Wind Energy Task Force

 

Statutory Responsibilities 2009 HB 1 Section 348

 

(c) The task force shall study the following, as they relate to regulation and taxation of the wind energy conversion industry:

(i) Statutes relating to the authority of the industrial siting division of the department of environmental quality;

(ii) Statutes relating to the authority of the public service commission;

(iii) Statutes related to county zoning authority;

(iv) Any relevant federal statutes that may preempt or limit state or county authority; and

(v) Other issues relating to the wind energy conversion industry the task force may determine to be relevant, including the appropriate agency, or agencies as may be necessary, to regulate the industry, how such regulation of the industry should be funded, the process for decommissioning of facilities, and wind generation tax policies, avoiding duplication of conflicting requirements and effects on state trust lands.

The bullet points below outline some of the issues that the Task Force may consider:

• County and/or State regulatory control

• Industrial Siting

• Jurisdiction

• Roads and road impacts

• Traffic patterns and safety

• Municipality infrastructure – services

• Socioeconomic evaluation

• Public Service Commission duties and regulatory authority

• Appropriate entities for regulation / consolidation of regulatory authority

• Transmission line regulation

• Transmission lines over 500 kV

• Transmission lines less than 500 kV

• Environmental Concerns

• Sage Grouse – Endangered Species Act listing concerns

• Other plant and wildlife impact concerns including migration and habitat loss

• Historic preservation

• Aesthetics

• Viewsheds

• Construction impacts

• Taxation and Revenue

• Taxation of wind power generation

• Funding of regulatory activities

• Impact assistance mitigation

• Sales and use tax – exemptions; impact on funding for impact assistance

• De-commissioning of wind towers

• Useful life of project

• Bonding requirements

• State trust land impacts

• Property interests in wind

• Federal regulations and restrictions

• Other Issues: