The bill establishes new provisions regarding wildlife mitigation impact payments for industrial facility siting projects in Wyoming. It creates a new section, W.S. 35-12-120, which outlines the process for eligible entities to apply for wildlife impact payments from industrial facility applicants. The eligible entities must submit detailed applications that include information on the specific impacts of the facility on wildlife, mitigation efforts, and estimated costs of unmitigated impacts. The bill also mandates that the industrial siting council review these applications and determine the appropriate wildlife impact payment based on evidence presented during public hearings.

Additionally, the bill amends several existing statutes to incorporate the new wildlife impact payment provisions, including defining "eligible entity" to include the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Account Board. It specifies that wildlife impact payments must be used for mitigating identified impacts and establishes a framework for the council to oversee these payments. The act will apply to all industrial facilities for which jurisdiction is determined after July 1, 2025, and the council is tasked with promulgating necessary rules for implementation. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with certain sections effective immediately upon the bill's passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9-15-104, 18-5-509, 18-5-511, 35-11-109, 35-11-110, 35-11-2101, 35-12-102, 35-12-105, 35-12-110