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Public hearing: bill would require wind developers to seek FAA determination, install light-mitigation systems
Summary
The Senate Committee on Energy and Environment held a public hearing April 21 on House Bill 2375, which would require new or repowered wind facilities to apply to the FAA and, if applicable, the FCC for determinations about light-mitigation systems and to install approved systems within 24 months.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Environment held a public hearing April 21 on House Bill 2375, a bill that would require developers of new or repowered wind energy facilities to seek Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determinations and, where applicable, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) involvement before installing light-mitigation technology systems, and to install approved systems within 24 months.
Representative Bobby Levy, the bill sponsor, told the committee the proposal is modeled on laws in other states and aims “to minimize necessary light pollution without compromising safety and without placing undue burden on industry.” He described the measure as respecting FAA and Department of Defense jurisdiction and said the technology can automatically light turbines only when aircraft are present.
“House Bill 2,375 does not override any federal authority,” Levy said. “It fully respects the jurisdiction of the FAA and the Department of Defense, ensuring that all aviation safety and national security requirements remain intact.”
Emily Griffith, Oregon policy manager at Renewable Northwest, said the organization supports the bill as amended and described Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS) that “do not flash red blinky lights unless there's aircraft detected, effectively mitigating light pollution.” Griffith said the engrossed bill reflects industry feedback to allow implementation without project delays.
Asked about cost, Griffith said developer members estimate a light-mitigation system can cost about $1.5 million to $2 million after installation costs, but that totals are project-specific and the number of systems depends on project layout. “It can be 1.5 to $2,000,000,” she told the committee. She clarified the figure refers to a light-mitigation system, not to an individual turbine.
Sydney Villanueva, testifying for the Northwest Intermountain Power Producers Coalition (NIPPC), said the bill includes a mechanism to address federal delay: if the FAA does not issue a determination within 12 months, the project may proceed. Villanueva later clarified she had misspoken and said it is a FAA determination, not an FAA approval; absent a determination within 12 months, the bill as drafted allows the project to move forward.
Committee members questioned whether the bill introduces additional federal hurdles that could delay projects. Witnesses said developers already apply to the FAA and FCC as part of siting and that the bill requires the light-mitigation determination be part of those established federal reviews rather than creating a new, separate federal approval process. Committee members also asked about how many turbines a single system would cover and how FAA national work on lighting interacts with state measures; witnesses said the answers are project-specific and that the FAA is conducting national reviews.
No committee action or vote was taken on the bill during the hearing; the committee closed the public hearing and moved to an informational hearing on the Oregon Energy Strategy.
