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
Tax Incentives (abatements, deductions, credits, etc.)
Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit
www.geology.utah.gov/sep/incentives/rincentives.htrrttretaxcred
Provides tax credits of 10%of costs for a renewable energy system (i.e.,
active solar, passive solar, geothermal electricity, direct-use geothermal,
geothermal heat-pump, wind, hydroenergy, biomass) in a commercial
building or structure, with a maximum credit of $50,000. Also provides a
production tax credit for commercial wind, biomass, and geothermal
systems that produce electricity and have production capacities of 660 kW
or greater with no maximum credit amount. The credit is equal to 0.35
cents per kWh of electricity for the first four years of operation.
Renewable Energy Sales and Use Tax Exemption
www.geology.utah.gov/sep/incentives/rincentives.htrnttretaxcred
Exempts the purchase or lease of equipment used to generate electricity
from wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas, anaerobic digestion,
hydroelectricity, and geothermal resources from the state sales tax. A
facility is eligible if it has a generation capacity of 20 kW or greater or if it
increases its generation capacity by one or more MW as a result of the
machinery or equipment. This exemption is scheduled to be repealed on
June 30,2019.
Technical Assistance and Other Incentives
Anemometer Loan Program
www.geology.utah.gov/sep/wind/anemometerdata/index.htm
Loans individuals with promising sites an anemometer and the necessary
equipment needed to measure wind resources on their land. Utah
residents and businesses are eligible to apply.
Net Metering
www.geology.utah.gov/sep/incentives/rincentives.htm#netmeter
Requires all investor-owned utilities and most electric cooperatives to offer
net metering to customers that generate electricity using solar energy, wind
energy, hydropower, hydrogen, biomass, landfill gas, or geothermal
energy. Net metering is available to non-residential systems up to 2 MW in
capacity and limited to 0.1 %of each utility's peak demand.
Quick Facts
Public Benefit Fund (PBF) Yes D No 0
Renewable Portfolio Goal Yes 0 No D
20% of adjusted retail sales by 2025; utilities only required to use renewable
energy if it is cost-effective to do so
Net Metering Yes 0 No D
Interconnection Standards Yes 0 No D
Electric Power Industry Generation by
Primary Energy Source (EIA, 2006)
Petroleum-Fired 0.2% Nuclear 0%
Natural Gas-Fired 8.2% Hydroelectric 1.8%
Coal-Fired 89.3% Other Renewables 0.5%
All Utah Energy Incentives and Programs
Utah Geological Survey, www.geology.utah.gov/
Elise Brown, elisebrown@utah.gov, (801) 537-3365
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.
Utah Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy - Page '
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Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land
Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.)
Petroleum Storage Tank Loan Fund
www. undergroundtanks. utah. gov/pstjoan. htm
Offers low interest loans for upgrading, replacing, or closing
underground storage tanks (USTs). The loan program offers a
maximum of $15,000 per tank and 80% of the total project cost up to
$45,000 per facility. Loan terms include a fixed annual rate of 3% and
loans must be paid back within 10 years.
Limitations on Liability
Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) -
Certificate of Completion
www.superfund. utah.gov/vcp.htm
Offers a Certificate of Completion (COC) with limited liability relief to an
applicant who is not responsible for the contamination at the time the
applicant applies to enter the VCP; to an owner who then acquires
property covered by the COC; or to a lender who then makes a loan
secured by the property covered by the COC.
Enforceable Written Assurances
www.superfund.utah.gov/vcp.htm
Provides that the Hazardous Substance Mitigation Act was amended in
2005 to expressly allow the Executive Director to issue Enforceable
Written Assurances to bona fide prospective purchasers, contiguous
property owners, and innocent landowners. These terms are defined by
the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act and incorporated in the Hazardous Substances
Mitigation Act. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality will not
bring an enforcement action under the Hazardous Substances
Mitigation Act against the holder of an Enforceable Written Assurance,
provided the holder continues to satisfy the ongoing obligations
associated with the written assurance.
Quick Facts
Limitations on Liability Yes 0 No D
Number of State-Tracked Contaminated Properties: 65
Includes Voluntary Cleanup Program and Brownfield Program sites
Number of EPA CERCLIS Sites: 218
Sites identified for potential investigation under the federal Superfund Program
Number of EPA Brownfields Properties: 4
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 Utah.
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.
Points of Contact
Petroleum Storage Tank Loan Fund
Gary Astin, gastin@utah.gov, (801) 536-4103
Diane Hernandez, dhernandez@utah.gov, (801) 536-4116
VCP - Certificate of Completion, Enforceable Written Assurances
Bill Rees, brees@utah.gov, (801) 536-4100
Utah Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land-Page 2
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