Community solar garden subscribers requirement to reside in the same county as the solar garden generating facility

SF 997 amends Minnesota law to require that subscribers to community solar gardens must reside in the same county as the solar facility, removing the previous allowance for subscribers in contiguous counties. This change directly affects potential subscribers who currently live in neighboring counties but would no longer qualify under the new requirement. The bill modifies Minnesota Statutes section 216B.1641, specifically changing the residency rule from "same county or contiguous county" to "same county" for all community solar garden subscriptions. The policy change applies to all new and existing community solar programs under this statute, limiting participation to residents within the facility's immediate county. This is a straightforward geographic eligibility adjustment with no other changes to subscription size, ownership limits, or program structure.