| 1 | | - | BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.50 |
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| 2 | | - | 2025 Page1of4 |
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| 3 | | - | S.50 |
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| 4 | | - | IntroducedbySenatorsWatson,Beck,Bongartz,HardyandWilliams |
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| 5 | | - | ReferredtoCommitteeonNaturalResourcesandEnergy |
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| 6 | | - | Date:February5,2025 |
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| 7 | | - | Subject:Publicservice;energy;renewableenergy;solarenergy;netmetering |
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| 8 | | - | Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestoincreasethe |
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| 9 | | - | sizeofsolarnetmeteringprojectsthatqualifyforanexpeditedapproval |
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| 10 | | - | processfrom15kWto25kW. |
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| 11 | | - | Anactrelatingtoincreasingthesizeofsolarnetmeteringprojectsthat |
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| 12 | | - | qualifyforexpeditedregistration |
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| 13 | | - | ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont: |
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| 14 | | - | Sec.1.30V.S.A.§ 8010isamendedtoread: |
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| 15 | | - | §8010.SELF-GENERATIONANDNETMETERING |
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| 16 | | - | *** |
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| 17 | | - | (c)Inaccordancewiththissection,theCommissionshalladoptand |
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| 18 | | - | implementrulesthatgoverntheinstallationandoperationofnetmetering |
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| 19 | | - | systems. |
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| 20 | | - | *** |
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| 21 | | - | (3)Therulesshallestablishstandardsandproceduresgoverning |
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| 22 | | - | applicationforandissuanceorrevocationofacertificateofpublicgoodfor |
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| 42 | | - | 20 BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.50 |
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| 43 | | - | 2025 Page2of4 |
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| 44 | | - | netmeteringsystemsundertheprovisionsofsection248ofthistitle.In |
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| 45 | | - | establishingthesestandardsandprocedures: |
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| 46 | | - | *** |
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| 47 | | - | (F)Thissubdivision(F)appliestoanapplicationforanetmetering |
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| 48 | | - | systemwithacapacitythatisgreaterthan1525kilowatts,unlessthesystemis |
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| 49 | | - | locatedonaneworexistingstructuretheprimarypurposeofwhichisnotthe |
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| 50 | | - | generationofelectricity.Withrespecttosuchasystem,therulesshallnot |
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| 51 | | - | waiveorincludeprovisionsthatarelessstringentthaneachofthefollowing: |
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| 52 | | - | (i)therequirementofsubdivision248(a)(4)(C)ofthistitleto |
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| 53 | | - | provideacopyoftheapplicationtotheAgenciesofAgriculture,Foodand |
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| 54 | | - | MarketsandofNaturalResources;theDepartmentofPublicService;the |
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| 55 | | - | DivisionforHistoricPreservation;themunicipallegislativebody;andthe |
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| 56 | | - | municipalandregionalplanningcommissions;and |
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| 57 | | - | (ii)therequirementsofsubsection248(f)(preapplication |
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| 58 | | - | submittal)ofthistitle. |
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| 59 | | - | (G)Therulesshallestablishanexpeditedregistrationprocedurefor |
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| 60 | | - | netmeteringsystemsupto25kilowatts25kilowattsandlessinsize. |
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| 61 | | - | *** |
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| 77 | | - | 16 BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.50 |
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| 78 | | - | 2025 Page3of4 |
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| 79 | | - | Sec.2.RULEMAKING |
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| 80 | | - | ThePublicUtilityCommissionshallupdateitsRule5.100toallowground |
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| 81 | | - | mountedphotovoltaicnetmeteringsystemsofnotmorethan25kWof25 |
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| 82 | | - | kilowattsandlesstoqualifyforexpeditedregistration.Itistheintentofthe |
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| 83 | | - | GeneralAssemblythattheCommissionshallallowsystemsofnotmorethan |
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| 84 | | - | 25kWof25kilowattsandlesstousetheexpeditedregistrationbeforethe |
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| 85 | | - | rulesareupdated. |
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| 86 | | - | Sec.3.24V.S.A.§ 4412isamendedtoread: |
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| 87 | | - | § 4412.REQUIREDPROVISIONSANDPROHIBITEDEFFECTS |
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| 88 | | - | *** |
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| 89 | | - | (15)Notwithstandinganycontraryprovisionofsections2291aand |
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| 90 | | - | 4413ofthistitleor30V.S.A.chapter5or89,inamunicipalitythathas |
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| 91 | | - | adoptedabylawtoestablishsetbackrequirementsfordevelopment,those |
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| 92 | | - | requirementsshallapplytoanetmeteringsystemthatis25kWorlessinsize |
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| 93 | | - | thathasbeenregisteredwiththePublicUtilityCommissionaspartof |
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| 94 | | - | expeditedreviewunder30V.S.A.§ 248.Setbackrequirementsunderthis |
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| 95 | | - | subdivisionshallnotbemorerestrictivethanrequirementsappliedtoother |
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| 96 | | - | developmentinthemunicipalityunderthischapter. |
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| 97 | | - | Sec.4.30V.S.A.§ 8010isamendedtoread: |
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| 98 | | - | §8010.SELF-GENERATIONANDNETMETERING |
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| 99 | | - | *** |
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| 100 | | - | (c)Inaccordancewiththissection,theCommissionshalladoptand |
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| 101 | | - | implementrulesthatgoverntheinstallationandoperationofnetmetering |
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| 102 | | - | systems. |
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| 103 | | - | (1)Therulesshallestablishandmaintainanetmeteringprogramthat: |
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| 104 | | - | *** |
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| 105 | | - | (G)accountsforchangesovertimeinthecostoftechnology;and |
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| 106 | | - | (H)allowsacustomertoretainownershipoftheenvironmental |
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| 107 | | - | attributesofenergygeneratedbythecustomer’snetmeteringsystemandof |
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| 108 | | - | anyassociatedtradeablerenewableenergycreditsortotransferthose |
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| 109 | | - | attributesandcreditstotheinterconnectingretailprovider,and: |
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| 110 | | - | (i)ifthecustomerretainstheattributes,reducesthevalueofthe |
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| 111 | | - | creditprovidedunderthissectionforelectricitygeneratedbythecustomer’s |
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| 112 | | - | netmeteringsystembyanappropriateamount;and |
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| 113 | | - | 1 BILLASINTRODUCEDANDPASSEDBYSENATE S.50 |
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| 114 | | - | 2025 Page4of4 |
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| 115 | | - | (ii)ifthecustomertransferstheattributestotheinterconnecting |
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| 116 | | - | provider,requirestheprovidertoretainthemforapplicationtoward |
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| 117 | | - | compliancewithsections8004and8005ofthistitle;and |
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| 118 | | - | (I)allowsacustomertochangetheirdecisiononetimetoretainor |
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| 119 | | - | transfertheattributesofaneworexistingsystemifthesystemis25kWorless |
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| 120 | | - | insize. |
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| 121 | | - | *** |
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| 122 | | - | Sec.35.EFFECTIVEDATE |
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| 123 | | - | ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025. |
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| 1 | + | BILL AS INTRODUCED S.50 |
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| 2 | + | 2025 Page 1 of 3 |
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| 3 | + | |
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| 4 | + | |
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| 5 | + | VT LEG #379196 v.3 |
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| 6 | + | S.50 1 |
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| 7 | + | Introduced by Senators Watson, Beck, Bongartz, Hardy and Williams 2 |
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| 8 | + | Referred to Committee on 3 |
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| 9 | + | Date: 4 |
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| 10 | + | Subject: Public service; energy; renewable energy; solar energy; net metering 5 |
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| 11 | + | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to increase the 6 |
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| 12 | + | size of solar net metering projects that qualify for an expedited approval 7 |
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| 13 | + | process from 15 kW to 25 kW. 8 |
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| 14 | + | An act relating to increasing the size of solar net metering projects that 9 |
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| 15 | + | qualify for expedited registration 10 |
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| 16 | + | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11 |
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| 17 | + | Sec. 1. 30 V.S.A. § 8010 is amended to read: 12 |
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| 18 | + | § 8010. SELF-GENERATION AND NET METERING 13 |
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| 19 | + | * * * 14 |
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| 20 | + | (c) In accordance with this section, the Commission shall adopt and 15 |
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| 21 | + | implement rules that govern the installation and operation of net metering 16 |
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| 22 | + | systems. 17 |
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| 23 | + | * * * 18 |
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| 24 | + | (3) The rules shall establish standards and procedures governing 19 |
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| 25 | + | application for and issuance or revocation of a certificate of public good for net 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.50 |
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| 26 | + | 2025 Page 2 of 3 |
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| 29 | + | VT LEG #379196 v.3 |
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| 30 | + | metering systems under the provisions of section 248 of this title. In 1 |
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| 31 | + | establishing these standards and procedures: 2 |
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| 32 | + | * * * 3 |
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| 33 | + | (F) This subdivision (F) applies to an application for a net metering 4 |
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| 34 | + | system with a capacity that is greater than 15 25 kilowatts, unless the system is 5 |
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| 35 | + | located on a new or existing structure the primary purpose of which is not the 6 |
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| 36 | + | generation of electricity. With respect to such a system, the rules shall not 7 |
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| 37 | + | waive or include provisions that are less stringent than each of the following: 8 |
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| 38 | + | (i) the requirement of subdivision 248(a)(4)(C) of this title to 9 |
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| 39 | + | provide a copy of the application to the Agencies of Agriculture, Food and 10 |
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| 40 | + | Markets and of Natural Resources; the Department of Public Service; the 11 |
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| 41 | + | Division for Historic Preservation; the municipal legislative body; and the 12 |
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| 42 | + | municipal and regional planning commissions; and 13 |
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| 43 | + | (ii) the requirements of subsection 248(f) (preapplication 14 |
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| 44 | + | submittal) of this title. 15 |
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| 45 | + | (G) The rules shall establish an expedited registration procedure for 16 |
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| 46 | + | net metering systems up to 25 kilowatts in size. 17 |
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| 47 | + | * * * 18 |
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| 48 | + | Sec. 2. RULEMAKING 19 |
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| 49 | + | The Public Utility Commission shall update its Rule 5.100 to allow ground 20 |
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| 50 | + | mounted photovoltaic net metering systems of not more than 25 kW to qualify 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.50 |
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| 51 | + | 2025 Page 3 of 3 |
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| 52 | + | |
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| 53 | + | |
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| 54 | + | VT LEG #379196 v.3 |
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| 55 | + | for expedited registration. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the 1 |
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| 56 | + | Commission shall allow systems of not more than 25 kW to use the expedited 2 |
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| 57 | + | registration before the rules are updated. 3 |
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| 58 | + | Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4 |
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| 59 | + | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 5 |
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