United States Environmental Protection Agency Jew Hampshire^ 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 redevelopment 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.) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Business Loan www.nheconomy.com/pdf/BusinessLoanBrochure.pdf Provides reduced interest rate loans of $10,000 or more for the purchase of structural and equipment improvements that improve energy efficiency. A variety of renewable energy systems are eligible for this loan. Energy savings can be used to repay the loan. National Grid - Solar Thermal Rebate Program www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com Provides a one-time rebate of $3 per therm of estimated first-year savings, up to 50% of the project cost or $100,000 per project, to commercial and industrial customers for the installation of solar thermal technologies. Tax Incentives (abatements, deductions, credits, etc.) Local Option Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy www.nh.gov/oep/programs/energy/RenewableEnergylncentives.htm Permits cities and towns to offer exemptions from local property taxes for certain renewable energy installations (e.g., solar-energy systems; wind- energy systems, and wood-fired central heating systems). Seventy-seven localities have adopted a property tax exemption for one or more of these energy sources. Technical Assistance and Other Incentives Solar Easements www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XLVIII/477/477-49.htm Allows property owners to create solar easements in order to create and preserve a right to unobstructed access to solar energy. Energy Facility Siting Process in New Hampshire www.nn.gov/oep/programs/energy/documents/Ch204.pdf www.nhsec.state.nh.us/ Provides a special siting process that may reduce project costs by shortening a project's timeline and simplifying the process of identifying and complying with all relevant permitting and regulatory requirements. The energy facility siting process is required for all generation projects of 30 MW or greater and is optional for smaller projects. Net Metering http://nh.gov/oep/programs/energy/RenewableEnergylncentives.htm Offers net metering to homeowners and small businesses that generate electricity using renewable-energy systems up to 100 kW in capacity. The aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems in a utility's service territory is limited to 1.0% of the utility's annual peak energy demand. Any customer net excess generation during a billing cycle is credited to the customer "over subsequent billing periods." Applicable sectors include: commercial, industrial, and residential. Quick Facts Public Benefit Fund (PBF) Renewable Portfolio Standard 23.8% by 2025 Net Metering Interconnection Standards YesD No0 Yes 0 No D Yes 0 No D Yes 0 No D Electric Power Industry Generation by Primary Energy Source (EIA, 2006) Petroleum-Fired 2.0% Nuclear 42.6% Natural Gas-Fired 27.2% Hydroelectric 6.9% Coal-Fired 17.6% Other Renewables 3.4% Points of Contact Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Business Loan www. nheconomy. com/ Public Information Officer, info@nheconomy.com, (603) 271-2591 National Grid - Solar Thermal Rebate Program Tina Halfpenny, solar@keyspanenergy.com, (781) 466-5270 Local Option Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Linda Kennedy, equalization@rev.state.nh.us, (603) 271-2687 Solar Easements Ben Frost, (603)271-2155 Energy Facility Siting Process in New Hampshire Timothy W. Drew, tdrew@des.state.nh.us, (603) 271-3306 Net Metering Tom Frantz, tom.frantz@puc.nh.gov, (603) 271-2431 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. New Hampshire Incentives for Clean and Renewable Energy - Page ' ------- Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land Funding (grants, loans, bonds, etc.) Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/rem/documents /rem-7.pdf Provides loans between $50,000 and $500,000 for site remediation activities, though any amount can be requested and will be considered. Interest rates and terms are negotiable. The interest rate provided for loans to date is 3%. Loans for environmental remediation may have terms of up to 10 years, but preference is given to shorter term or bridge loans. Hazardous Waste Cleanup Fund (HWCF) www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/NHTOC/NHTOC-X-147-B.htm Provides funding for site investigation, operations, and maintenance, studies and design, removals, emergency response, remedial action, program administration, and grants to local governments. An average of $1.4 million is collected each fiscal year from quarterly fees paid by generators of hazardous waste, recovered costs, fines, and penalties. Technical Assistance and Other Incentives Brownfields Assessment Program www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/hwrb/sss/brownfields/docum ents/assessment_app.pdf Provides a grant of service for technical assistance on behalf of municipalities and other eligible entities to perform Phase I site assessments, Phase II site investigations, and remedial planning services. Limitations on Liability Brownfields Covenant Program www.des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/rem/documents /rem-8.pdf Offers No Further Action (NFA) letters, Certificates of Completion (CoC), and Covenants Not to Sue (CNTS) when site investigations and remedial actions are performed in accordance with New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) cleanup requirements. Offers liability protections for the investigation, cleanup, and redevelopment of contaminated properties. Quick Facts Limitations on Liability Yes 0 No D Number of State-Tracked Contaminated Properties: 5,800 Includes Urban Sites Remedial Action Program, Voluntary Remediation Program, and Property Transfer Program sites Number of EPA CERCLIS Sites: 67 Sites identified for potential investigation under the federal Superfund Program Number of EPA Brownfields Properties: 307 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 New Hampshire. 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 All New Hampshire Cleanup Incentives and Programs New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/hwrb/sss/brown1ields/index.htm Keith DuBois, keith.dubois@des.nh.gov, (603) 271-2987 New Hampshire Incentives for Development of Contaminated Land - Page 2 ------- |