June 7, 2004
Summer Membership Meeting in Oswego County . . .
REGISTER NOW for this special opportunity to get outstanding leadership training, a late-session update on legislation, network with other chamber professionals, energize and reward your chamber's staff members, and enjoy the best parts of the summer! CANYS' second annual Summer Membership Meeting in Fulton, New York, is only two weeks away -- June 21-22. A registration fee of only $50 brings you the following leadership development and networking activities:
Monday, June 21
1:30 PM ~ Welcome Reception at the Riverside
Inn
3:00 PM ~ Oswego County Quest
5:30 PM ~ Dinner on the water’s edge at Bayshore Grove
7:30 PM ~ Hawaiian Luau with the Island Band
Tuesday, June 22
7:30 AM ~ Legislative briefing with full breakfast
8:30 AM ~ Golf Outing or Hiking Expedition (choose one)
12:30 PM ~ Luncheon and Business Meeting, featuring a presentation on
how one chamber executive brought the power
of Ebay to her local businesses, a full membership session,
and leadership facilitators from PPS
International
3:30 PM ~ Event concludes
Plan to attend with your full chamber staff! Registration information is HERE. For additional details or questions click HERE or e-mail maggie.moree@bcnys.org
New York Day: full speed ahead . . .
CANYS is expecting representatives from nearly a dozen chambers to be on hand in Washington, D.C. tomorrow and Wednesday for New York Day in Washington. As Congress is operating under a revised schedule due to the passing of Former President Reagan, please re-confirm your individual legislative visits. All events associated with New York Day are confirmed and running as scheduled.
Renewable Portfolio Standard . . .
A Recommended Decision (RD) has been issued by an administrative law judge (ALJ), which recommends that the Public Service Commission (PSC) require consumers and businesses to buy electricity from renewable sources that is generally more costly than electricity generated by conventional energy sources.
The main provisions of the RD are as follows:
- The Commission was given a mandate by the Governor to achieve at least 25% renewables in ten years (renewables currently comprise approximately 19% of New York's electricity supply). To this end, the RD recommends incremental RPS targets, totaling a 7.5% increase by 2013.
- Eligible generation sources will be biogas (such as landfill methane, sewage gas, and manure digestion), biomass (from listed eligible sources of unadulterated biomass), fuel cells, certain hydroelectric facilities, solar, tidal and wind. The ALJ recommends that municipal solid waste not be eligible at this time.
- Only new resources developed after January 1, 2003 are eligible for the RPS, with the exception of wind (to ensure the viability of existing projects) and certain small hydro facilities.
- The RPS will be structured so that an optional or voluntary central procurement capability be developed by a state agency (most likely NYSERDA) to offer procurement via long-term contracts, but also that load serving entities (LSEs) will be free to procure the requisite renewable load individually.
Based on these recommendations, the estimated cost increases are 1.8% for residential, 2% for commercial and 2.4% for industrial customers. The RD suggests a target date of 2013 for achieving the 25% renewables, with a 2008 review of the schedule for possible adjustment.
Active parties will have until June 23 to submit formal comments on the RD, after which parties will have until July 8 to submit reply comments. A series of public forums will be held around the state to provide the general public with information on the RPS and to receive input from the public. (View the list of public hearings HERE)
The RD, a summary thereof, a draft generic environmental impact statement, and other information about the RPS initiative is available on the Commission's web site at: www.dps.state.ny.us/03e0188.htm
Volunteer opportunities with the NYC 2004 Host Committee . . .
In preparation for the Republican National Convention in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has established the New York Host Committee 2004, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization to assist with the event. The Host Committee is looking for volunteers to help the 50,000+ Convention-related visitors who are expected to descend on New York. Volunteers will perform key duties and play crucial roles in the areas of Transportation, Information Services, and Hospitality/Special Events. For more information, see the Volunteer Fact Sheet or visit www.nyc2004.org
Tell us about it . . .
Jim Roche of the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce needs your help: "My chamber was recently asked by one of our regional non-profit health insurance providers to take a position against 'insurance conversion,' whereby a non-profit health insurance provider converts to for-profit status. (Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield converted to a for-profit a couple of years ago.) Has your chamber looked at this issue, and if so, what position was taken and why? Thank you in advance for responding!" E-mail Jim at jroche@mvchamber.org or call him at 315-724-3151, ext. 229.
Got a question you’d like to ask other CANYS members? Job opening in your chamber? Great idea you’d like to share? Send it to maggie.moree@bcnys.org.
