Solar Power Plant Amendments

Added a mandatory consultation requirement with agriculture protection area advisory boards and the Department of Agriculture for projects affecting agricultural lands.

Added a new definition for 'agriculture protection area' referencing Section 17-41-101.

Changed the eligibility trigger from 'permitted' to 'for which a conditional use permit is issued' to clarify exactly when new rules apply.

Updated the grazing land vegetative production thresholds from 1,000/500 pounds to 250/125 pounds, significantly tightening the restrictions on grazing land.

Adjusted the exemption date for interconnection queue positions from January 1, 2026, to 'before January 1, 2026' for consistency with other dates in the bill.

The document structure was updated from a single-column text block to a standard two-column legislative format with page breaks and line numbers.

Updated grazing land eligibility criteria by changing the threshold for full incentive eligibility from 250 pounds to 1,000 pounds of vegetative production per acre.

Added exemptions for solar power plants that held an interconnection queue position, had a signed commercial agreement, or were receiving incentives before specific 2026 dates.

Introduced a new requirement for owners to consult with wildlife agencies regarding potential impacts on local wildlife.

Established a decommissioning plan requirement, mandating financial assurance (such as a bond) for plants permitted after May 6, 2026.

Formalized the definition of 'solar power plant' to specify utility-scale commercial facilities with over one megawatt capacity intended for wholesale or retail sales.

Increased the vegetative production threshold for grazing land from 250 pounds to 1,000 pounds per acre to qualify for full state incentives.

Expanded the range for grazing land eligible for half incentives from 125-250 pounds to 500-1,000 pounds per acre.

The threshold for grazing land productivity was lowered from 1,000 pounds to 250 pounds per acre, allowing more grazing lands to qualify for full solar incentives instead of being restricted to lower-yield land.

The vegetative production range for grazing land eligible for half-incentives was adjusted from 500-1,000 pounds to 125-250 pounds per acre.

The trigger for new eligibility rules was refined from 'permitted after May 6, 2026' to 'conditional use permit issued after May 6, 2026,' clarifying exactly when the restrictions begin.

A new definition for 'Agriculture protection area' was added to Section 1, referencing an existing state statute.

Minor formatting and punctuation adjustments were made throughout the text, including fixing a section number in the tax credit list and standardizing the layout.