SB3214 EnrolledLRB100 20410 SLF 35736 b

1    AN ACT concerning solar sites.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Pollinator Friendly Solar Site Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7    "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
8    "Exotic weed" has the same meaning ascribed to the term in
9Section 2 of the Illinois Exotic Weed Act.
10    "Noxious weed" has the same meaning ascribed to the term in
11Section 2 of the Illinois Noxious Weed Law.
 
12    Section 10. Site management practices. An owner of a
13ground-mounted solar site may follow practices that: (1)
14provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitat which
15is beneficial to game birds, songbirds, and pollinators; and
16(2) reduce storm water runoff and erosion at the solar site. To
17the extent practicable, if establishing perennial vegetation
18and beneficial foraging habitat, a solar site owner or manager
19shall use native plant species and seed mixes that are free
20from noxious weed or exotic weed seeds.
 
21    Section 15. Recognition of beneficial habitat. An owner or

 

 

SB3214 Enrolled- 2 -LRB100 20410 SLF 35736 b

1manager of a solar site with a generating capacity of more than
240 kilowatts implementing site management practices under this
3Act may claim that the site is "pollinator-friendly" or
4provides benefits to game birds, songbirds, and pollinators
5only if the site adheres to guidance set forth by the
6pollinator friendly scorecard published by the Department in
7consultation with the University of Illinois, Department of
8Entomology. The scorecard shall be posted on the Department's
9website on or before 6 months after the effective date of this
10Act. An owner making a beneficial habitat claim shall make the
11solar site's pollinator scorecard, and where available,
12related vegetation management plans, available to the public
13and provide a copy to the Department and a nonprofit solar
14industry trade association of this State.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.