United States
Environmental Protection
k Agency
xvEPA
State Incentives for Achieving Clean and Renewable Energy
Development on Contaminated Lands
The development of clean and renewable energy on formerly used land offers many economic and environmental benefits. Combining clean and
renewable energy and contaminated land cleanup incentives can allow investors and communities to create economically viable clean and renewable energy redevelopmei
projects. This document provides information about incentives in your state that can be leveraged for clean and renewable energy and development of contaminated land.
Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy
Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.)
Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) Grant Program
www.publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/ee_cleanenergyfund.html
Offers a portfolio of funding opportunities including: grants and contracts;
loans; equity investments; and direct incentive payments for renewable
energy projects for pre-development activities, installation of small and
large systems, and business development and equity. A new round of
program funding will be available in February 2009.
CEDF Loan Program
www.publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/ee_cleanenergyfund.html
Provides direct loans from $50,000 to $1,000,000, at a fixed interest rate of
2% to purchase land and buildings; purchase and install machinery and
equipment; and provide working capital.
Solar and Small Wind Incentive Program
www.rerc-vt.org/incentives/index.htm
Provides funding for installations for new grid-connected photovoltaic (PV)
solar energy ($1.75 per W up to $8,750) and wind energy system
installations (as much as $4 per W, up to $12,500).
Tax Incentives (abatements, deductions, credits, etc.)
Corporate Tax Credit for Solar
www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.clhi?URL=/docs/2008/bills/passed/S-209.HTM
Offers a corporate income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the
"Vermont-property portion" of the federal business energy tax credit for
solar energy.
Sales Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy
www.revermont.org/incentives.htm
Provides tax exemption for 100% of sales tax from a purchase of PV solar
systems, wind systems, and anaerobic digesters.
Wind Energy - Alternative Education Property Tax
www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2008/bills/passed/S-209.HTM, in § 5402c
Establishes an alternate education property tax of $0.3 cents per kWh for
wind energy facilities that are at least 5 MW in capacity.
Green Mountain Power (GMP) - Solar GMP
www.greenmountainpower.com/solar_GMP.html
Offers a bonus payment to GMP customers with net-metered PV systems.
Customers receive a payment of $0.06 per kWh of electricity generated.
Technical Assistance and Other Incentives
Vermont Anemometer Loan Program
www. web. vtc. edu/users/jnk06190/VTALP/
Loans anemometer equipment to Vermont residents.
Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) - Biomass Electricity
Production Incentive
www.cvps.com/cowpower
Purchases electricity and renewable energy credits at 95% of the market rate
for energy plus an additional $0.04 per kWh from farmers who own anaerobic
digestion systems to generate electricity. CVPS is a Vermont electric utility.
Net Metering
www.publicservice.vermont.gov/energy-efficiency/ee_netmetering.html
Allows net metering of up to 2% of a utility's peak demand. Generating
capacity includes renewable energy systems up to 250 KW. Net-metered
systems earn credit for power fed back into the utility grid. It allows groups of
buildings to be consolidated on paper into one net-metered system.
Quick Facts
Public Benefit Fund (PBF) Yes 0 No D
Renewable Portfolio Standard Yes 0 No D
Three goals: (1) 100% of increase in retail electricity sales between 2005-2012;
(2) 20% of retail electricity sales generated by 2017; (3) 25% of all energy
consumed by 2025
Net Metering Yes 0 No D
Interconnection Standards Yes 0 No D
Electric Power Industry Generation by
Primary Energy Source (EIA, 2006)
Petroleum-Fired 0.1% Nuclear
Natural Gas-Fired Hydroelectric
Coal-Fired
72.1%
21.4%
Other Renewables 6.4%
Points of Contact
Vermont Department of Public Service, Energy Efficiency Division
www.publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/energy-efficiency.html
CEDF Grant Program, CEDF Loan Program, Net Metering
Ann Margolis, anne.margolis@state.vt.us, (802) 828-4017
Solar and Small Wind Incentive Program
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, www.rerc-vt.org
Cheryl Jenkins, rerc@veic.org, (877) 888-7372
Renewable Energy Vermont
Corporate Tax Credit for Solar, Sales Tax Exemption for Renewable
Energy, Wind Energy - Alternative Education Property Tax
Andrew Perchlik, perchlik@REVermont.org, (802) 229-0099
GMP - Solar GMP, callcenter@greenmountainpower.biz, (888) 835-4672
Vermont Anemometer Loan Program
John Kidder, jkidder@vtc.edu, (802) 728-1783
CVPS - Biomass Electricity Production Incentive, M/M/M/.cvps.com
Dave Dunn, ddunn@cvps.com, (802) 747-5681
Information current as of November 2008; please refer to www.dsireusa.org and the state Web sites
provided, or contact the points of contact identified above for more up to date information.
Vermont Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy - Page '
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Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land
Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.)
Brownfields Revitalization Fund (BRF)
www.economicdevelopment.vermont.gov/Programs/Brownfieldlnitiative/
tabid/118/Default.aspx
Authorizes the State Agency of Commerce and Community Development
to manage a fund to issue loans and grants for assessing or remediating
contaminated sites. Provides eligible applicants with loans up to $250,000
to use for initial assessment, categorization, planning, and cleanup
processes.
BRF Loan Program
www.veda.org/interior.php/pid/1/sid/88
Provides a 2% fixed rate loan to for-profit, nonprofit, and municipal entities
for brownfields activities, to a maximum of $250,000. The main focus of the
program is site cleanup, but in some instances funds may be used to do
site assessment or characterization.
Petroleum Cleanup Fund
www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/sms/pubs/PCFReimb.pdf
Provides financial assistance for uninsured costs of soil and ground water
cleanup required by accidental releases from underground storage tanks
(USTs) (up to $999,750) and aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) ($990,000
for ASTs at bulk storage facilities, $25,000 for ASTs not at bulk storage
facilities). The fund provides up to $1 million in coverage for third party
claims for injury and damage caused by a UST release. A deductible is
included for all assistance.
Technical Assistance and Other Incentives
Brownfields Reuse Initiative - Technical Assistance Program
www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/sms/RCPP/Direct-Assistance.htm
Provides technical and financial assistance to applicants who intend to
redevelop contaminated property. Assistance ranges from completion of a
Phase I environmental site assessment, through corrective action planning
and cleanup. All work is paid for by the Vermont Department of
Environmental Conservation. Assistance is available to prospective
purchasers and current owners of contaminated property and is limited to
$200,000.00 per project. Applicants can have neither caused nor
contributed to the contamination nor be connected to any person or
organization that has caused or contributed to the contamination.
Applications for the next funding round are due February 10,2009.
Limitations on Liability
Brownfields Reuse Initiative -
Environmental Liability Limitation Program
www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/SMS/RCPP/Liability-Limitation.htm
Offers limitation of environmental liability and access to financial
assistance. Additional incentives are available to those who enter the
program prior to purchasing a brownfield property. Eligible properties are
those that are vacant or underutilized and are believed to have existing
environmental contamination. The environmental liability limitation program
is established under the Brownfields Reuse and Environmental Liability
Limitation Act (BRELLA). Participation in the program is open to those who
intend to purchase a brownfield property, as well current owners, provided
they did not cause or contribute to the contamination.
Quick Facts
Limitations on Liability Yes 0 No D
Number of State-Tracked Contaminated Properties: 1,452
Includes all sites in the VT Hazardous Sites and Petroleum Sites databases
except NPL and active Superfund sites
Number of EPA CERCLIS Sites: 52
Sites identified for potential investigation under the federal Superfund Program
Number of EPA Brownfields Properties: 1,712
Properties being funded or addressed under the EPA Brownfields Program
There may be some overlap among the categories listed and sites listed may not
represent all potentially contaminated sites in Vermont.
www.anr.s:a:e.vt.us/aec/wma.riuii
BRF, BRF Loan Program, Brownfields Reuse Initiative - Technical
Assistance Program, Brownfields Reuse Initiative- Environmental
Liability limitation Programs
Donald Einhorn, donald.einhorn@state.vt.us, (802) 241-1093
Petroleum Cleanup Fund
Chuck Schwer, chuck.schwer@state.vt.us, (802) 241-3888
Information current as of November 2008; please refer to
www.epa.gov/brownfields/pubs/st_res_prog_report.htm and the state Web sites provided,
or contact the points of contact identified above for more up to date information.
Vermont Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land - Page 2
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