S807
"The building commission shall apply all moneys available for its use under the authorized state building program to achieve certification as of January 1, 2015, by the U.S. Green Building Council for not less than 15 percent of the total gross square footage of conditioned space in buildings, structures, and facilities that are owned or leased by agencies on that date, as determined by the department of administration under s.
16.856(3), as conforming at a minimum to LEED performance requirements for the operation and maintenance of existing buildings. . ."
The requirement that "the building commission shall apply all moneys available for its use under the authorized state building program" for this single purpose is extremely problematic. It will result in all current maintenance projects being delayed indefinitely. In the future, the commitment of all these funds for this single purpose will also sharply curtail the state's ability to build new buildings or maintain its existing facilities.
I understand and support the underlying goals of this legislation which would move Wisconsin forward by building greener, more energy efficient and sustainable public buildings. Green building practices can substantially cut costs of operating and maintaining buildings over their useful lives. A small investment in green building design yields long-term financial and environmental benefits such as conservation of water, energy, materials and land.
I am a proponent of high performance green building practices and have taken steps to make us a leader in the nation. I issued Executive Order #145 in April 2006, directing the adoption of higher energy conservation and sustainable building standards for state-owned buildings. I proposed and advocated for the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which included landmark programs to increase renewable energy standards, enhance energy efficiency and conservation efforts, and would have supported the creation of at least 15,000 green jobs in the state by 2025.
Unfortunately, Senate Bill 616 is unworkable. There is some argument that the language in the bill does not mean what it says. However, the language is clear and I must rely upon it.
In addition, the energy reduction goals in the bill would require large-scale application of technologies that are not compatible with facilities in urban environments. The requirements for LEED Existing Building (LEED EB) certification would increase the scope and cost of minor repair projects. The standards for leased space would likely force the relocation of state tenants and make rental of space in some areas impracticable.
The underlying goals of the bill are laudable and I remain fully committed to green building practices and energy conservation initiatives. Unfortunately, though the bill affects all moneys available for the state building program, it does not contain an appropriation, so I cannot fix the unworkable provisions of the bill. As such, I am directing the Department of Administration to incorporate goals and processes similar to Senate Bill 616 into capital budget legislation for the 2011-13 biennium.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
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State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
May 14, 2010
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Foss
, Richard,
of La Crosse, as a member of the Optometry Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2013.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
May 3, 2010
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Gary
, George,
of Milwaukee, as a member of the Savings Institutions Review Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2014.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Biotechnology, and Financial Institutions.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
May 14, 2010
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Knoell
, Lyndsay,
of Racine, as a member of the Dentistry Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2014.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
May 3, 2010
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Koenigs, Kathy,
of Waukesha, as a member of the Hearing and Speech Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2011.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
May 14, 2010
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Schwalenberg, Jessica,
of Delafield, as a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2012.
Respectfully Submitted,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Agriculture and Higher Education.
