Tax-exempt municipal bonds allow LPPC members to provide electricity, fuel and supplies that keep energy prices stable for their consumers.

BUILDING, OPERATING AND INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE from LPPC Power on Vimeo.

PRINCIPLE | RETAIN, RESTORE, AND ENHANCE TAX-EXEMPT FINANCING TOOLS
Retain, Restore and Enhance Key Public Finance Tools

As the Administration and Congress develop legislation to stimulate the economy and support recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that tax-exempt financing (i.e., the exclusion of interest on state and municipal bonds from taxable income) continues to be fully preserved. Any future tax legislation should also restore the ability to issue tax-exempt advance refunding bonds. Advance refunding is an important tool for municipal utilities to lower borrowing costs associated with infrastructure development, which results in lower electric rates in the communities that we serve. Additional financing tools (i.e., direct pay bonds not subject to sequestration) and comparability on existing or new energy tax incentives will also be pursued.

PRINCIPLE | UPDATE PRIVATE USE RESTRICTIONS
Eliminate Undue Restrictions on Use of Tax-exempt Financing for Public Power Infrastructure Investment

Restrictions in section 141(b) of the Internal Revenue Code concerning “private use” are outdated. The Treasury Department and Congress should update the tax code and regulations addressing private use restrictions to remove unnecessarily restrictive limitations on the use of tax-exempt financing for public power infrastructure investment. Outdated private use restrictions constrain the manner in which public power systems conduct their operations. As the Administration and Congress address tax issues, LPPC will seek to reduce all counterproductive limitations on public power financing.

PRINCIPLE | ENSURE ELIGIBILITY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
Publicly Owned Grid Infrastructure Should be Covered by any Federal Infrastructure Investment Program

As federal policies to support infrastructure investment are considered, it is critical they cover public power investment in electricity infrastructure. Like publicly owned transportation, water and wastewater systems, the nation’s electricity infrastructure is essential to the efficient operation of the economy. Federal support or incentives for infrastructure investment should be available to support a broad range of electric infrastructure investments by public power utilities. Although our members are public organizations, they do not have direct access to state or local government funding sources. 

PRINCIPLE | REPEAL MANDATORY SEQUESTRATION FOR BUILD AMERICA BONDS
Direct Pay Bonds are an Effective Financing Tool for Public Power, but Must be Exempt from After-the-Fact Mandatory Sequestration on a Going Forward Basis

Build America Bonds (“BABs”) are taxable bonds on which the Federal Government reimburses the issuer for a portion of the interest paid. Although BABs were effective in helping finance public infrastructure projects at lower borrowing costs, the ability to issue BABs expired in 2010. In addition, the subsidy payments on existing bonds have been negatively impacted by across-the-board-cuts – sequestration – that went into effect on March 1, 2013. LPPC urges Congress to repeal sequestration of payments for existing BABs on a going forward basis and supports the reinstatement of BABs (or other direct pay bond programs) to support infrastructure investment without exposure to future sequestration.

PRINCIPLE | ALLOW FLEXIBILITY IN OPTIMIZING RESOURCE PLANNING
Public Power Utilities Undertake Careful Generation and Transmission Resource Planning to Ensure Reliability, Affordability and Environmental Stewardship

As the Administration contemplates action on climate and infrastructure and exercises its authority under the Federal Power Act, states and utilities should have flexibility to support resource planning tailored to their existing resource mixes, regional reliability and resilience risk and the balance necessary to achieve cost-effective portfolios on an “integrated” basis. This approach will ensure consideration for regional market differences, resource and infrastructure availability, and the optimal combination of resource attributes and system performance. This approach also focuses on the achievement of overarching policy outcomes in support of state-based decision-making and resource neutrality.

PRINCIPLE | INVEST IN GRID MODERNIZATION
Transmission and Distribution Networks Serve as an Essential Platform for Deployment of New Technologies

Public power utilities and the grids they build and operate serve as a catalyst for advancing economic development and environmental stewardship. The electric transmission and distribution grid, through digitization, can be transformed into an interoperable technology platform that balances and coordinates expanding technology adoption to support energy efficiency, transportation electrification, distributed generation, storage, smart homes, buildings and cities and the overall convergence of essential public services. 

PRINCIPLE | EFFICIENT PERMIT REVIEW FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Permitting for Energy Infrastructure Should be Timely

Timely action is needed on permits for critical electricity infrastructure projects aimed at preserving reliability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, federal policy should be established to ensure that thorough, but timely processes are established, followed and updated, as necessary. Federal and state regulators and land agencies can efficiently and expeditiously complete the necessary permit reviews for construction of such critical infrastructure projects. Inter-agency coordination in federal permitting and effective federal-state collaboration are both necessary for new projects and for relicensing of existing facilities, such as hydroelectric facilities.

PRINCIPLE | FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING
Provide Direct Support for Public Power Systems to Offset the Broader Economic Impacts Experienced by all Customers and Small Businesses 

Many LPPC members are unable to access federal assistance funds targeted to state and local governments. Although LPPC members are public organizations, they do not have direct access to funds provided to other municipalities. All retail LPPC members have suspended disconnects and offered payment arrangements to customers to lessen the financial burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but post-pandemic business failures and extended unemployment will cause a significant spike in bad debt write-offs. As further relief is considered, funding to offset this, in a form directly accessible by LPPC members, should also be a priority.

Download LPPC's 2021 Full Policy Objectives