SB3214 EngrossedLRB100 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 Engrossed- 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.