Legislative Update
January 25, 2022
CEP has a rich history of advocacy. We respond to rapidly evolving climate and energy issues by mobilizing Kansans to take action through advocacy, coalition building, legislative action, and regulatory intervention.
This week, numerous bills that would negatively impact clean energy and clean transportation were introduced. Disguised as legislation to protect counties and landowners, these thinly veiled bills would have a chilling impact on our state’s ability to be a leader in the clean energy transition.
Anti Wind/Solar Bills
SB 323 – Establishing requirements for instruments that convey a wind or solar lease or easement and requiring that certain disclosures be provided to landowners.Wind and solar industry perceive these bills as government overreach that interferes with private businesses’ right to contract and freely conduct business. Bill sponsor Senate Utilities Committee. Hearing for the bill will be in Senate Utilities on 1/26 at 1:30 pm in Room 548 S.
SB 324 – Establishing procedures that may be used to void or terminate leases or easements for electricity generation using wind or solar energy resources. If a renewable energy project doesn’t meet certain milestones at the end of 5 years, leases would be void. Wind and solar industry perceives this bill will subvert private businesses and private citizens-landowners’ right to contract by imposing its own deadlines. Bill sponsor Senate Utilities Committee. Hearing for the bill will be in Senate Utilities on 1/27 at 1:30 pm in Room 548 S.
SB 325 – Establishing requirements relating to zoning and recordation of wind and solar energy resource easements and leases. The bill removes the ability for counties to create their own procedures for approving and overturning approval for wind and solar projects. Bill sponsor Senate Utilities Committee. Hearing for the bill will be in Committee on Local Government on 1/25 and 1/27 at 9:30 am in Room 142-S.
SB 353 – Establishing certain setback and construction requirements for wind energy facilities and certain operating conditions for existing wind energy facilities. This bill would stop wind development in KS. It requires setbacks of 10 times the turbine height or 5,280 feet, whichever is greater, from non-participating landowners, public buildings, airport, federal wildlife refuge, public hunting or public park. Bill sponsor Senate Utilities Committee. No hearing has been set.
HB 2488 – Establishing the EV energy equity road repair tax act and providing for a road repair tax on electricity distributed from a public charging station for electric vehicles. 3 cents per KWh would be the assessed tax. Introduced by Representative Bill Rhiley (R-Wellington). No hearing has been set.
Miss a hearing? View it later on the Statehouse Live & Archive page.
Upcoming Events
Kansas Climate Leaders Solar Briefing | Jan. 27 | 7 – 8 PM
Join CEP, Kansas Interfaith Action, and the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club to learn more about the current state of solar in Johnson County so your voice is heard at their commission meeting.
Kansas Rural Center Policy Watch
CEP is a 2022 co-sponsor of the Kansas Rural Center’s Policy Watch weekly e-updates. KRC monitors the state legislature for decisions affecting a diversified agriculture, the environment, our natural resource base, rural communities, and our local and regional food systems. The weekly e-updates also provide information about upcoming hearings, so constituents can contact legislators or attend.
Last Friday’s update covered: redistricting, food sales tax, milk and dairy, wind and solar, and the February 2021 Natural Gas freeze.
Read and subscribe to their latest issues on their website.
