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Lawmakers hear testimony for continued funding of Nevada Clean Energy Fund
Summary
Senate Bill 132 would appropriate additional state funds to the Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF); supporters said past state investment of $1 million leveraged more than $200 million in external funding, while opponents warned against taxpayer subsidies for preferred technologies.
Senate Bill 132, presented by Senator Rochelle Wynne with testimony from NCEF CEO Kirsten Stasio, would appropriate additional state funds to the Nevada Clean Energy Fund to support its programs that deliver technical and financial assistance for distributed clean energy projects across the state.
Kirsten Stasio said NCEF leveraged the Legislature's 2023 $1 million appropriation to secure more than $200 million in federal, private and philanthropic funding and described programs the fund administers, including Nevada Solar for All, a commercial property-assessed clean energy program, and an electric school bus initiative for rural districts. "Our Nevada solar for all program will reduce household utility bills for roughly 50,000 Nevadans over the next 4 years and create, nearly a thousand high quality jobs," Stasio said.
Supporters representing housing developers, tribes, conservation groups, labor and environmental organizations testified in favor. Examples cited in testimony included affordable housing solar projects and tribal energy upgrades; several groups submitted letters of support.
Americans for Prosperity testified in opposition, arguing the appropriation would direct taxpayer dollars to politically preferred technologies and risk repeating failed subsidies. Their witness cited the federally funded Crescent Dunes project as an example of subsidies that did not deliver expected returns and urged market-neutral approaches.
The sponsor and proponents discussed several appropriation options and scales (the sponsor referenced examples of $500,000, $1 million and $5 million scenarios) and emphasized NCEF's leveraging record. The hearing closed after testimony; no committee vote was recorded.
