The bill amends existing laws regarding the permitting and industrial siting of solar and wind energy facilities in Wyoming. It expands the definition of "affected landowner" to include leaseholders of state lands, thereby granting them rights and responsibilities in the permitting process. Specifically, the bill allows affected grazing and agricultural leaseholders to provide written consent before permits are granted by county commissioners for facilities constructed on state lands. Additionally, it mandates that notice be given to these leaseholders if the leased land is within one mile of a proposed facility, and it establishes that they can participate as parties in the industrial siting council permit proceedings.

Key provisions include the requirement for county commissioners to develop rules governing notice to affected leaseholders and the stipulation that permits cannot be issued without the consent of all affected grazing and agricultural leaseholders. The bill also specifies that if consent is not obtained, the board may implement safeguards to protect the state lands. The act is set to apply to all permit applications filed on or after July 1, 2024, with an effective date of the same.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18-5-501, 18-5-503, 18-5-504, 18-5-507, 35-12-102, 35-12-111, 35-12-113