EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0999*
SENATE BILL 999
C5, M5, L6 2lr3270
CF HB 936
By: Senator Hershey
Introduced and read first time: February 23, 2022
Assigned to: Rules
A BILL ENTITLED
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
(4) the Secretary of Natural Resources, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
(5) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, or the Chairman’s 18
designee; and 19
(6) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 20
(i) one representative of the Maryland Farm Bureau; 21 2 SENATE BILL 999
(ii) one representative of the Coalition for Community Solar Access; 1
(iii) one representative of the Chesapeake Solar & Storage 2
Association; 3
(iv) one representative of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network; 4
(v) one representative of Fair Farms Maryland; 5
(vi) one representative of the Sierra Club; 6
(vii) one representative of the Mid–Atlantic Renewable Energy 7
Coalition; 8
(viii) one representative of the Maryland Municipal League; and 9
(ix) one representative of the Maryland Association of Counties. 10
(c) The member of the Senate of Maryland and the member of the House of 11
Delegates shall cochair the Commission. 12
(d) The Power Plant Research Program in the Department of Natural Resources 13
shall staff the Commission. 14
(e) A member of the Commission: 15
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 16
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 17
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 18
(f) The Commission shall study and make recommendations regarding the land 19
use needs to meet the full generation capacity authorized under COMAR 20.62.02.02, 20
including: 21
(1) the total area of land, including agricultural land, that is likely 22
necessary to meet the full generation capacity in a manner that is cost–effective for 23
ratepayers in the State; 24
(2) the total number of megawatts of solar electricity that is needed to meet 25
the full generation capacity; 26
(3) the rate of rooftop solar panels compared to ground–mounted solar 27
panels that is needed to meet the number of megawatts of solar electricity identified under 28
item (2) of this subsection; 29
SENATE BILL 999 3
(4) the number of acres that would be required to be allocated to each 1
county, including Baltimore City, to meet the number of megawatts of solar electricity 2
identified under item (2) of this subsection, based on the following factors: 3
(i) the county’s population and electricity use; 4
(ii) the county’s total area; and 5
(iii) the percentage of the county’s land that is agricultural land; and 6
(5) any other matter that the Commission considers necessary to help the 7
State meet the full generation capacity authorized under COMAR 20.62.02.02 in a 8
cost–effective manner. 9
(g) On or before December 1, 2022, the Commission shall report its findings and 10
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 11
Government Article, the General Assembly. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2022. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2023, this 14
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 15
further force and effect. 16