Title 8 — Environmental and Animal Control and Protection.

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) Within 90 days after October 22, 2008, the Commission shall open an investigation into mechanisms to make long-term affordable financing available to energy consumers to purchase: (1) Renewable energy generating systems, including solar thermal and solar photovoltaic panels a…

The Commission shall establish, by order, a discount program for low-income electricity customers in the District. The Commission shall establish the eligibility, funding, and administrative guidelines for the program; provided, that the program shall not be funded from existing …

The Commission shall establish, by order, a discount program for low-income gas customers in the District. The Commission shall establish the eligibility, funding, and administrative guidelines for the program; provided, that the program shall not be funded from existing District…

Within one year after October 22, 2008, the Mayor shall commission a study to determine the economic, legal, and technical viability of the District government pursuing a new large-scale wind energy project through public financing or private financing.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term “DDOE” means the District Department of the Environment.

(a) Within 270 days after March 3, 2010, DDOE shall submit a report to the Council recommending strategies and standards for optimal lighting methods and levels in the District. The report shall address: (1) Public safety; (2) Energy efficiency; (3) Cost efficiency; (4) Effects o…

(a) The Mayor shall develop a plan that results in a 15% reduction in energy use by each District agency and instrumentality. (b) The plan shall: (1) Include specific recommendations on implementation, including the resources and the time period required to implement the plan; (2…

For the purposes of this chapter, the term: (1) “Administrator” means the person retained pursuant to the authority granted in § 8-1778.45 to administer the Energy Efficiency Loan program authorized by subchapter III of this chapter. (2) “Authorized Delegate” means: (A) The City …

(a) Energy conservation efforts, including the promotion of Energy Efficiency Improvements to residential, commercial, and other real property, are necessary to address the issue of global climate change and to reduce the consumers’ energy costs. (b) The upfront cost of making re…

(a)(1) There is established as a nonlapsing fund the Special Energy Assessment Fund. The Chief Financial Officer shall establish additional accounts in the Special Energy Assessment Fund, consisting of a Special Energy Assessment Bond Debt Service Account for each series of bonds…

(a) The Council approves and authorizes the issuance of one or more series of bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $250 million. The bonds, which may be issued at any time and from time to time, in one or more series, shall be tax-exempt or taxable as the Mayor sh…

(a) Except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter, Debt Service on each series of bonds shall be payable solely and only from proceeds received from the sale of that series of bonds, income realized from the temporary investment of those proceeds, Special Assessment revenue…

(a) The Mayor is authorized to take any action reasonably necessary or appropriate in accordance with this chapter in connection with the preparation, execution, issuance, sale, delivery, security for, and payment of the bonds of each series, including, but not limited to, determ…

(a) The bonds of any series may be sold at negotiated or competitive sale at, above, or below par, to one or more persons or entities, and upon terms that the Mayor considers to be in the best interests of the District. (b) The Mayor or an Authorized Delegate may execute, in conn…

(a) The Mayor is authorized to prescribe the final form and content of all Financing Documents and all Closing Documents to which the District is a party that may be necessary or appropriate to issue, sell, and deliver the bonds. (b) The Mayor is authorized to execute, in the nam…

(a) The bonds shall be special obligations of the District payable solely and only from the amounts deposited in the respective Special Energy Assessment Bond Debt Service Accounts and Bond Proceeds Account of the National Capital Energy Fund established by § 8-1778.41. The bonds…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 8-1778.27(c), the elected or appointed officials, officers, employees, or agents of the District shall not be liable personally for the payment of the bonds or be subject to any personal liability by reason of the issuance of the bonds, or fo…

Within 3 days after the Mayor’s receipt of the transcript of proceedings relating to the issuance of the bonds, the Mayor shall transmit a copy of the transcript to the Secretary to the Council.

For purposes of calculating the District’s level of debt, the Special Assessments do not constitute revenues derived from taxes, fees, or other general revenues of the District, or its agencies or authorities, pursuant to the District’s power to tax or impose fees within the defi…

If the Mayor determines that a bond issuance is in the interest of the District and promotes the goal of encouraging the installation of Energy Efficiency Improvements, a bond may be issued to, purchased by, or held by a Private Lending Institution that makes an Energy Efficiency…

(a) There is established as a nonlapsing fund the National Capital Energy Fund. The Chief Financial Officer shall deposit the proceeds from the sale of a bond into the National Capital Energy Fund, except as provided in § 8-1778.31. (b) All funds deposited into the National Capit…

(a) To qualify for a loan from the National Capital Energy Fund, the property owner shall file with the administrator a loan application including the following: (1) The amount of loan requested; (2) The agreement of the property owner to pay the full amount of the Special Assess…

(a) The administrator shall review the property owner’s application and, if it finds that the application satisfies all requirements, shall enter into a loan, or other, agreement with the property owner. (b) The property owner may request in the loan application that the Energy E…

The administrator shall provide general management, oversight, and coordination of the Energy Efficiency Loan program and its related services, including performing the following duties: (1) Outreach and marketing to eligible property owners to inform them of the existence and be…

(a) The Mayor may contract with an administrator to administer the Energy Efficiency Loan program created by this subchapter. (b) Chapter 3A of Title 2 [§ 2-351.01 et seq.] shall not apply to the contract authorized by subsection (a) of this section until 5 years after the effect…

The Mayor shall establish a Quality Assurance Program to promote transparency, assure the competence of contractors and individuals performing retrofits, analyze energy savings, and achieve the following goals: (1) Establishment and publication of the Certification Standards requ…

In an effort to maximize employment opportunities to District residents, the Mayor shall establish a workforce development and employment plan that shall incorporate the first source hiring requirements of § 2-219.03, with priority given to employment of: (1) Residents of economi…

The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2 [§ 2-501 et seq.], shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this chapter.

The Mayor shall submit, on an annual basis, all federally required state energy plans and modifications of approved state energy plans for the following energy programs to the Council of the District of Columbia (“Council”) for its review and approval prior to submission to the f…

The Mayor shall not expend, except in accordance with a state energy plan identified in § 8-1779.01, any revenues owed or accruing to the District of Columbia (“District”) on or after January 27, 1986, as a result of action taken by the United States Department of Energy pursuant…

Each state energy plan shall be submitted to the Council for a 60-day review period (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and days of Council recess) at least 90 days before the plan is required to be submitted to the federal agency administering the program. Proposed modifica…

For the purposes of this subchapter: (1)(A) The term “animal at large” means any animal found off the premises of its owner and neither leashed nor otherwise under the immediate control of a person capable of physically restraining it. (B) The term “at large” does not include a d…

(a) The Mayor may contract, either by negotiation or competitive bid, with a District of Columbia humane organization to serve as the Animal Care and Control Agency. The Mayor may delegate all or part of his authority under this subchapter, including the issuance of notices of vi…

(a) An owner who has a dog over the age of 4 months shall have the dog vaccinated against rabies and distemper. Pursuant to rules issued by the Mayor, an owner of a cat over the age of 4 months shall have that cat vaccinated against rabies. (b) The Mayor shall provide a free anti…

(a) For purposes of this section, “owner” shall not include: (1) A licensed veterinary hospital; (2) A licensed pet shop; and (3) An incorporated animal welfare agency not engaged in the sale of animals. (b) An owner who has a dog over the age of 4 months shall before July 1st of…

(a) The Mayor shall impound any dogs, cats, rabbits, or ferrets, the combination of which exceeds 4 animals, or any dogs, cats, rabbits, or ferrets beyond the number authorized in an animal hobby permit issued pursuant to § 8-1809. (b) Upon impounding an animal, the Mayor shall m…

(a) The Mayor shall not release a dog to its owner unless the owner has obtained a license as provided in § 8-1804. (b) An owner of an animal that is impounded shall pay the following: (1) An impoundment fee of $15 for animals certified by a licensed veterinarian as either spayed…

(a) The Mayor shall not release a dog for adoption unless the person adopting the dog obtains a license as provided in § 8-1804. (b)(1) The Mayor shall not release a female animal over the age of 6 months for adoption unless: (A) The animal has been spayed; and (B) The person ado…

(a) No owner of an animal shall allow the animal to go at large. (b) No person shall knowingly and falsely deny ownership of any animal. (c) No person shall remove the license of a dog without the permission of its owner. (d) No person shall change the natural color of a baby chi…

(a) The Mayor is authorized to establish dog parks on District-owned parkland in which a dog under the verbal command of a responsible adult may exercise off-leash. (b) A dog park shall be completely enclosed by a fence and gate, both no less than 5 feet in height. (c) The Mayor,…

(a) No person shall own or keep 7 or more mammals, larger than a guinea pig and over the age of 4 months, without obtaining an animal hobby permit: Except, that this section shall not apply to a licensed pet shop, licensed veterinary hospital, circus or traveling exhibition. (b) …

The Mayor shall implement an education and incentive program, which shall include the following: (1) Low cost spay and neuter clinic services; and (2) Program for education of animal owners.

Each person who violates a provision of this subchapter shall pay a fine not to exceed $25 for the first violation, $50 for the second violation occurring within a 24-month period, and $100 for each subsequent violation occurring within a 24-month period.

If a dog injures a person while at large, lack of knowledge of the dog’s vicious propensity standing alone shall not absolve the owner from a finding of negligence.

(a) The Mayor may issue a notice of violation to any person who violates a provision of this subchapter. (b) A notice of violation shall: (1) State the nature of the violation; and (2) Describe the procedures provided in this section. (c) A notice of violation shall be the summon…

(a) Within 180 days of December 5, 2008, the Mayor shall establish licensure requirements for commercial animal breeders in the District of Columbia, which shall include: (1) Licensing fees; (2) Standards for the care and management of animals; and (3) Facility inspection require…

(a) No person shall operate a commercial pet care facility without first obtaining a basic business license with an Inspected Sales and Services license endorsement pursuant to Title 47. The Mayor shall issue rules to establish the standards for the care and management of animals…

This subchapter may be cited as the “Sustainable Urban Agriculture Apiculture Act of 2012”.

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Africanized bee” means a hybrid variety of Apis mellifera produced by the cross-breeding of the aggressive African honey bee Apis mellifera scutellata with a European honey bee subspecies. (2) “Apiary” means a place where a colo…