The bill amends Florida Statutes to establish new regulations regarding solar facilities, particularly focusing on their decommissioning processes. It defines key terms such as "agricultural land" and "decommissioned," and allows counties to adopt ordinances that require proper decommissioning of solar facilities once they reach the end of their useful life. The bill also permits counties to presume that a solar facility has reached the end of its useful life under specific conditions, such as failure to produce power for 12 months or abandonment of the facility. Additionally, it allows counties to require financial assurance from solar facility owners to cover decommissioning costs and mandates regular updates on these costs.

Significant deletions from current law include the removal of provisions that classify solar facilities as permitted uses in certain land use categories and zoning districts, as well as the authority for counties to specify buffer and landscaping requirements for solar facilities. The bill also clarifies that local governments can enforce land development regulations for electric substations, with adjustments to the requirements for vegetated buffers. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1304 Filed: 163.3205, 163.3208