Arkansas 2025 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1525 Chaptered / Bill

Filed 04/22/2025

                    Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law. 
Act 923 of the Regular Session 
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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 
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By: Representative Steimel 5 
By: Senator Irvin 6 
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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 
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Subtitle 14 
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING REAL 15 
PROPERTY; AND TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL 16 
IMPACT REMEDIATION AGREEMENTS. 17 
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19 
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 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 
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 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 
 
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 (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 
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 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 
 
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 (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 
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/s/Steimel 8 
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APPROVED: 4/21/25 11 
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