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Committee considers AOT permit‑by‑notification, fee increases and water‑setback guardrails for large solar projects
Summary
Members discussed proposed AOT (Alteration of Terrain) changes including a permit‑by‑notification option for smaller solar projects, fee schedule increases intended to support staffing and faster reviews, and a quarter‑mile watershed setback; legislators debated CPI‑linked fee adjustments and fiscal committee oversight.
Committee members and Department of Environmental Services (DES) staff discussed a proposal (filed as SB 110 committee amendment in the hearing) to revise Alteration of Terrain (AOT) permitting for certain solar projects. Testimony focused on three interrelated areas: a permit‑by‑notification pathway for smaller installations, an adjusted fee schedule designed to fund DES staffing and faster reviews, and water‑quality guardrails for projects near sensitive waters.
What the proposal would change: DES described a permit‑by‑notification option intended to simplify approvals for smaller projects (an administrative path rather than a full AOT review). The draft fee revisions presented at the hearing would increase several fees — for example, a previously…
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