A RESOLUTION ON GRID MODERNIZATION STORAGE
WHEREAS, energy storage is a critical component of smarter energy infrastructure;
WHEREAS, energy storage, smarter energy infrastructure, and grid modernization enable greater customer choice, improve the efficiency, reliability, and resiliency of the energy grid, and facilitate the integration of more clean energy and distributed energy resources, while maintaining reliability and affordability;
WHEREAS, investments by electric companies to build and operate energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure support communities for the purpose of creating a better quality of life for citizens;
WHEREAS, investments by electric companies to deploy energy storage technologies and systems and other smarter energy infrastructure contribute to maintaining the reliability of the electric grid and improved operations by electric companies to the benefit of all consumers; and
WHEREAS, National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) recognizes that a smart grid that includes energy storage is one component of a comprehensive effort to creating and maintaining access to clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy options for all consumers.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) urges local elected officials to collaborate with regulators, policymakers and stakeholders to develop policies that remove barriers to energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure deployment and help realize the full economic, environmental, and societal benefits of these resources;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL supports a competitive market, where electric companies, businesses, governments, and other stakeholders are able to participate in the owning, leasing, operating, or maintenance of energy storage and other smart energy infrastructure;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL recognizes the crucial role played by electric companies that integrate technology onto the electric grid in deploying smarter energy infrastructure;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL supports electric company investments in energy storage and other smart energy infrastructure to help ensure all citizens have access to, and may take part in the benefits of, a smarter electric grid, as well as spur innovation and technology deployment;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL, while recognizing that building energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure will evolve over time and additional principles may emerge, endorses the following foundational principles for the purpose of educating its members and identifying issues of interest to local policymakers, states, the federal government and others: (1) energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure investments provide benefits to customers and (2) electric companies should be able to invest in energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure and have a clear path for cost recovery in support of efforts to maximize the opportunities and benefits energy storage and other smarter energy infrastructure may provide society; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NBCSL send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of Congress, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.
- SPONSOR: Representative Billy Mitchell (GA)
- Committee of Jurisdiction: Energy, Transportation, and Environment Policy Committee
- Certified by Committee Chair(s): Representative Billy Mitchell (GA) and Representative Cherrish Pryor (IN)
- Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is November 30, 2018
- Ratification is certified by: Representative Gregory W. Porter (IN), President
A RESOLUTION CALLING UPON THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO RESTORE CLIMATE FUNDING
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2018, the United States Congress passed its $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package for the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), which kept the government funded from October 1, 2017, through September 20, 2018, thus avoiding a potential government shutdown;
WHEREAS, the FY18 Budget passed the United States Representatives by a vote of 256-167 and passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 65-32, with bipartisan support in both Houses;
WHEREAS, the FY18 spending bill eliminated allocation for funding for the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);
WHEREAS, the GCF is the largest and newest international climate fund which the Obama Administration pledged $3 billion in 2014 and made two $500 million installments in 2016 and 2017, which left the United States with a balance due to the fund of $2 billion, which is roughly 20% of the fund’s $10.3 billion in total pledges;
WHEREAS, Congress’ refusal to honor our country’s pledge of support to the Green Climate Fund not only damages the United States’ credibility and prominence in international negotiations and influence over the fund’s direction, but also undermines the 76 GCF approved projects which will avoid 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and bolster the resilience of over 217 million people to climate impacts;
WHEREAS, the IPCC and the UNFCCC are the chief international entities responsible for integrating state of the art climate science with climate diplomacy; and
WHEREAS, after funding was completely eliminated in the FY17 budget, a number of European countries voluntarily moved to increase their funding, and Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged $15 million to make up for the deficiency created by the United States is not honoring this vital international covenant.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) urges the United States Congress to maintain the international prominence and probity of our nation by restoring much-needed funding of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and restore our country’s leadership in global climate diplomacy; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NBCSL send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of Congress, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.
- SPONSOR: Representative Brenda Gilmore (TN)
- Committee of Jurisdiction: Energy, Transportation, and Environment Policy Committee
- Certified by Committee Chair(s): Representative Billy Mitchell (GA) and Representative Cherrish Pryor (IN)
- Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is November 30, 2018
- Ratification is certified by: Representative Gregory W. Porter (IN), President