SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2071        FILED ON: 5/9/2014

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2138

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to community shared solar energy systems in the town of Harvard.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2071        FILED ON: 5/9/2014

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2138

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2138) of James B. Eldridge and Jennifer E. Benson (by vote of the town) for legislation relative to community shared solar energy systems in the town of Harvard.  Revenue.  [Local Approval Received.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Fourteen

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An Act relative to community shared solar energy systems in the town of Harvard.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any community shared solar energy system, located within the town of Harvard, shall be exempt from taxes, for a period of 20 years from the date of installation, imposed by chapter 59 of the General Laws. For the purposes of this section, "community shared solar energy system" shall mean a solar powered system or device or a combination of solar powered systems or devices collectively owned by residents or non utility businesses that are placed on property owned by a cooperating local property owner, nonprofit organization or non utility business for the purpose of heating or otherwise supplying not more than 125 per cent of the annual energy needs of each of the owners of the system or device; provided, however, that (i) the ownership units shall be less than or equal to 25 kilowatts each and (ii) the owner of a community solar energy system unit shall receive an exemption in proportion to the owner's share of the system, as determined by the proportion of energy generated for use by the owner.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2015.