House approves bill giving PSC authority over wind‑tower siting and permits
Loading...
Summary
Lawmakers adopted a strike-all that requires PSC review and permits for wind facilities, sets setbacks and neighbor‑consent rules, and requires performance bonds and environmental safeguards; the measure passed after debate about consent, residential turbines and reclamation.
The House adopted a strike‑all inserting language to give the Public Service Commission authority over the siting, construction, operation and permitting of wind‑tower facilities in Mississippi.
The floor explanation said permit applications must include a detailed site plan, environmental assessment, certified agricultural impact assessment and notice of public hearing in the affected county. The sponsor also read setback provisions: "No tower may be located within 1 mile of the dwelling, a school, church, or public buildings," and added further buffers from wildlife refuges. He told members that performance bonds and penalties (including $10,000 per day for failure to address reclamation) will back decommissioning obligations.
Members pressed the floor sponsor on whether small, residential turbines would be captured by the bill, how to protect landowners if a developer goes defunct, and whether neighbor consent could effectively limit projects. The sponsor said large facilities would be regulated by the PSC and that performance bonds and parent guarantees would be required to assure reclamation and prevent landowners from bearing cleanup costs.
The strike-all was adopted and the bill passed on a recorded vote.
