Substitute House Bill No. 5916, now Public Act No. 25-127, mandates that solar developers provide farmland restoration bonds for solar photovoltaic facilities with a capacity of two megawatts or more that are approved by the Siting Council. The bill amends subsection (a) of section 16-50k of the general statutes, which previously outlined the requirements for obtaining a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for certain facilities. The new legal language specifies that in addition to existing requirements, applicants must furnish a bond to cover all costs associated with the decommissioning of the facility and the restoration of prime farmland, ensuring that the land remains suitable for farming.

The bill also clarifies that this decommissioning bond requirement applies to any solar photovoltaic facility of two megawatts or more that is approved by declaratory ruling. This addition aims to protect prime farmland and forestland from adverse environmental impacts associated with solar energy projects, while ensuring that developers are financially responsible for restoring the land after the facility is no longer in use. The legislation reflects a growing emphasis on balancing renewable energy development with agricultural land preservation.