Landmark Legislation Increasing Access to Renewable Energy Passes First Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 4th, 2020
Santa Fe, N.M. — This morning, HB 9 Community Solar Act (Roybal Caballero/Egolf/A. Romero) passed its first committee hearing, House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee, on a vote of 8-5. This legislation provides for the establishment of a phased-in community solar program to facilitate the development and interconnection of community solar facilities. Community solar provides a way for people who ordinarily could not install solar systems to subscribe to and get electricity from a community-based solar facility. This bill also creates a low-income assistance fund to benefit low-income subscribers.
In response, Conservation Voters New Mexico Political and Legislative Director, Ben Shelton, released the following statement:
“We applaud the members of the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee for passing this important legislation. New Mexicans have been speaking up about the need for this type of program for years. There are 19 states across the country with robust community solar programs, and todays’ committee vote gets us one step closer to this reality. We thank Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero and House Speaker Brian Egolf for championing this important legislation.”
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