§ 59-1. Legislative findings; intent and purpose; authority.

(a)

It is the policy of both the village and the state to seek to reduce the cost of natural gas and electricity to its residents and provide cost certainty for the purpose of economic development, to promote deeper penetration of energy efficiency and renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, and wider development of distributed energy resources as well as to examine the retail energy markets and increase participation of and benefits for eligible consumers in those markets. Among the policies and models that may offer benefits in New York is community choice aggregation (CCA), which allows local governments to determine the default supplier of electricity and natural gas on behalf of eligible consumers.

(b)

The purpose of this CCA program, is to allow participating local governments including the village to procure electricity or natural gas supply service on behalf of their residential and commercial customers while maintaining transmission and distribution service from the existing distribution utility. Residential and commercial customers will have the opportunity to opt out of any approved CCA program. This chapter establishes a program that will allow the village or its designated agent or administrator for that purpose, to put out for bid the total amount of natural gas and/or electricity being purchased by residential and commercial customers participating in the CCA program. Eligible consumers will have the opportunity to have more control to lower their overall energy costs, to spur clean energy innovation and investment, to improve customer choice and value, and to protect the environment; thereby, fulfilling the purposes of this chapter and fulfilling an important public purpose.

(c)

The Village of Goshen is hereby authorized to participate in a community choice aggregation program pursuant to Section 10(1)(ii)(a)(12) of the New York Municipal Home Rule Law; and State of New York Public Service Commission Case No. 14-M-0224, "Proceeding on Motion of the Commission to Enable Community Choice Aggregation Programs" (issued April 21, 2016), as may be amended, including subsequent orders of the public service commission (PSC) issued in connection with or related to Case No. 14-M-0224, to the extent that orders related to Case No. 14-M-0224 enable actions by the village.

(d)

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Community Choice Aggregation Program Law" of the village.

(L.L. No. 6-2016, § 1, 11-21-16)