Bill Text: NY S08584 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the New York state energy and research development authority inspect and certify solar energy systems as fire safe and that the results of such inspection are provided to the public.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-27 - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT [S08584 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S08584-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8584

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 16, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
          cations

        AN  ACT  to amend the public authorities law, in relation to authorizing
          the New York state energy research and development  authority  inspect
          and certify solar energy systems as fire safe

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 1885 to read as follows:
     3    §  1885.  Solar  energy system fire safety. 1. For the purpose of this
     4  section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
     5    (a) "Solar energy system" shall mean ten or more solar  energy  panels
     6  in an array and the accompanying underground transmission lines.
     7    (b)  "Safety data sheet" means the document containing information and
     8  instructions for safe use and potential hazards associated with  partic-
     9  ular  chemicals  and  materials that are approved by the federal occupa-
    10  tional safety and health administration.
    11    2. The New York state energy research and  development  authority,  in
    12  consultation  with  the office of fire prevention and control is author-
    13  ized and directed to promulgate rules  and  regulations  concerning  the
    14  certification  of  solar energy systems as fire safe, in accordance with
    15  the provisions of this section.
    16    3. The authority, or a third party contracted by the authority,  shall
    17  inspect  solar  energy systems to determine if such solar energy systems
    18  are safe and if maintenance records  of  the  solar  energy  system  are
    19  adequate.  The  authority,  in  consultation  with  the  office  of fire
    20  prevention and control, is authorized and directed to  promulgate  rules
    21  and  regulations  concerning  the sufficiency of maintenance records for
    22  solar energy systems.
    23    4. The authority, or a third party contracted by the authority,  after
    24  inspecting  a  solar  energy system shall determine if such solar energy
    25  system is fire safe, and if so, shall certify such solar  energy  system
    26  as such.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14573-01-4
        S. 8584                             2

     1    5.  If  the  authority or a third party determines that a solar energy
     2  system is not fire safe pursuant to an inspection under subdivision four
     3  of this section, the authority or such third  party  shall  provide  the
     4  reason  such  solar  energy system failed such inspection.  Further, the
     5  authority  shall  provide  a  timeframe  within  which such solar energy
     6  system shall be required to pass inspection.
     7    6. Every solar energy system in the state shall  have  a  safety  data
     8  sheet  conspicuously posted in any area that would likely be accessed by
     9  emergency responders in the case of a fire or other emergency.
    10    7. The authority shall submit an annual report to  the  governor,  the
    11  senate  environmental  conservation  committee and the senate energy and
    12  telecommunication committee, and the assembly environmental conservation
    13  committee and the assembly energy committee. Such report  shall  include
    14  the information gathered by the authority, or the third party contracted
    15  by  the  authority, pursuant to the inspection under subdivisions three,
    16  four and five of this section, and any  conclusions  and/or  recommenda-
    17  tions  of  the  authority.  Such  report shall be posted publicly on the
    18  authority's website and the solar energy system company's website.
    19    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.