* § 1912. Powers and duties. The authority is hereby authorized and\ndirected to undertake such actions it deems necessary or convenient to\nestablish, augment, or expand existing renewable energy outreach and\ncommunity planning programs to provide information, resources and\ntechnical assistance to support the siting, development, and acceptance\nof renewable energy technologies, including:\n 1. Developing and enhancing a community education and engagement\nprogram to inform New Yorkers about the climate crisis and the benefits\nof shifting to a clean energy economy and conducting outreach, providing\ninformation and education, and building consensus on the environmental\nand local benefits of renewable energy technologies. Such strategic\neducation and outreach shall include:\n (a)
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* § 1912. Powers and duties. The authority is hereby authorized and\ndirected to undertake such actions it deems necessary or convenient to\nestablish, augment, or expand existing renewable energy outreach and\ncommunity planning programs to provide information, resources and\ntechnical assistance to support the siting, development, and acceptance\nof renewable energy technologies, including:\n 1. Developing and enhancing a community education and engagement\nprogram to inform New Yorkers about the climate crisis and the benefits\nof shifting to a clean energy economy and conducting outreach, providing\ninformation and education, and building consensus on the environmental\nand local benefits of renewable energy technologies. Such strategic\neducation and outreach shall include:\n (a) Effective communication, engagement and public outreach to\ncommunities, including disadvantaged communities, to provide education\nand information on maximizing the benefits that renewable energy\ntechnologies can provide while demonstrating strategies and solutions\nthat are available to ensure that community benefits are meaningful and\nnegative impacts are avoided, reduced, or mitigated;\n (b) Comprehensive education and outreach to local governments that may\nhost renewable energy technologies to provide objective information\nabout the impacts of renewable energy development and mitigation\nopportunities; and\n (c) Facilitation of forums for communities, regions, renewable energy\ndevelopers, and other stakeholders to exchange information and ensure\nthat all have access to the factual information necessary to support the\nappropriate siting of facilities and acceptance of renewable energy\ntechnologies.\n 2. Collaborating with community stakeholders, the agriculture and\nforestry sectors, and the renewable energy industry to develop,\nfacilitate, and provide centralized access to renewable energy planning\nresources and assistance for local governments. Such resources shall\ninclude publicly available data resources, including a mapping tool,\nrelated to renewable energy development to help municipal\nrepresentatives and local communities make informed land use decisions\nand communicate local priorities to developers.\n (a) The renewable energy development data resources, including a\nmapping tool, shall be available on the authority's website and shall\nprovide sufficient information and guidance to allow communities to\nundertake a comprehensive evaluation of the potential for renewable\nenergy development and to plan proactively for deployment that maximizes\nlocal benefit and avoids, reduces, or mitigates negative impact on lands\nwith agricultural soils, farming, forests, and other competing uses.\n (b) The renewable energy development data resources may use publicly\navailable information and shall be designed to facilitate participation\nby local governments, renewable energy developers and other stakeholders\nin existing renewable energy siting and planning processes.\n (c) The renewable energy development data resources shall provide, to\nthe extent available information on agricultural, environmental, energy\nsystem and other resources relevant to renewable energy technology\nsiting, such as: land use cover data; disadvantaged communities;\nbrownfields; previously disturbed and developed sites such as large\nrooftops, parking lots, landfills, etc.; agricultural soils and\nagricultural districts; forests; wetlands, floodplains, and waterbodies;\nhistoric, cultural, and archaeological resources; public parks,\npreserves and recreational resources; conserved and protected lands;\nhosting capacity; distribution, and transmission lines; and topography\nas relevant to siting renewable energy technology.\n 3. Providing technical assistance and training to local governments\nand other stakeholders on the use of such information and resources,\nincluding the renewable energy development data resources.\n 4. Consulting, collaborating with, and/or procuring the services of\nservice providers, including, but not limited to: regional planning\nassociations, non-profits, and community-based organizations, to conduct\noutreach and education about renewable energy benefits, develop new\nrenewable energy planning tools and resources, including renewable\nenergy development data resources, and to provide technical assistance\nand training to municipalities to support the authority's\nresponsibilities under this section.\n 5. Managing, allocating, and spending any monies made available to the\nauthority in furtherance of this title as the authority determines to be\nappropriate for the proper administration of the program created\npursuant to this title.\n 6. Requesting and receiving the assistance of the departments or any\nother state agency or authority, within their respective relevant\nsubject matter expertise, to support the administration of the program\ncreated pursuant to this title.\n * NB Repealed December 31, 2031\n