Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law. Act 923 of the Regular Session *CRH149* 04-02-2025 14:27:31 CRH149 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/5/25 S4/2/25 1 95th General Assembly A Bill 2 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1525 3 4 By: Representative Steimel 5 By: Senator Irvin 6 7 For An Act To Be Entitled 8 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL PROPERTY; TO 9 ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL IMPACT REMEDIATION AGREEMENTS; 10 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11 12 13 Subtitle 14 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL 15 PROPERTY; AND TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL 16 IMPACT REMEDIATION AGREEMENTS. 17 18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19 20 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 18, Chapter 11, is amended to add an 21 additional subchapter to read as follows: 22 Subchapter 9 — Agricultural Impact Remediation Agreements 23 24 18-11-901. Definitions. 25 As used in this subchapter: 26 (1) "Agricultural impact remediation agreement" means an 27 agreement between a commercial renewable energy facility owner and a 28 landowner as described in this subchapter; 29 (2) “Agricultural land” means a property from which one thousand 30 dollars ($1,000) or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or 31 normally would have been sold, during a given year; 32 (3) "Commercial renewable energy facility" means a commercial 33 wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility; 34 (4) "Construction" means the installation, preparation for 35 installation, or repair of a commercial renewable energy facility; 36 As Engrossed: H3/5/25 S4/2/25 HB1525 2 04-02-2025 14:27:31 CRH149 (5) "Deconstruction" means the removal of a commercial renewable 1 energy facility from the property of a landowner and the restoration of the 2 property as provided in an agricultural impact remediation agreement; and 3 (6) "Landowner" means a person: 4 (A) With an ownership interest in property that is used 5 for agricultural purposes; and 6 (B) Who is a party to an underlying agreement for the 7 construction of a commercial renewable energy facility on the agricultural 8 land. 9 10 18-11-902. Agricultural impact remediation agreement. 11 (a) Before construction of a commercial renewable energy facility on 12 agricultural land, the commercial renewable energy facility owner shall enter 13 into an agricultural impact remediation agreement with the respective 14 landowner. 15 (b) The agricultural impact remediation agreement required under 16 subsection (a) of this section shall: 17 (1) Outline construction and deconstruction standards to ensure 18 the restoration of the agricultural land upon the conclusion of the 19 commercial renewable energy facility; 20 (2)(A) Be completed with a copy provided to the Department of 21 Agriculture no less than forty -five (45) days before the full notice to 22 proceed under the construction contract for the commercial renewable energy 23 facility. 24 (B) An agricultural remediation agreement in the custody 25 of the department under subdivision (b)(2)(A) of this section is not a public 26 record and is exempt from examination or disclosure under the Freedom of 27 Information Act of 1967, § 25 -19-101 et seq.; 28 (3) Be binding on a subsequent commercial renewable energy 29 facility owner or landowner; and 30 (4) Provide the landowner with a comprehensive deconstruction 31 plan that includes adequate proof of financial mechanisms and assurances. 32 (c) The terms and conditions of the agricultural impact remediation 33 agreement required under this section may be modified by an underlying 34 agreement between the landowner and the commercial renewable energy facility 35 owner. 36 As Engrossed: H3/5/25 S4/2/25 HB1525 3 04-02-2025 14:27:31 CRH149 (d) This subchapter or a term in an agricultural impact remediation 1 agreement shall not be construed to apply to or otherwise impair an 2 underlying agreement for a commercial renewable energy facility entered into 3 before the effective date of this subchapter. 4 (e) This subchapter shall not apply when the commercial renewable 5 energy facility owner is also the landowner. 6 7 /s/Steimel 8 9 10 APPROVED: 4/21/25 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36