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Committee hears HB 440/1160: sponsors propose local tax, 500-foot setbacks for large solar farms; industry and utilities urge fixes
Summary
Representatives Ken Hayden (R-43) and Danny Busick (R-3) presented a House committee substitute combining House Bill 440 and House Bill 1160 that would locally assess large solar projects, impose a $2,500-per-megawatt tax on facilities larger than 5 megawatts, cap development on cropland at 4 percent per county, and set a 500-foot setback from occupied residences, churches and schools for new projects.
Representative Ken Hayden (R-43) and Representative Danny Busick (R-3) presented a House committee substitute combining House Bill 440 and House Bill 1160 that would change how large solar and certain commercial renewable projects are taxed and sited in Missouri.
The sponsors said the bill would move assessment and tax revenue to the local level, require a tax of $2,500 per megawatt for commercial-scale facilities over 5 megawatts, and limit solar development on cropland to 4 percent of a county's cropland (measured by the perimeter of panels), with the county commission able to opt in to the program and to administer allocation. The draft also sets a 500-foot setback from the nearest panel to an occupied residence, church or school for new projects built after the bill's establishment date; projects completed by an initial cutoff date would be grandfathered, sponsors said.
"It says that they will be taxed at a rate of $2,500 per megawatt based upon the panel... it only applies to greater than 5 megawatts," Representative Hayden said. He described…
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