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Committee advances bill requiring decommissioning plans for commercial renewable projects on farmland
Summary
House Bill 15-25 would require commercial wind, solar and battery developers to file plans for returning farmland to agricultural use when projects reach end of life; the bill passed the committee after the sponsor noted an amendment exempting private farm owners who install on-site systems.
Representative Trace Stammel presented House Bill 15-25 to the committee as an "agricultural remediation" bill aimed at ensuring farmland can return to productive use after commercial renewable energy facilities are retired. "This is a great piece of legislation that will put some stop gaps in place and allow our farmland to return to usable farmland once that renewable energy field is out," Stammel said.
Simon Mahan of the Southern Renewable Energy Association testified in support, calling the requirements "common sense rules that many of our developers already follow" and noting that many developers already plan for end-of-life remediation. Mahan cautioned about "potential double bonding" related to soil-quality restoration but said the trade association supports the bill's goals.
Stammel told the committee an amendment had been added to exempt private farm owners who place a solar installation on their own property to power on‑farm operations (for example, grain bins). "There would be no remediation required if it was a private farm owner putting in a solar field to run his grain bins or any other facility on his personal property," Stammel said, adding that he does not want government to unduly limit private property rights.
Committee members heard no opposition testimony in the transcript. The sponsor moved the bill and a voice vote followed; the transcript records the chair announcing the bill was passed.
The bill's next steps are internal: the committee approved the measure to move forward; any implementation details (bonding levels, inspection standards, or soil-restoration protocols) were not specified in the meeting record.
