BILL NUMBER: S1357

SPONSOR: SERINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to co-loca-
tion of farms and renewable energy projects

 
PURPOSE:

To direct the Advisory Council on Agriculture to study and provide
recommendations on best practices to allow for co-location of productive
farmland and renewable energy.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Directs the Advisory Council on Agriculture to study and
provide recommendations to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets
on best practices to enhance compatibility between productive farmland
and renewable energy development, while considering the impact on the
loss of prime agricultural lands.
              

Section 2: Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State has some of the nation's most ambitious goals in terms of
its commitment to renewable energy sources. As the state moves forward
with its aggressive push for cleaner energy, it is important that we are
creative in how we expand our renewable energy production so that we do
never have to compromise our bountiful natural resources.  Some examples
of co-location include utilizing pollinator-friendly plantings around
solar arrays to support bees, which also pollinate nearby crops, as well
as allowing animals such as sheep and goats to graze among solar panels.
The University of Massachusetts-Amherst is also testing elevated solar
panels to allow for growing crops underneath, and solar power produced
on farms can be used to reduce the farm's energy costs.

This legislation seeks to identify the best practices to allow for
co-location, which can prove to be a valuable strategy to the state's,
or any local municipality's, clean energy goals, without coming at the
expense of productive agricultural land.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: S.8605 Reported and Committed to Rules

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.