State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg)
STATEHOUSE — A bill authored by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would determine how many acres of farmland are being used for solar and wind energy farms, passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday.
Senate Bill 176 requires the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to include in its annual report the following information concerning a county’s utility-grade wind power and solar energy facilities:
· The total number of devices and facilities installed or under construction;
· The total generating capacity of the devices and facilities;
· The county’s total land acreage occupied by or otherwise part of a project or development that includes one or more devices or facilities; and
· Of the occupied land, the percentage of that acreage assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
“As renewable energy expands,…
