EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0936*
HOUSE BILL 936
C5, M5, L6 2lr0742
CF SB 999
By: Delegates Barve and Stein, Stein, Amprey, Boyce, Foley, Fraser–Hidalgo,
Healey, Holmes, Lehman, Lierman, Love, Otto, Prettyman, Ruth, Stewart,
and Wells
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2022
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation and Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 14, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Blue Ribbon Community Solar Land Use Commission 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Blue Ribbon Community Solar Land Use Commission 3
to study and make recommendations regarding the land use needs to meet the full 4
generation capacity authorized under the Community Solar Energy Generating 5
Systems Pilot Program; and generally relating to the Blue Ribbon Community Solar 6
Land Use Commission. 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That: 9
(a) There is a Blue Ribbon Community Solar Land Use Commission. 10
(b) The Commission consists of the following members: 11
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 12
the Senate; 13
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 14
House; 15
(3) the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee; 16
2 HOUSE BILL 936
(4) the Secretary of Natural Resources, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(5) the Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee; 2
(5) (6) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, or the Chairman’s 3
designee; and 4
(6) (7) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 5
(i) one representative of the Maryland Farm Bureau; 6
(ii) one representative of the Coalition for Community Solar Access; 7
(iii) one representative of the Chesapeake Solar & Storage 8
Association; 9
(iv) one representative of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network; 10
(v) one representative of Fair Farms Maryland; 11
(vi) one representative of the Sierra Club; 12
(vii) one representative of the Mid–Atlantic Renewable Energy 13
Coalition; 14
(viii) one representative of the Maryland Municipal League; and 15
(ix) one representative of the Maryland Association of Counties. 16
(c) The member of the Senate of Maryland and the member of the House of 17
Delegates shall cochair the Commission. 18
(d) The Power Plant Research Program in the Department of Natural Resources 19
shall staff the Commission. 20
(e) A member of the Commission: 21
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 22
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 23
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 24
(f) The Commission shall study and make recommendations regarding the land 25
use needs to meet the full generation capacity authorized under COMAR 20.62.02.02, 26
including: 27
HOUSE BILL 936 3
(1) the total area of land, including agricultural land, that is likely 1
necessary to meet the full generation capacity in a manner that is cost–effective for 2
ratepayers in the State; 3
(2) the total number of megawatts of solar electricity that is needed to meet 4
the full generation capacity; 5
(3) the rate of rooftop solar panels compared to ground–mounted solar 6
panels that is needed to meet the number of megawatts of solar electricity identified under 7
item (2) of this subsection; 8
(4) the number of acres that would be required to be allocated to each 9
county, including Baltimore City, to meet the number of megawatts of solar electricity 10
identified under item (2) of this subsection, based on the following factors: 11
(i) the county’s population and electricity use; 12
(ii) the county’s total area; and 13
(iii) the percentage of the county’s land that is agricultural land; and 14
(5) any other matter that the Commission considers necessary to help the 15
State meet the full generation capacity authorized under COMAR 20.62.02.02 in a 16
cost–effective manner. 17
(g) On or before December 1, 2022, the Commission shall report its findings and 18
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 19
Government Article, the General Assembly. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2022. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2023, this 22
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 23
further force and effect. 24
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.