees
- Administrative procedure
- Alternative energy sources
- Block grants
- Building laws
- Commerce
- Community development
- Consumer protection
- Contracts
- Department of Energy
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Economics and Public Finance
- Electric power distribution
- Electric utilities
- Electric utility rates
- Energy
- Energy efficiency
- Energy industries
- Energy research
- Energy storage
- Executive reorganization
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Federal office buildings
- Federal preemption
- Government Operations and Politics
- Home repair and improvement
- Homeowners' associations
- Housing and Community Development
- Independent regulatory commissions
- Infrastructure
- Law
- Leases
- Licenses
- Public meetings
- Rental housing
- Research and development
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Single family housing
- Solar access rights
- Solar energy
- Standards
- State laws
- Technological innovations
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jun 25, 2007Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.