Equip Wind Turbine Aircraft Detection Lighting System

The bill requires that , on or before September 1, 2024, an owner or operator of a new wind-powered energy generation facility (facility), for which vertical construction of the first wind turbine included in the facility begins on or after April 1, 2022, and that is required to obtain a land-use permit from a local government, equip install light mitigating technology (technology) at the facility. with an aircraft detection lighting system (system). The bill defines a system technology as a sensor-based system that is designed to detect approaching aircraft , that keeps the lights off when it is safe to do so, and that meets federal aviation administration (FAA) requirements. An owner or operator of a facility is solely responsible for the costs of installing, operating, or maintaining a system obtaining FAA approval for the installation of approved technology and may request from the governing body of the local government an extension of time up to one year to equip a facility with a system. twenty-four months if the owner or operator can demonstrate that, despite its commercially reasonable efforts, the technology was not available within the time frame afforded. A local government may revoke an existing land-use permit or, if an application for permit renewal is pending, refuse to renew a land-use permit if a facility owner or operator fails to comply with the bill. The board of county commissioners in the county in which a facility is located may adopt and enforce an ordinance or resolution to authorize the board to impose civil penalties of $1,000 per day against a facility owner or operator if the board determines that the owner or operator has failed to comply with the bill.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)