HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2020.08.06 - 33476REPORT (MISC. #20267) August 6, 2020
BY: Commissioner Penny Luebs, Chairperson, Health, Safety and Human Services Committee
IN RE: MR #20267 — BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPPORT FOR SENATE BILLS 596-598 AND
HOUSE BILLS 5143-5145 TO ELIMINATE REGULATORY ROADBLOCKS THAT PREVENT THE
GROWTH OF MICHIGAN'S RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ENERGY MARKET
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Health, Safety and Human Services Committee, having reviewed the above -referenced resolution on
July 28, 2020, reports with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted.
Chairperson, on behalf of the Health, Safety and Human Services Committee, I move the acceptance of
the foregoing report.
Commissioner enny Luebs, District #16
Chairperson -1 ealth, Safety and Human
Services Committee
HEALTH, SAFETY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE VOTE:
Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #20267
BY: Commissioners Gary McGillivray, District #20; Gwen Markham, District #9; Kristen Nelson, District #5;
Helaine Zack, District #18; Penny Luebs, District #16; Marcia Gershenson, District #13; Angela Powell,
District #10
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPPORT FOR SENATE BILLS 596-598 and HOUSE BILLS
5143-5145 TO ELIMINATE REGULATORY ROADBLOCKS THAT PREVENT THE GROWTH OF
MICHIGAN'S RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ENERGY MARKET
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS on October 23, 2019, a bipartisan package of bills, Senate Bills 596-598 and House Bills 5143-
5145, were introduced by state lawmakers; and
WHEREAS these bills are commonly referred to as "Powering Michigan Forward" and intended to remove
the cap on distributed generation throughout the state and establish a fair value for solar, and push the
state to a system based on monthly netting of renewable energy; and
WHEREAS this package of bills would overturn parts of the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy
Waste Reduction Act (PA 295 of 2008, amended by PA 342 of 2016) enacted under Governor Snyder, and
help grow the renewable energy market and by removing barriers to solar generation; and
WHEREAS under the current law, the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act (the
"Act") caps the amount of small renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind, in Michigan and
changed the pricing model for solar customers; and
WHEREAS the Act has increased uncertainty for solar developers by making the payback rates unclear
and in some cases increasing the payback time; and
WHEREAS there is a 1% cap on the number of residential homeowners that are allowed to generate solar
energy and place the excess energy generated back into the electrical grid; and
WHEREAS should more than 1% of homeowners install solar and generate excess energy, they are
compensated at a different rate, if at all, because applications will be denied — stifling growth and
employment; and
WHEREAS the Act capped net metering at 1 % of a utility's peak demand and in some areas of the state,
such as the 38th Senate district in the Upper Peninsula, the cap has already been reached resulting in no
new solar opportunities; and
WHEREAS the solar industry in Michigan currently employs approximately 5,000 individuals; and
WHEREAS the proposed Powering Michigan Forward bills would eliminate the 1% cap in the 2016
legislation, allowing more room forjob creation and enabling more homeowners to install solar energy units,
if desired; and
WHEREAS the Powering Michigan Forward bills would also eliminate the tariff for distributed generation
and net metering customers; and
WHEREAS the Powering Michigan Forward bills seek to increase prices paid to residential users and
businesses by providing for net metering programs, standard offer contracts for large generators, and fair
value tariffs in the distributed generation program; and
WHEREAS the Michigan League of Conservation Voters called the bills "common sense legislation that will
remove unnecessary roadblocks for solar customers"; and
WHEREAS supporters of the Powering Michigan Forward bills argue that the current distributed generation
tariff scares away potential solar customers and makes it harder for current solar customers to determine
how much they will save on their bills; and
WHEREAS approval of these bills has no financial impact on the residents of the state of Michigan.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
expresses their support of Senate Bills 596-598 and House Bills 5141-5145 to eliminate regulatory
roadblocks that prevent the growth of Michigan's residential solar energy market.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of the adopted resolution to the Governor of the State of Michigan, the Michigan Secretary of State,
the State Senate Majority and Minority leaders, the State House Speaker and Minority leader, the members
of the Oakland County delegation to the Michigan Legislature, and the Board of Commissioner's legislative
lobbyist.
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
A444 `. -P1 (�'1
Commikione ary McGillivray Commissioner Gwen Markham
District #20 District #9
Commissioner Kristen Nelson Commissioner Helaine Zack
District #5 District #18
C y'm�i'ss�i`.o',ger Penny Lueb� Comm a� rX. Gershenson
District #1I; District #13
Commissioner Angela Powell Commissioner
District #10 District #
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District # District #
Commissioner Commissioner
District # District #
Commissioner Commissioner
District # District #
Commissioner Commissioner
District # District #
Commissioner Commissioner
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Commissioner Commissioner
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Resolution #20267
July 23, 2020
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Health, Safety and Human Services Committee. There
were no objections.
Resolution #20267
August 6, 2020
Moved by Luebs seconded by Long the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda be adopted (with
accompanying reports being accepted).
AYES: Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson, Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs, Markham,
McGillivray, Middleton, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Quarles, Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack,
Gershenson. (21)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda were
adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted).
I HEREBY APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCL 45.559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on August 6,
2020, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 61h day of August, 2020.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County