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Committee warned state bills would sharply limit local control over solar, battery projects
Summary
County staff told the Kankakee County Planning, Zoning & Agriculture Committee that three state bills under consideration would cap local permitting fees, narrow road-use agreement remedies and expand where battery energy storage systems can be sited, reducing counties' zoning authority and local revenue.
Kankakee County planning staff told the Planning, Zoning & Agriculture Committee on Oct. 21 that three state bills under review would sharply curtail local authority over siting and permitting of renewable-energy projects and battery energy storage systems.
The bills were identified in the meeting transcript as “HB 41 20,” “HB 4116” and “Senate Bill 25.” Dela, building-department staff, said the measures would cap permitting fees at $5,000 per megawatt and limit any single-project permit fee to $75,000, “which is quite a dramatic reduction in what we are receiving now.”
Why it matters: committee members were warned that the changes could reduce local revenue from large solar projects, restrict the scope of road-use agreements to actual road damage, and require counties to allow battery energy storage systems (BESS) in many zoning districts where they are now excluded.
Key provisions described to the committee included a $5,000-per-megawatt fee cap (with a $75,000 cap per project), tighter language limiting road-use…
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