Community Broadband – Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress set aside $7.2 billion to be used for expanding broadband availability and demand. The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program is designed to expand broadband access to those who do not have it, either because they are underserved or unserved [terms that were yet to be defined by the FCC and NTIA]. Additionally, some of the funds were marked to be used for educational purposes, such as training and support.

Crucially, it privileges entities accountable to the public for grants.  Though private companies are able to apply, they must be judged to be in the public interest to receive funds.

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Wind Energy Taxation – Minnesota

As part of the 2002 Omnibus Tax Bill (Laws of Minnesota 2002, Chapter 377) the legislature has changed the way wind energy projects are taxed. From now on, wind energy projects in Minnesota will be exempt from property taxes and instead will be required to pay local taxing districts a direct payment based on the electricity production from the wind turbines. The tax is on a sliding-scale based on the size of the wind energy project.… Read More

Community Choice Aggregation – San Francisco, CA – Energy Independence Initiative

In May 2004, San Francisco adopted an Energy Independence Ordinance using California’s Community Choice Aggregation law (Laws of California 2002 Chapter 838) as a purchasing and ratesetting authority, and will issue revenue bonds, called H Bonds, to finance a 360 MW public works project. The energy projects would be equivalent to more than a third of the city’s electrical capacity needs and on average would supply about 14 percent of the city’s electric consumption (MWhs) without arate increase.… Read More

Community Choice Aggregation – Ohio

Ohio was the second state in the nation to offer community choice. Its community choice provision is modeled after that in Massachusetts’ 1997 electric restructuring law. Ohio has given local governments the right, after a vote by their city council, to become the default supplier.… Read More

Community Choice Aggregation – Massachussets

Massachusetts was the first deregulated state to decide that the town or city should be the default supplier in the event that customers do not choose a new electric supplier. Individual customers are always free to opt out and choose their own supplier, but if they do nothing their community represents them.… Read More

Encouraging Community Owned Energy Systems

Because customer-owned utilities are democratic and locally controlled, and service rather than profit oriented, we should encourage their formation. In today’s topsy-turvy electricity world, states should encourage the formation not only of customer-owned distribution utilities, but public transmission utilities and generation utilities as well.

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Tractor-trailer Ban on Local Roads – New Jersey

New Jersey was first state in the country to ban large tractor-trailers from its state roads and highways. The restriction, went into effect in July 1999, confined large trucks (more than 102 inches wide) that were not doing business in the state to interstate highways and the National Network, a system of major highways and connector roads.… Read More

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