This blog will focus on and discuss business and legal issues important to entrepreneurs as they develop products and services, seek capital, expand and exit the market. In addition, this blog will discuss federal and state economic development incentives and finance programs that are geared towards incentivizing affordable housing, renewable energy, historic preservation, small business start up and job creation.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Mississippi: Refund of Ad Valorem Taxes
The Mississippi Attorney General has issued an opinion that
a county board of supervisors may issue a refund of erroneously paid ad valorem
taxes that were paid in protest by an exempt entity. The exempt entity made payments
for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 tax year in February of 2010 and requested a
refund of the taxes paid in protest on October 17, 2012. A county board of
supervisors has the authority to issue a refund of excess or erroneously
collected taxes paid within three years of the date the petition for such
refund is filed with the tax collector. Miss. Code Ann.§ 27-73-7 authorizes a
tax collector, upon request by a taxpayer, and upon order of the board of
supervisors, to refund erroneously paid taxes. The statute of limitations for
such a refund of ad valorem taxes is controlled by Miss. Code Ann.§ 15-1-49,
which requires that a refund of ad valorem taxes may only be issued for payments
that were made within three years of the date the petition for a refund was
filed.
Tax Credits Available for Clean Energy Manufacturers
The U.S. Departments of Energy and the Treasury on February
7 announced the availability of $150 million in Advanced Energy Manufacturing
tax credits for clean energy and energy efficiency manufacturing projects
across the United States. The program supports manufacturing of a range of
clean energy products, from renewable energy equipment to energy efficiency
products. Established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
initial round provided $2.3 billion in credits to 183 projects across the country.
The $150 million in tax credits are being made available because they were not
used by the previous awardees.
The tax credits will be allocated on a competitive basis. Projects will be assessed by the Energy Department based on the following criteria: commercial viability, domestic job creation, technological innovation, speed to project completion, and potential for reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The Department will also consider additional factors, including diversity of geographical locations, technology, project size, and regional economic development.
The tax credits will be allocated on a competitive basis. Projects will be assessed by the Energy Department based on the following criteria: commercial viability, domestic job creation, technological innovation, speed to project completion, and potential for reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The Department will also consider additional factors, including diversity of geographical locations, technology, project size, and regional economic development.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
DOE Announces New Funding to Develop Biomass Supply Chain Technologies
The Energy Department on January 28 announced about $6
million for projects that will develop and demonstrate supply-chain
technologies to affordably deliver commercial-scale lignocellulosic biomass
feedstocks such as woody plant tissue to biorefineries across the country. This
funding will help accelerate the development of integrated, cost-effective
supply-chain systems that reduce time and costs to produce biofuels for cars,
trucks, and airplanes.
The Department will make available about $6 million this year for one to two multi-year projects. All selected projects will require a cost share contribution by the grant recipient, including 20% for research and development activities and 50% for demonstration activities.
The Department will make available about $6 million this year for one to two multi-year projects. All selected projects will require a cost share contribution by the grant recipient, including 20% for research and development activities and 50% for demonstration activities.
DOE Expands Technical Assistance for Tribal Energy Projects
The Energy Department on January 30 announced the second
round of the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program,
which provides federally recognized Tribal governments with technical
assistance to accelerate clean energy project deployment. Additionally, the
Energy Department plans to seek information from tribes interested in launching
or expanding utility services in their own communities, which will help
establish a new START Utility Program (START-UP). Additional details on this
effort will be available on the Office of Indian Energy website in the coming
weeks.
Over the past year, the START program has helped nine Tribal communities advance their clean energy technology and infrastructure projects, from solar and wind to biofuels and energy efficiency. The second round of technical assistance awards will build upon the initial successes of the START program and further help Native American and Alaska Native communities increase local generation capacity, enhance energy-efficiency measures, and create local entrepreneurial and job opportunities. In the contiguous United States, Energy Department and national laboratory experts will provide technical assistance on tribes' clean energy project development. In Alaska, the Energy Department and the Denali Commission will help rural Alaska Native communities conduct energy awareness and training programs and pursue new renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities. Applications are due by March 15, 2013.
Over the past year, the START program has helped nine Tribal communities advance their clean energy technology and infrastructure projects, from solar and wind to biofuels and energy efficiency. The second round of technical assistance awards will build upon the initial successes of the START program and further help Native American and Alaska Native communities increase local generation capacity, enhance energy-efficiency measures, and create local entrepreneurial and job opportunities. In the contiguous United States, Energy Department and national laboratory experts will provide technical assistance on tribes' clean energy project development. In Alaska, the Energy Department and the Denali Commission will help rural Alaska Native communities conduct energy awareness and training programs and pursue new renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities. Applications are due by March 15, 2013.
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