Resolution 080327

..Title Urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass House Bill 0001, which will allow the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to issue bonds, loans, and grants for alternative and renewable energy projects. ..Body WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has taken various measures to attract new economic development projects in rapidly growing industries because of a stronger commitment to clean and renewable energy; and WHEREAS, These measures include the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004, as amended, which demonstrated Pennsylvania's commitment to alternative and renewable energy and created growth in the solar, wind, biomass, and methane industries through $1 billion dollars in new private investment and approximately 2,500 jobs; and WHEREAS, House Bill 0001 continues upon these efforts and assists the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority ("Authority") to achieve its "mission to finance clean, advanced energy projects in Pennsylvania;" and WHEREAS, House Bill 0001 also supports the policy objectives of the Authority, which includes diversification of energy generation, expanding the market for clean energy technologies, services, and fuels, evaluating the funding and feasibility of alternative and renewable energy projects, and leveraging state dollars with various federal grants, legislative appropriations, and private dollars; and WHEREAS, And through this and other ways, House Bill 0001 supports these objectives and mission by creating a $5 million dollar loan program to finance energy efficient home improvements, a $25 million dollar grant program to promote the construction of high performance and green buildings, a $25 million dollar initiative to provide for pollution control technology projects at coal-fired electric generating facilities, and a $30 million dollar grant and loan program to support the development of wind energy projects; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby urge the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass House Bill 0001, which will allow the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to issue bonds, loans, and grants for alternative and renewable energy projects. FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the House and Senate leadership of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. ..End 2