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Pledge Your Support For Saving Solar in PA!

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A Great Solar Lobby Day in Harrisburg

Many members of PASEIA, along with Solar Alliance, Vote Solar and SUNWPA all helped and participated with PennFuture on a lobby day in Harrisburg this past Monday, 10/24. The event was a huge success, bringing over 90 individuals representing solar businesses, as well as solar consumers, to the Capitol. Meeting with more than 40 key legislators, we urged House members to pass Representative Ross’ Solar Jobs Bill (HB 1580), and Senators to co-sponsor a companion bill, to be introduced by Senators Argall, Erickson and Blake

The lobby day was an important step toward heightening legislative awareness of this bill, but we can’t rest now. Presently, Representative Bob Godshall, Chairman of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, is the key to moving the bill forward. He has scheduled a legislative hearing on the bill for Thursday, November 17 at 9:00 a.m. A hearing is good, but it’s not good enough. Rep. Godshall needs to schedule a vote on the bill to pass it out of committee and, if he is do this, he must hear from you.

Please reach out to Rep. Godshall and encourage your employees and customers to do the same. Here is what you should say:

• Thank you for scheduling a hearing on the Ross Solar Jobs Bill (HB 1580).

• We need you to schedule a committee vote on this bill.

• Pass the Ross Solar Jobs Bill in order to protect and create jobs in Pennsylvania.

Remember, when reaching out to Rep. Godshall, a phone call is good, a written letter is better and an in-person meeting is best. Please note, you will need to call his office to schedule a meeting in advance.

Honorable Robert W. Godshall
1702 Cowpath Road
Hatfield, PA 19440
(215) 368-3500
Fax: (215) 361-4220

Thanks,

Ron Celentano, PASEIA President

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Update from Harrisburg on House Bill #1580

Maureen Mulligan

The Ross Solar Jobs Bill (HB #1580) has been assigned to the House Consumer Affairs Committee as of yesterday, October 20^th. This is the good news we have been waiting for. Our coalition made up of Penn Future, Solar Alliance, Vote Solar and PASEIA will be hosting a lobby day focused on asking the head of the House committee, Representative Robert Godshall (R-Montgomery) to bring the bill up for a committee vote as soon as possible. When the bill went to print over a week ago, there were 106 co-sponsors, 60 Democrats and 46 Republicans. 103 votes are needed for it to pass the House. Having the co-sponsors is a great start but doesn’t guarantee instant passage particularly if amendments are offered that clog the discussion.

There is also great news in the Senate. Senators David Argall (R) John Blake (D) and Ted Erickson (R)have all signed on as sponsors of a senate version of House bill 1580. We expect the Senate will take up the bill after it passes the House. With only 18 legislative days scheduled in this year, we ask you to stay vigilant by checking the PASEIA blog often for updates. We will need each and every one of you to help pass this bill if we are going to get this through and sent to the Governor for his signature before the end of the year.

We need to start with letters and calls to the House Consumer Affairs committee members. You can also link to emails from this list.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Majority (Room 150 MC) Godshall, Robert W. , Chair - 717-783-6428 Kampf, Warren , Secretary 717-260-6166 Ellis, Brian L., Subcommittee Chair on Telecommunications 717-787-7686 Kauffman, Rob W., Subcommittee Chair on Public Utilities 717-705-2004 Delozier, Sheryl M. 717-783-5282 DiGirolamo, Gene717-783-7319 Evans, John R. 717-772-9940 Farry, Frank A. 717-260-6140 Harhart, Julie 717-772-5398 Payne, John D. 717-787-2684 Perry, Scott 717-783-8783 Pickett, Tina 717-783-8238 Reichley, Douglas G 717-787-1000 Stephens, Todd 717-260-6163 Toepel, Marcy 717-787-9501

	Minority (Room 202 IOB)
Preston, Joseph, Jr. , Democratic Chair 717-783-1017 Brennan, Joseph F. , Democratic Secretary 717-772-9902 Burns, Frank, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Telecommunications 717-772-8056 DePasquale, Eugene, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Public Utilities 717-787-7514
Barbin, Bryan 717-783-1491 Kotik, Nick 717-783-3780 Matzie, Robert F. 717-787-4444 Neuman, Brandon P. 717-783-4834 Parker, Cherelle L. 717-783-2078 White, Jesse 717-783-6347

Update from Harrisburg on Ross’s solar bill #1580

Maureen Mulligan - PASEIA

Far from an idle summer for solar, much work has been done by those of you who worked hard to get your House Member and others to co-sponsor Representative Chris Ross ’solar bill to shift the requirement to allow for more solar from 2013-2015 and close the borders to out of state projects paid for by Pennsylvania consumers. By July 4^th, shortly after the legislature adjourned for the summer, we had 68 co-sponsors on his draft bill. As of this writing, there is what I believe to be a record number of co-sponsors, 100 strong! (If you are a PASEIA member and would like the current co-sponsor list, contact Ron Celentano at CelentanoR@aol.com). In order to get a bill passed in the House, 102 votes are needed. Assuming all the co-sponsors actually vote in favor of the Ross bill, only two additional votes are needed for it to move to the State Senate but it has to get through committee and onto the House floor for a vote first. It is important to note that we can’t assume that everyone who co-sponsors will automatically vote for the bill especially if the language changes from what legislators signed on to support. I expect it will be assigned to the Consumer Affairs Committee headed by Representative Robert Godshall (R-Montgomery). The list of members on this committee are shown below, along with their contact numbers.

Representative Ross plans to introduce the bill today – 10/3/2011. In addition, PASEIA is working with the Senate to introduce a companion bill. The Governor has scheduled an announcement for today on the Marcellus Shale impact fee so it will important to let legislators know it is important to move HB #1580 now since Marcellus Shale is the biggest energy issue for most legislators.

The best way to follow developments on HB#1580 is to check the PASEIA blog and your email for updates and actions. PASEIA members should make sure they have their passwords updated (RE: www.MSEIA.net website access) in case additional information and talking points are available on that part of the site. These bills will NOT get passed without strong and persistent public support. The opposition is already mounting to oppose the bill based on information that it will raise rates. This message can resonate with legislators. If we let the opposition’s numbers stand unchallenged, we will lose. Although it is very difficult to accurately predict the exact cost to make these modest changes to the solar portion of the AEPS, Ron Celentano and others have spent time attempting to quantify the price of SRECs if the bill passes. This average SREC price can be analyzed to assess average ratepayer impact. The impact may seem small to you but it is important to be sensitive to what ANY rate increase can have on Pennsylvanians. PASEIA’s projected rate impacts on PA customers from HB1580 will be presented soon.

It is important if you are in a solar business to tell your story, particularly as it relates to jobs. If you have a solar system, it is also important to talk about how the low SREC prices have or will affect the cost of your system. If you are a supporter of solar, it is important legislators know that solar is supported in Pennsylvania. Stay involved.

My opinion is that if HB #1580 doesn’t get passed by both Chambers (House and Senate) and is signed by the Governor by the end of the year, it will be too late to have real impact.

Below are the members on the Consumer Affairs Committee. We will put out the schedule of when House and Senate are currently scheduled to be in Harrisburg and by default, when they may be in their home districts. Contact them today.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Majority (Room 150 MC) Godshall, Robert W. , Chair - 717-783-6428 Kampf, Warren , Secretary 717-260-6166 Ellis, Brian L., Subcommittee Chair on Telecommunications 717-787-7686 Kauffman, Rob W., Subcommittee Chair on Public Utilities 717-705-2004 Delozier, Sheryl M. 717-783-5282 DiGirolamo, Gene717-783-7319 Evans, John R. 717-772-9940 Farry, Frank A. 717-260-6140 Harhart, Julie 717-772-5398 Payne, John D. 717-787-2684 Perry, Scott 717-783-8783 Pickett, Tina 717-783-8238 Reichley, Douglas G 717-787-1000 Stephens, Todd 717-260-6163 Toepel, Marcy 717-787-9501

Minority (Room 202 IOB)
Preston, Joseph, Jr. , Democratic Chair 717-783-1017 Brennan, Joseph F. , Democratic Secretary 717-772-9902 Burns, Frank, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Telecommunications 717-772-8056 DePasquale, Eugene, Subcommittee Democratic Chair on Public Utilities 717-787-7514
Barbin, Bryan 717-783-1491 Kotik, Nick 717-783-3780 Matzie, Robert F. 717-787-4444 Neuman, Brandon P. 717-783-4834 Parker, Cherelle L. 717-783-2078 White, Jesse 717-783-6347

Go to www.mseia.net to donate online to PA Campaign: Saving Solar in PA

Thank you.

Maureen Mulligan, PSEIA