Substitute Senate Bill No. 383 with File No. 349, effective July 1, 2024, amends section 16a-3n of the general statutes to address the impact of offshore wind facilities on state fisheries. The bill requires the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to solicit proposals for offshore wind energy projects with a goal of achieving a capacity rating of two thousand megawatts by December 31, 2030. It includes new legal language that mandates selected bidders to make payments into a mitigation fund to offset adverse effects on wildlife and fisheries, starting with an initial payment of two million dollars upon entering a power purchase agreement. The bill also establishes an Offshore Wind Energy Mitigation Fund Oversight Committee to oversee the mitigation fund manager and develop their duties and qualifications, which include expertise in offshore fishing, fishing regulations, and wildlife.

The mitigation fund manager, to be hired through a Request for Proposals issued by the Department of Administrative Services by October 1, 2024, will determine the per kilowatt-hour payment amount required from offshore wind energy providers, subject to approval by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. The manager will also oversee the distribution of funds to those affected by the development and operation of offshore wind facilities. The bill includes insertions specifying the qualifications for the mitigation fund manager and deletions for clarity in the existing sections. The fiscal impact statement indicates a cost of less than $25,000 to the DAS for the RFP process, expected to be covered by the fund itself. The bill was reported favorably by the Energy and Technology Committee with a unanimous vote.