MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – A temporary ban on solar power facilities and solar farms could be in Alabama’s near future.
There are a number of bills, some of which would take effect with Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature, that would put a one-year pause on the construction and operation of new solar power facilities in the state.
House Bill 617 and Senate Bill 354 were heard in committee earlier this week. The House version of the bill is still waiting for a final committee vote. The Senate version of the bill passed out of committee on Tuesday.
However, both bills had amendments added to them that exclude the ban from being applied to areas of the state that are served by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
“This is not a matter of trying to shut down an industry,” said Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Range), the sponsor of SB 354. “This is simply a matter of being able to grasp what’s happening in our state and in our communities.”
If the bill were to get Gov. Ivey’s signature, they would take effect immediately.
Senate Bill 372 was carried over by a committee Thursday morning. Carrying a bill over means that lawmakers want to wait to conduct a final vote on the bill, allowing the bill’s sponsor and other lawmakers to add amendments or discuss the bill further.
The bill also looks to ban the construction or operation of new solar power facilities for one year and would only apply to the unincorporated area of any county served by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Huntsville, for example, would be exempt.
“The fact is, without the federal subsidies, the solar energy cannot stand on its own, it can’t compete in the open market,” said Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia), the sponsor of SB 372.
However, lawmakers in both parties expressed concerns about a potential pause.
“It seems to me that this is limiting individual property owners — farmers — the right to use their property,” said Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison (D-Birmingham).
Lawmakers in the committee voted to carry over SB 372, which means they want to work more on the bill’s language before conducting a final committee vote.
“While I’m not a huge proponent of [solar], and I see the negatives of it, it is a part of the energy equation that we have to take into consideration,” said Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville).
If SB 372 were to get Gov. Ivey’s signature, it would take effect immediately.
House Bill 618 and Senate Bill 358 are companion bills that would give the county commissions of Baldwin and Mobile counties the ability to regulate solar farms.
The bill says that the county commission can regulate the permission, construction, place or operation of solar farms in the county to protect the coastline and watershed.
Regulations would include ‘establishing standards, specifications, criteria, and conditions relating to permitting, construction, place or operation of solar farms in the unincorporated areas of the county.’
If signed into law, both bills would take effect Oct. 1.
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