Bill > A00849

This bill creates a "biomass fired exception program" that allows certain coal-fired electric generating facilities to be reclassified as biomass-fired facilities under New York's CO2 budget trading program, which is part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Specifically, the bill provides an exception for electric generation facilities that meet several conditions: they were previously coal-fired, are no longer permitted to burn coal, use at least 75% eligible biomass for annual fuel purchases, use fossil fuel for less than 5% of their annual heat input, and are located within a military installation. The legislature argues that supporting such conversions is economically and environmentally beneficial, as biomass is a renewable energy source with a sustainable carbon lifecycle, supports local jobs (particularly in upstate New York), and is less expensive than fossil fuels. The bill requires the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation to create rules that treat these converted facilities the same as new biomass facilities under RGGI regulations, effectively removing them from the definition of a fossil fuel-fired facility for CO2 budget trading purposes. The act will take effect 90 days after becoming law and will apply retroactively to the control period ending December 31, 2018.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A849