ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

HB 2714: environmental technology; biomass; forestry products

Sponsor: Representative Nutt, LD 14

Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Overview

Allows a company to continue qualifying for the Arizona Commerce Authority's (ACA) Environmental Technology Assistance Program (Program) if it locates or makes additional capital investment in a facility that processes biomass and forestry industry products.

History

The ACA's Program assists qualified manufacturers, producers and processors (companies) in locating or expanding facilities in Arizona. To qualify for assistance, a company must:

1) Not import hazardous or special waste in Arizona unless it holds an ADEQ storage or treatment facility permit or ADEQ has approved a plan that authorizes it to accept special waste as part of a recycling operation; and

2) Locate or make additional capital investments in a facility that:

a) Is either owned by a qualified company or leased by that company for at least five years;

b) Makes products from recycled materials or with renewable energy; or

c) Cost at least $20,000,000 for new capital investment in Arizona within five years after construction begins or improvements are installed (A.R.S. § 41-1514.02(E)).

Statute directed the Department of Commerce, which was the ACA's predecessor, to identify and certify qualified facilities before June 30, 1996. To maintain its certification, a company must:

1) Submit copies of all required information on actual or projected number of employees at the qualified facility and the actual or projected annual capital investment in those facilities; and

2) Allow audits and inspections to verify the accuracy of the submitted information (A.R.S. § 41-1514.02(C)).

Certification allows someone to earn a tax credit for construction expenses against corporate income taxes. Each tax credit is 10% the amount of expenses related to constructing this facility during the taxable year (A.R.S. § 43-1169).

Provisions

1. Allows a company to continue qualifying for Program assistance if it is locating or making additional capital investment in a facility that it either owns or leased for five or more years and that predominantly processes biomass and forestry industry products. (Sec. 1)

2. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)

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6. HB 2714

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