§ 113B-7. Energy Efficiency Program; components.

§ 113B‑7.  EnergyEfficiency Program; components.

(a)        The Energy Policy Council shall prepare a recommended EnergyEfficiency Program for transmittal to the Governor, the initial plan to becompleted by January 30, 1976.

(b)        The Energy Efficiency Program shall be designed to assurethe public health and safety of the people of North Carolina and to encourageand promote conservation of energy through reducing wasteful, inefficient oruneconomical uses of energy resources.

(c)        The Energy Efficiency Program shall include but not belimited to the following recommendations:

(1)        Recommendations to the Building Code Council for lighting,insulation, climate control systems and other building design and constructionstandards which increase the efficient use of energy and are economicallyfeasible to implement;

(2)        Recommendations to the Building Code Council for per unitenergy requirement allotments based upon square footage for various classes ofbuildings which would reduce energy consumption, yet are both technically andeconomically feasible and not injurious to public health and safety;

(3)        Recommendations for minimum levels of operating efficiencyfor all appliances whose use requires a significant amount of energy based uponboth technical and economic feasibility considerations;

(4)        Recommendations for State government purchases of supplies,vehicles and equipment and such operating practices as will make possible moreefficient use of energy;

(5)        Recommendations on energy conservation policies, programs andprocedures for local units of government;

(6)        Any other recommendations which the Energy Policy Councilconsiders to be a significant part of a statewide conservation effort and whichinclude provisions for sufficient incentives to further energy conservation;

(7)        An economic and environmental impact analysis of therecommended program.

(d)        In addition to specific conservation recommendations, theEnergy Efficiency Program shall contain proposals for implementation of suchrecommendations as can be carried out by executive order. Upon completion of adraft recommended program, the Council shall arrange for its distribution tointerested parties and shall make the program available to the public and theCouncil further shall set a date for public hearing on said program.

(e)        Upon completion of the Energy Efficiency Program, theCouncil shall transmit said program, to be known as the State Energy EfficiencyProgram, to the Governor for approval or disapproval. Upon approval, theGovernor shall assign administrative responsibility for such implementation ascan be carried out by executive order to appropriate agencies of Stategovernment, and submit to the General Assembly such proposals which requirelegislative action for implementation. The Governor shall have the authority toaccept, administer, and enforce federal programs, program measures andpermissive delegations of authority delegated to the Governor by the Presidentof the United States, Congress, or the United States Department of Energy, onbehalf of the State of North Carolina, which pertain to the conservation ofenergy resources.

(f)         The Governor shall transmit the approved Energy EfficiencyProgram to the President of the Senate, to the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives, to the heads of all State agencies and shall further seek topublicize such plan and make it available to all units of local government andto the public at large.

(g)        At least every two years and whenever such changes takeplace as would significantly affect energy supply or demand in North Carolina,the Energy Policy Council shall review and, if necessary, revise the EnergyEfficiency Program, transmitting such revised plan to the Governor pursuant tothe procedures contained in subsections (e) and (f) of this section. (1975, c. 877, s. 4; 1981, c. 701, s. 1; 2000‑140,s. 76(c).)