Senate Bill S8088

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to the construction, installation and operation of dual-use solar energy projects on certain land which receives an agricultural assessment

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2021-S8088 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10627
Current Committee:
Senate Finance
Law Section:
Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:
Add §§305-d & 305-e, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S1058, A2299

2021-S8088 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the construction, installation and operation of dual-use solar energy projects on certain land which receives an agricultural assessment; defines dual-use solar energy project as a solar installation that integrates solar arrays and farming activity on the same ground.

2021-S8088 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8088 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8088
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 25, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets  law,  in  relation  to  the
   construction,  installation  and  operation  of  dual-use solar energy
   projects on certain land which receives an agricultural assessment

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  agriculture and markets law is amended by adding two
 new sections 305-d and 305-e to read as follows:
   § 305-D. DUAL-USE SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS PILOT PROGRAM.  1. THE DEPART-
 MENT SHALL ESTABLISH A  DUAL-USE  SOLAR  ENERGY  PROJECT  PILOT  PROGRAM
 PROMOTING  THE INSTALLATION OF DUAL-USE ENERGY PROJECTS ON CERTAIN AGRI-
 CULTURAL LAND. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL OVERSEE THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE
 PILOT PROGRAM.
   2. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   A.  "DUAL-USE  SOLAR  ENERGY  PROJECT" MEANS A SOLAR INSTALLATION THAT
 INTEGRATES SOLAR ARRAYS AND FARMING ACTIVITY ON THE SAME GROUND.  TO  BE
 CONSIDERED DUAL-USE, A SOLAR INSTALLATION CANNOT DISPLACE FARMING ACTIV-
 ITY;  FARMING  ACTIVITY  MUST  BE  MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE
 SOLAR FACILITY IN A MANNER THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH  COMMERCIAL  AGRICUL-
 TURAL  PRODUCTION AS APPROPRIATE TO THE CAPACITY OF THE LAND WHEN FARMED
 SUSTAINABLY. DUAL-USE IS DIFFERENT THAN SIMPLE CO-LOCATION WHICH  GENER-
 ALLY  INVOLVES  TRADITIONAL GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR INSTALLATIONS THAT HOST
 NON-AGRICULTURAL PLANTINGS WITH ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.   THE
 TERM  "DUAL-USE"  REFERS  TO  A  SOLAR INSTALLATION THAT: (I) RETAINS OR
 ENHANCES THE LAND'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, BOTH SHORT TERM AND  LONG
 TERM;  (II) IS BUILT, MAINTAINED, AND HAS PROVISIONS FOR DECOMMISSIONING
 TO PROTECT THE LAND'S AGRICULTURAL  RESOURCES  AND  UTILITY;  AND  (III)
 SUPPORTS THE VIABILITY OF A FARMING OPERATION.
   B. "PRESERVED FARMLAND" MEANS LAND ON WHICH A DEVELOPMENT EASEMENT WAS
 CONVEYED TO, OR RETAINED BY, THE COMMITTEE, A BOARD, OR A QUALIFYING TAX
 EXEMPT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR FARMLAND PRESERVATION PURPOSES.
   C. "UNPRESERVED FARMLAND" MEANS ANY LAND THAT IS VALUED, ASSESSED, AND
 TAXED AS FARMLAND AND IS NOT PRESERVED FARMLAND.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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