104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1457 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Sue Rezin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may not approve the siting of a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile radius of a municipality, if: (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of the facility or facilities at that location; (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that any portion of the facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that the owners or operators of the facility or facilities have failed to comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. Provides that the provisions apply regardless of whether the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under specified provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires each commercial solar energy facility to have the minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district, then the minimum number required by the county board. Allows a county to require a commercial solar energy facility to be sited at least 500 feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating zoned residential. Effective immediately. LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1457 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Sue Rezin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may not approve the siting of a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile radius of a municipality, if: (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of the facility or facilities at that location; (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that any portion of the facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that the owners or operators of the facility or facilities have failed to comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. Provides that the provisions apply regardless of whether the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under specified provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires each commercial solar energy facility to have the minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district, then the minimum number required by the county board. Allows a county to require a commercial solar energy facility to be sited at least 500 feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating zoned residential. Effective immediately. LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1457 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Sue Rezin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may not approve the siting of a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile radius of a municipality, if: (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of the facility or facilities at that location; (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that any portion of the facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that the owners or operators of the facility or facilities have failed to comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. Provides that the provisions apply regardless of whether the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under specified provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires each commercial solar energy facility to have the minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district, then the minimum number required by the county board. Allows a county to require a commercial solar energy facility to be sited at least 500 feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating zoned residential. Effective immediately. LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b A BILL FOR SB1457LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 AN ACT concerning local government. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing 5 Section 5-12020 as follows: 6 (55 ILCS 5/5-12020) 7 Sec. 5-12020. Commercial wind energy facilities and 8 commercial solar energy facilities. 9 (a) As used in this Section: 10 "Commercial solar energy facility" means a "commercial 11 solar energy system" as defined in Section 10-720 of the 12 Property Tax Code. "Commercial solar energy facility" does not 13 mean a utility-scale solar energy facility being constructed 14 at a site that was eligible to participate in a procurement 15 event conducted by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to 16 subsection (c-5) of Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power Agency 17 Act. 18 "Commercial wind energy facility" means a wind energy 19 conversion facility of equal or greater than 500 kilowatts in 20 total nameplate generating capacity. "Commercial wind energy 21 facility" includes a wind energy conversion facility seeking 22 an extension of a permit to construct granted by a county or 23 municipality before January 27, 2023 (the effective date of 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1457 Introduced 1/31/2025, by Sen. Sue Rezin SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may not approve the siting of a commercial wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile radius of a municipality, if: (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of the facility or facilities at that location; (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that any portion of the facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of the municipality have determined that the owners or operators of the facility or facilities have failed to comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. Provides that the provisions apply regardless of whether the municipality has adopted zoning ordinances or is regulating wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under specified provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires each commercial solar energy facility to have the minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances governing the servicing fire department or fire protection district, then the minimum number required by the county board. Allows a county to require a commercial solar energy facility to be sited at least 500 feet to the nearest point on the property line of the nonparticipating zoned residential. Effective immediately. LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b A BILL FOR 55 ILCS 5/5-12020 LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 2 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 2 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 2 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Public Act 102-1123). 2 "Facility owner" means (i) a person with a direct 3 ownership interest in a commercial wind energy facility or a 4 commercial solar energy facility, or both, regardless of 5 whether the person is involved in acquiring the necessary 6 rights, permits, and approvals or otherwise planning for the 7 construction and operation of the facility, and (ii) at the 8 time the facility is being developed, a person who is acting as 9 a developer of the facility by acquiring the necessary rights, 10 permits, and approvals or by planning for the construction and 11 operation of the facility, regardless of whether the person 12 will own or operate the facility. 13 "Nonparticipating property" means real property that is 14 not a participating property. 15 "Nonparticipating residence" means a residence that is 16 located on nonparticipating property and that is existing and 17 occupied on the date that an application for a permit to 18 develop the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial 19 solar energy facility is filed with the county. 20 "Occupied community building" means any one or more of the 21 following buildings that is existing and occupied on the date 22 that the application for a permit to develop the commercial 23 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility 24 is filed with the county: a school, place of worship, day care 25 facility, public library, or community center. 26 "Participating property" means real property that is the SB1457 - 2 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 3 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 3 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 3 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 subject of a written agreement between a facility owner and 2 the owner of the real property that provides the facility 3 owner an easement, option, lease, or license to use the real 4 property for the purpose of constructing a commercial wind 5 energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or 6 supporting facilities. "Participating property" also includes 7 real property that is owned by a facility owner for the purpose 8 of constructing a commercial wind energy facility, a 9 commercial solar energy facility, or supporting facilities. 10 "Participating residence" means a residence that is 11 located on participating property and that is existing and 12 occupied on the date that an application for a permit to 13 develop the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial 14 solar energy facility is filed with the county. 15 "Protected lands" means real property that is: 16 (1) subject to a permanent conservation right 17 consistent with the Real Property Conservation Rights Act; 18 or 19 (2) registered or designated as a nature preserve, 20 buffer, or land and water reserve under the Illinois 21 Natural Areas Preservation Act. 22 "Supporting facilities" means the transmission lines, 23 substations, access roads, meteorological towers, storage 24 containers, and equipment associated with the generation and 25 storage of electricity by the commercial wind energy facility 26 or commercial solar energy facility. SB1457 - 3 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 4 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 4 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 4 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 "Wind tower" includes the wind turbine tower, nacelle, and 2 blades. 3 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or whether 4 the county has formed a zoning commission and adopted formal 5 zoning under Section 5-12007, a county may establish standards 6 for commercial wind energy facilities, commercial solar energy 7 facilities, or both. The standards may include all of the 8 requirements specified in this Section but may not include 9 requirements for commercial wind energy facilities or 10 commercial solar energy facilities that are more restrictive 11 than specified in this Section. A county may also regulate the 12 siting of commercial wind energy facilities with standards 13 that are not more restrictive than the requirements specified 14 in this Section in unincorporated areas of the county that are 15 outside the zoning jurisdiction of a municipality and that are 16 outside the 1.5-mile radius surrounding the zoning 17 jurisdiction of a municipality. 18 (b-5) A county may not approve the siting of a commercial 19 wind energy facility, a commercial solar energy facility, or 20 both in an unincorporated area that is located within a 3-mile 21 radius of a municipality, if: 22 (1) the municipality has not approved the siting of 23 the facility or facilities at that location; 24 (2) the county board or the corporate authorities of 25 the municipality have determined that any portion of the 26 facility or facilities will be located on land with a Soil SB1457 - 4 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 5 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 5 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 5 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Productivity Index that is greater than or equal to 90; or 2 (3) the county board or the corporate authorities of 3 the municipality have determined that the owners or 4 operators of the facility or facilities have failed to 5 comply with one or more National Pollutant Discharge 6 Elimination System (NPDES) requirements for the site. 7 This subsection applies regardless of whether the 8 municipality has adopted zoning ordinances under Division 13 9 of Article 11 of the Illinois Municipal Code or is regulating 10 wind farms and electric-generating wind devices under Section 11 11-13-26 of the Illinois Municipal Code. 12 (c) If a county has elected to establish standards under 13 subsection (b), before the county grants siting approval or a 14 special use permit for a commercial wind energy facility or a 15 commercial solar energy facility, or modification of an 16 approved siting or special use permit, the county board of the 17 county in which the facility is to be sited or the zoning board 18 of appeals for the county shall hold at least one public 19 hearing. The public hearing shall be conducted in accordance 20 with the Open Meetings Act and shall be held not more than 60 21 days after the filing of the application for the facility. The 22 county shall allow interested parties to a special use permit 23 an opportunity to present evidence and to cross-examine 24 witnesses at the hearing, but the county may impose reasonable 25 restrictions on the public hearing, including reasonable time 26 limitations on the presentation of evidence and the SB1457 - 5 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 6 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 6 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 6 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 cross-examination of witnesses. The county shall also allow 2 public comment at the public hearing in accordance with the 3 Open Meetings Act. The county shall make its siting and 4 permitting decisions not more than 30 days after the 5 conclusion of the public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall 6 be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the 7 county. A facility owner must enter into an agricultural 8 impact mitigation agreement with the Department of Agriculture 9 prior to the date of the required public hearing. A commercial 10 wind energy facility owner seeking an extension of a permit 11 granted by a county prior to July 24, 2015 (the effective date 12 of Public Act 99-132) must enter into an agricultural impact 13 mitigation agreement with the Department of Agriculture prior 14 to a decision by the county to grant the permit extension. 15 Counties may allow test wind towers or test solar energy 16 systems to be sited without formal approval by the county 17 board. 18 (d) A county with an existing zoning ordinance in conflict 19 with this Section shall amend that zoning ordinance to be in 20 compliance with this Section within 120 days after January 27, 21 2023 (the effective date of Public Act 102-1123). 22 (e) A county may require: 23 (1) a wind tower of a commercial wind energy facility 24 to be sited as follows, with setback distances measured 25 from the center of the base of the wind tower: SB1457 - 6 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 7 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 7 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 7 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Setback Description Setback Distance 2 Occupied Community 2.1 times the maximum blade tip 3 Buildings height of the wind tower to the 4 nearest point on the outside 5 wall of the structure 6 Participating Residences 1.1 times the maximum blade tip 7 height of the wind tower to the 8 nearest point on the outside 9 wall of the structure 10 Nonparticipating Residences 2.1 times the maximum blade tip 11 height of the wind tower to the 12 nearest point on the outside 13 wall of the structure 14 Boundary Lines of None 15 Participating Property 16 Boundary Lines of 1.1 times the maximum blade tip 17 Nonparticipating Property height of the wind tower to the 18 nearest point on the property 19 line of the nonparticipating 20 property SB1457 - 7 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 8 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 8 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 8 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Public Road Rights-of-Way 1.1 times the maximum blade tip 2 height of the wind tower 3 to the center point of the 4 public road right-of-way 5 Overhead Communication and 1.1 times the maximum blade tip 6 Electric Transmission height of the wind tower to the 7 and Distribution Facilities nearest edge of the property 8 (Not Including Overhead line, easement, or 9 Utility Service Lines to right-of-way 10 Individual Houses or containing the overhead line 11 Outbuildings) 12 Overhead Utility Service None 13 Lines to Individual 14 Houses or Outbuildings 15 Fish and Wildlife Areas 2.1 times the maximum blade 16 and Illinois Nature tip height of the wind tower 17 Preserve Commission to the nearest point on the 18 Protected Lands property line of the fish and 19 wildlife area or protected 20 land 21 This Section does not exempt or excuse compliance with 22 electric facility clearances approved or required by the 23 National Electrical Code, the The National Electrical SB1457 - 8 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 9 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 9 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 9 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Safety Code, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the 2 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and their designees 3 or successors; . 4 (2) a wind tower of a commercial wind energy facility 5 to be sited so that industry standard computer modeling 6 indicates that any occupied community building or 7 nonparticipating residence will not experience more than 8 30 hours per year of shadow flicker under planned 9 operating conditions; 10 (3) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited as 11 follows, with setback distances measured from the nearest 12 edge of any component of the facility: 13 Setback Description Setback Distance 14 Occupied Community 150 feet from the nearest 15 Buildings and Dwellings on point on the outside wall 16 Nonparticipating Properties of the structure 17 Boundary Lines of None 18 Participating Property 19 Public Road Rights-of-Way 50 feet from the nearest 20 edge 21 Boundary Lines of 50 feet to the nearest SB1457 - 9 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 10 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 10 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 10 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 Nonparticipating Property point on the property 2 Not Zoned Residential line of the nonparticipating 3 property 4 Boundary Lines of 500 feet to the nearest 5 Nonparticipating Property point on the property 6 Zoned Residential line of the nonparticipating 7 property zoned residential 8 (4) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited so 9 that the facility's perimeter is enclosed by fencing 10 having a height of at least 6 feet and no more than 25 11 feet; and 12 (5) a commercial solar energy facility to be sited so 13 that no component of a solar panel has a height of more 14 than 20 feet above ground when the solar energy facility's 15 arrays are at full tilt. 16 The requirements set forth in this subsection (e) may be 17 waived subject to the written consent of the owner of each 18 affected nonparticipating property. 19 (f) A county may not set a sound limitation for wind towers 20 in commercial wind energy facilities or any components in 21 commercial solar energy facilities that is more restrictive 22 than the sound limitations established by the Illinois 23 Pollution Control Board under 35 Ill. Adm. Code Parts 900, 24 901, and 910. SB1457 - 10 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 11 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 11 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 11 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 (g) A county may not place any restriction on the 2 installation or use of a commercial wind energy facility or a 3 commercial solar energy facility unless it adopts an ordinance 4 that complies with this Section. A county may not establish 5 siting standards for supporting facilities that preclude 6 development of commercial wind energy facilities or commercial 7 solar energy facilities. 8 A request for siting approval or a special use permit for a 9 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy 10 facility, or modification of an approved siting or special use 11 permit, shall be approved if the request is in compliance with 12 the standards and conditions imposed in this Act, the zoning 13 ordinance adopted consistent with this Code, and the 14 conditions imposed under State and federal statutes and 15 regulations. 16 (h) A county may not adopt zoning regulations that 17 disallow, permanently or temporarily, commercial wind energy 18 facilities or commercial solar energy facilities from being 19 developed or operated in any district zoned to allow 20 agricultural or industrial uses. 21 (i) A county may not require permit application fees for a 22 commercial wind energy facility or commercial solar energy 23 facility that are unreasonable. All application fees imposed 24 by the county shall be consistent with fees for projects in the 25 county with similar capital value and cost. 26 (j) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a county SB1457 - 11 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 12 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 12 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 12 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 shall not require standards for construction, decommissioning, 2 or deconstruction of a commercial wind energy facility or 3 commercial solar energy facility or related financial 4 assurances that are more restrictive than those included in 5 the Department of Agriculture's standard wind farm 6 agricultural impact mitigation agreement, template 81818, or 7 standard solar agricultural impact mitigation agreement, 8 version 8.19.19, as applicable and in effect on December 31, 9 2022. The amount of any decommissioning payment shall be in 10 accordance with the financial assurance required by those 11 agricultural impact mitigation agreements. 12 (j-5) A commercial wind energy facility or a commercial 13 solar energy facility shall file a farmland drainage plan with 14 the county and impacted drainage districts outlining how 15 surface and subsurface drainage of farmland will be restored 16 during and following construction or deconstruction of the 17 facility. The plan is to be created independently by the 18 facility developer and shall include the location of any 19 potentially impacted drainage district facilities to the 20 extent this information is publicly available from the county 21 or the drainage district, plans to repair any subsurface 22 drainage affected during construction or deconstruction using 23 procedures outlined in the agricultural impact mitigation 24 agreement entered into by the commercial wind energy facility 25 owner or commercial solar energy facility owner, and 26 procedures for the repair and restoration of surface drainage SB1457 - 12 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 13 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 13 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 13 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 affected during construction or deconstruction. All surface 2 and subsurface damage shall be repaired as soon as reasonably 3 practicable. 4 (k) A county may not condition approval of a commercial 5 wind energy facility or commercial solar energy facility on a 6 property value guarantee and may not require a facility owner 7 to pay into a neighboring property devaluation escrow account. 8 (l) A county may require certain vegetative screening 9 surrounding a commercial wind energy facility or commercial 10 solar energy facility but may not require earthen berms or 11 similar structures. 12 (m) A county may set blade tip height limitations for wind 13 towers in commercial wind energy facilities but may not set a 14 blade tip height limitation that is more restrictive than the 15 height allowed under a Determination of No Hazard to Air 16 Navigation by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 CFR 17 Part 77. 18 (n) A county may require that a commercial wind energy 19 facility owner or commercial solar energy facility owner 20 provide: 21 (1) the results and recommendations from consultation 22 with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that are 23 obtained through the Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool 24 (EcoCAT) or a comparable successor tool; and 25 (2) the results of the United States Fish and Wildlife 26 Service's Information for Planning and Consulting SB1457 - 13 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 14 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 14 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 14 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 environmental review or a comparable successor tool that 2 is consistent with (i) the "U.S. Fish and Wildlife 3 Service's Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines" and (ii) any 4 applicable United States Fish and Wildlife Service solar 5 wildlife guidelines that have been subject to public 6 review. 7 (o) A county may require a commercial wind energy facility 8 or commercial solar energy facility to adhere to the 9 recommendations provided by the Illinois Department of Natural 10 Resources in an EcoCAT natural resource review report under 17 11 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1075. 12 (p) A county may require a facility owner to: 13 (1) demonstrate avoidance of protected lands as 14 identified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources 15 and the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission; or 16 (2) consider the recommendations of the Illinois 17 Department of Natural Resources for setbacks from 18 protected lands, including areas identified by the 19 Illinois Nature Preserve Commission. 20 (q) A county may require that a facility owner provide 21 evidence of consultation with the Illinois State Historic 22 Preservation Office to assess potential impacts on 23 State-registered historic sites under the Illinois State 24 Agency Historic Resources Preservation Act. 25 (r) To maximize community benefits, including, but not 26 limited to, reduced stormwater runoff, flooding, and erosion SB1457 - 14 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 15 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 15 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 15 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 at the ground mounted solar energy system, improved soil 2 health, and increased foraging habitat for game birds, 3 songbirds, and pollinators, a county may (1) require a 4 commercial solar energy facility owner to plant, establish, 5 and maintain for the life of the facility vegetative ground 6 cover, consistent with the goals of the Pollinator-Friendly 7 Solar Site Act and (2) require the submittal of a vegetation 8 management plan that is in compliance with the agricultural 9 impact mitigation agreement in the application to construct 10 and operate a commercial solar energy facility in the county 11 if the vegetative ground cover and vegetation management plan 12 comply with the requirements of the underlying agreement with 13 the landowner or landowners where the facility will be 14 constructed. 15 No later than 90 days after January 27, 2023 (the 16 effective date of Public Act 102-1123), the Illinois 17 Department of Natural Resources shall develop guidelines for 18 vegetation management plans that may be required under this 19 subsection for commercial solar energy facilities. The 20 guidelines must include guidance for short-term and long-term 21 property management practices that provide and maintain native 22 and non-invasive naturalized perennial vegetation to protect 23 the health and well-being of pollinators. 24 (r-5) Each commercial solar energy facility must have the 25 minimum number of fire hydrants required by ordinances 26 governing the servicing fire department or fire protection SB1457 - 15 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 16 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 16 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 16 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 district or, if there are no requirements by ordinances 2 governing the servicing fire department or fire protection 3 district, then the minimum number required by the county 4 board. 5 (s) If a facility owner enters into a road use agreement 6 with the Illinois Department of Transportation, a road 7 district, or other unit of local government relating to a 8 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy 9 facility, the road use agreement shall require the facility 10 owner to be responsible for (i) the reasonable cost of 11 improving roads used by the facility owner to construct the 12 commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy 13 facility and (ii) the reasonable cost of repairing roads used 14 by the facility owner during construction of the commercial 15 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility 16 so that those roads are in a condition that is safe for the 17 driving public after the completion of the facility's 18 construction. Roadways improved in preparation for and during 19 the construction of the commercial wind energy facility or 20 commercial solar energy facility shall be repaired and 21 restored to the improved condition at the reasonable cost of 22 the developer if the roadways have degraded or were damaged as 23 a result of construction-related activities. 24 The road use agreement shall not require the facility 25 owner to pay costs, fees, or charges for road work that is not 26 specifically and uniquely attributable to the construction of SB1457 - 16 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 17 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 17 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 17 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar 2 energy facility. Road-related fees, permit fees, or other 3 charges imposed by the Illinois Department of Transportation, 4 a road district, or other unit of local government under a road 5 use agreement with the facility owner shall be reasonably 6 related to the cost of administration of the road use 7 agreement. 8 (s-5) The facility owner shall also compensate landowners 9 for crop losses or other agricultural damages resulting from 10 damage to the drainage system caused by the construction of 11 the commercial wind energy facility or the commercial solar 12 energy facility. The commercial wind energy facility owner or 13 commercial solar energy facility owner shall repair or pay for 14 the repair of all damage to the subsurface drainage system 15 caused by the construction of the commercial wind energy 16 facility or the commercial solar energy facility in accordance 17 with the agriculture impact mitigation agreement requirements 18 for repair of drainage. The commercial wind energy facility 19 owner or commercial solar energy facility owner shall repair 20 or pay for the repair and restoration of surface drainage 21 caused by the construction or deconstruction of the commercial 22 wind energy facility or the commercial solar energy facility 23 as soon as reasonably practicable. 24 (t) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a facility 25 owner with siting approval from a county to construct a 26 commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar energy SB1457 - 17 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 18 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 18 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 18 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b 1 facility is authorized to cross or impact a drainage system, 2 including, but not limited to, drainage tiles, open drainage 3 ditches, culverts, and water gathering vaults, owned or under 4 the control of a drainage district under the Illinois Drainage 5 Code without obtaining prior agreement or approval from the 6 drainage district in accordance with the farmland drainage 7 plan required by subsection (j-5). 8 (u) The amendments to this Section adopted in Public Act 9 102-1123 do not apply to: (1) an application for siting 10 approval or for a special use permit for a commercial wind 11 energy facility or commercial solar energy facility if the 12 application was submitted to a unit of local government before 13 January 27, 2023 (the effective date of Public Act 102-1123); 14 (2) a commercial wind energy facility or a commercial solar 15 energy facility if the facility owner has submitted an 16 agricultural impact mitigation agreement to the Department of 17 Agriculture before January 27, 2023 (the effective date of 18 Public Act 102-1123); or (3) a commercial wind energy or 19 commercial solar energy development on property that is 20 located within an enterprise zone certified under the Illinois 21 Enterprise Zone Act, that was classified as industrial by the 22 appropriate zoning authority on or before January 27, 2023, 23 and that is located within 4 miles of the intersection of 24 Interstate 88 and Interstate 39. 25 (Source: P.A. 102-1123, eff. 1-27-23; 103-81, eff. 6-9-23; 26 103-580, eff. 12-8-23; revised 7-29-24.) SB1457 - 18 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457- 19 -LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 19 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 19 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b SB1457 - 19 - LRB104 09494 RTM 19555 b