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Committee approves two bills on eminent domain and project notice for renewables; unanimous votes
Summary
House Bill 2752, prohibiting eminent domain for certain renewable energy facilities, and House Bill 2756, creating notice/certificate-stage requirements for projects, both passed the Utilities Committee by unanimous 9-0 votes. Sponsors described the measures as formalizing practices to protect property owners and provide notice to neighbors.
The Oklahoma House Utilities Committee unanimously passed two related measures affecting property rights and project notice for energy facilities.
House Bill 2752, sponsor Representative John Caldwell said, codifies a limit on the use of eminent domain for construction of renewable energy facilities (solar, battery storage, hydrogen, and similar facilities) on private property, reflecting what the sponsor described as existing common-law practice. The sponsor told the committee the provision is intended to prevent use of eminent domain for those projects and to give property owners additional recourse.
House Bill 2756 creates a certificate-of-authority and notification process the sponsor described as a “be a good neighbor” requirement: developers would be required to provide notice to neighboring landowners and file certain notices with the OCC so adjacent owners would be aware of planned construction before bulldozing or major site work begins. The sponsor said the bill includes specific notification levels and reporting to the OCC.
Both bills were considered with a PCS working draft; committee members offered little debate on the specific texts. The committee recorded do-pass motions and voted 9-0 on each bill. Sponsor Caldwell said the measures provide additional tools for property owners and will be further addressed as they move through the legislative process.
