Int. No. 598-A
By The Speaker (Council Member Johnson) and Council Members Chin, Constantinides, Espinal, Menchaca, Rivera and Kallos
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring that all city-owned buildings be powered by green energy sources by 2050
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 2 of title 4 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 4-211 to read as follows:
§ 4-211 Green energy in city-owned buildings. a. As used in this section:
City-owned building. The term “city-owned building” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “city building” in section 28-308.1 of the code.
Green energy source. The term “green energy source” means a source of energy that is:
1. A qualified energy resource, as such term is defined in section 45 of title 26 of the United States code in effect on January 1, 2017;
2. A source that is determined to be renewable by the head of an office or agency designated by the mayor; or
3. A source that is determined by such head to have (i) a positive environmental impact or (ii) a substantially lower negative environmental impact than fossil fuel-based energy sources.
Green energy system. The term “green energy system” means a system that generates energy (i) substantially from one or more green energy sources, in accordance with rules promulgated by an office or agency designated by the mayor, or (ii) wholly from one or more green energy sources.
b. 1. On and after January 1, 2050, 100 percent of electricity use by city-owned buildings shall be (i) generated from a green energy system owned or installed by the city or (ii) purchased by the city and generated from a green energy system.
c. Every 10 years after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner of citywide administrative services shall electronically submit to the mayor and speaker of the council, and make publicly available online, a report concerning the implementation of this section, including, but not limited to, the following:
1. The percentage of electricity used by city-owned buildings that comes from green energy sources;
2. Any difficulties in complying with this section and recommendations for addressing such difficulties;
3. The types of green energy sources utilized for electricity used by city-owned buildings and recommendations for expanding or limiting the definition of green energy sources in this section, if any;
4. The costs attributable to complying with this section; and
5. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions attributable to complying with this section and any other environmental or electricity-related benefits attributable to such compliance.
d. The mayor shall include in each long-term sustainability plan required by subdivision e of section 20 of the charter a report analyzing subjects including, but not limited to, the following:
1. Compliance with the requirements of this section;
2. The feasibility of using green energy systems for providing building heating and hot water;
3. The amount and percentage of building heating and hot water provided from green energy systems;
4. The types of green energy sources currently being used to provide building heating and hot water and the limitations to expanding these sources to additional buildings;
5. Identification of building heating and hot water systems or technologies using green energy systems , the current limitations of building heating and hot water systems or technologies and a timeline for when such systems or technologies may be commercially viable for installation in city-owned buildings;
6. The costs associated with providing building heating and hot water from green energy systems;
7. The risks associated with providing building heating and hot water from green energy systems; and
8. Reductions in greenhouse gases and any other environmental or energy benefits associated with providing building heating and hot water from green energy systems.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
LS# 4863/Int. 854-2015
JCH/MAJ/MPC
4/3/18 5:54pm