| 1 | | - | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Rules By: Representative Hale House Concurrent Resolution 66 (As Adopted by House) A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CREATING A JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE UNINTENDED IMPACT OF WIND TURBINE USAGE IN AGRICULTURE AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE STUDY TO THE LEGISLATURE. WHEREAS, the Legislature finds the installation and usage of wind turbines are potentially having unintended impacts on surrounding properties, the temperature, the ability to adequately farm certain neighboring agricultural products due to wind tower placing, the aquifer, agricultural aviation pilots, and migratory birds; and WHEREAS, these potentially unintended impacts have created a need to study the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That: (1) There is created a joint legislative study committee for the purpose of studying the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture. The study committee shall comprehensively research these potential issues and report back to the Legislature with the committee's recommendations and the appropriate legislation to enact those recommendations into law. (2) The study committee shall be comprised of the following members or a designee appointed from the membership of the respective committee by a chairman: (a) The Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee; (b) The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; (c) The Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee; (d) The Chairman of the House Energy Committee; (e) The Chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee; (f) The Chairman of the Senate Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee; and (g) The Chairman of the House Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee. (3) The study committee shall meet to discuss and provide recommendations and proposed legislation for the following topics: (a) The setbacks that are necessary to prevent wind turbines from causing property right infringement issues due to the potential displacement of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other airborne farming substances that could be displaced to neighboring properties due to the gusts created by wind turbines; (b) The impact wind turbine installation is having on the aquifer and other nearby water sources; (c) Any potential safety concerns or issues that wind turbines cause agricultural aviation pilots to experience; (d) Potential endangerment of migratory birds and the correlation to the disruption of the Mississippi Flyway; (e) Adequate decommissioning funds to be set aside for wind turbines in the event that they are no longer in use; and (f) Any other information deemed relevant and necessary to accomplish the tasks assigned in this subsection. (4) To assist the study committee in gaining sufficient information necessary to carry out its tasks, the study committee may invite a person representing the following entities to present information at one or more meetings of the committee: (a) The Public Service Commission; (b) The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; (c) The Department of Agriculture and Commerce; (d) The Department of Agriculture at Mississippi State University; (e) The President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, or his or her designee; and (f) The President of the Mississippi Agricultural Aviation Association, or his or her designee. (5) At the first meeting of the study committee, the committee shall elect from among its members a chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary. The committee shall adopt rules for transacting business and keeping records. In the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, and in the election of a chairman and other officers determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present is required. A majority of the members of the study committee constitutes a quorum. (6) Members of the study committee shall be reimbursed in the same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings. (7) The Legislature shall provide the staff and other support necessary for the study committee to perform its duties. (8) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall provide, at the request of the chairman of the study committee, the facilities, assistance, information and data needed to enable the study committee to carry out its duties. (9) The study committee shall develop and report its findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature before December 1, 2025. (10) The study committee shall be dissolved on or before January 1, 2026. |
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| 1 | + | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Rules By: Representative Hale House Concurrent Resolution 66 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CREATING A JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE UNINTENDED IMPACT OF WIND TURBINE USAGE IN AGRICULTURE AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE STUDY TO THE LEGISLATURE. WHEREAS, the Legislature finds the installation and usage of wind turbines are potentially having unintended impacts on surrounding properties, the temperature, the ability to adequately farm certain neighboring agricultural products due to wind tower placing, the aquifer, agricultural aviation pilots, and migratory birds; and WHEREAS, these potentially unintended impacts have created a need to study the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That: (1) There is created a joint legislative study committee for the purpose of studying the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture. The study committee shall comprehensively research these potential issues and report back to the Legislature with the committee's recommendations and the appropriate legislation to enact those recommendations into law. (2) The study committee shall be comprised of the following members or a designee appointed from the membership of the respective committee by a chairman: (a) The Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee; (b) The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; (c) The Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee; (d) The Chairman of the House Energy Committee; (e) The Chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee; (f) The Chairman of the Senate Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee; and (g) The Chairman of the House Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee. (3) The study committee shall meet to discuss and provide recommendations and proposed legislation for the following topics: (a) The setbacks that are necessary to prevent wind turbines from causing property right infringement issues due to the potential displacement of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other airborne farming substances that could be displaced to neighboring properties due to the gusts created by wind turbines; (b) The impact wind turbine installation is having on the aquifer and other nearby water sources; (c) Any potential safety concerns or issues that wind turbines cause agricultural aviation pilots to experience; (d) Potential endangerment of migratory birds and the correlation to the disruption of the Mississippi Flyway; (e) Adequate decommissioning funds to be set aside for wind turbines in the event that they are no longer in use; and (f) Any other information deemed relevant and necessary to accomplish the tasks assigned in this subsection. (4) To assist the study committee in gaining sufficient information necessary to carry out its tasks, the study committee may invite a person representing the following entities to present information at one or more meetings of the committee: (a) The Public Service Commission; (b) The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; (c) The Department of Agriculture and Commerce; (d) The Department of Agriculture at Mississippi State University; (e) The President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, or his or her designee; and (f) The President of the Mississippi Agricultural Aviation Association, or his or her designee. (5) At the first meeting of the study committee, the committee shall elect from among its members a chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary. The committee shall adopt rules for transacting business and keeping records. In the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, and in the election of a chairman and other officers determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present is required. A majority of the members of the study committee constitutes a quorum. (6) Members of the study committee shall be reimbursed in the same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings. (7) The Legislature shall provide the staff and other support necessary for the study committee to perform its duties. (8) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall provide, at the request of the chairman of the study committee, the facilities, assistance, information and data needed to enable the study committee to carry out its duties. (9) The study committee shall develop and report its findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature before December 1, 2025. (10) The study committee shall be dissolved on or before January 1, 2026. |
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| 14 | 12 | | |
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| 15 | 13 | | A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CREATING A JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE UNINTENDED IMPACT OF WIND TURBINE USAGE IN AGRICULTURE AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE STUDY TO THE LEGISLATURE. |
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| 16 | 14 | | |
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| 17 | 15 | | WHEREAS, the Legislature finds the installation and usage of wind turbines are potentially having unintended impacts on surrounding properties, the temperature, the ability to adequately farm certain neighboring agricultural products due to wind tower placing, the aquifer, agricultural aviation pilots, and migratory birds; and |
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| 18 | 16 | | |
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| 19 | 17 | | WHEREAS, these potentially unintended impacts have created a need to study the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That: |
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| 20 | 18 | | |
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| 21 | 19 | | (1) There is created a joint legislative study committee for the purpose of studying the impact of wind turbine usage in agriculture. The study committee shall comprehensively research these potential issues and report back to the Legislature with the committee's recommendations and the appropriate legislation to enact those recommendations into law. |
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| 22 | 20 | | |
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| 23 | 21 | | (2) The study committee shall be comprised of the following members or a designee appointed from the membership of the respective committee by a chairman: |
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| 24 | 22 | | |
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| 25 | 23 | | (a) The Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee; |
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| 26 | 24 | | |
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| 27 | 25 | | (b) The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; |
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| 28 | 26 | | |
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| 29 | 27 | | (c) The Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee; |
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| 30 | 28 | | |
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| 31 | 29 | | (d) The Chairman of the House Energy Committee; |
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| 32 | 30 | | |
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| 33 | 31 | | (e) The Chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee; |
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| 34 | 32 | | |
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| 35 | 33 | | (f) The Chairman of the Senate Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee; and |
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| 36 | 34 | | |
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| 37 | 35 | | (g) The Chairman of the House Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee. |
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| 38 | 36 | | |
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| 39 | 37 | | (3) The study committee shall meet to discuss and provide recommendations and proposed legislation for the following topics: |
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| 40 | 38 | | |
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| 41 | 39 | | (a) The setbacks that are necessary to prevent wind turbines from causing property right infringement issues due to the potential displacement of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other airborne farming substances that could be displaced to neighboring properties due to the gusts created by wind turbines; |
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| 42 | 40 | | |
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| 43 | 41 | | (b) The impact wind turbine installation is having on the aquifer and other nearby water sources; |
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| 44 | 42 | | |
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| 45 | 43 | | (c) Any potential safety concerns or issues that wind turbines cause agricultural aviation pilots to experience; |
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| 46 | 44 | | |
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| 47 | 45 | | (d) Potential endangerment of migratory birds and the correlation to the disruption of the Mississippi Flyway; |
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| 48 | 46 | | |
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| 49 | 47 | | (e) Adequate decommissioning funds to be set aside for wind turbines in the event that they are no longer in use; and |
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| 50 | 48 | | |
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| 51 | 49 | | (f) Any other information deemed relevant and necessary to accomplish the tasks assigned in this subsection. |
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| 52 | 50 | | |
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| 53 | 51 | | (4) To assist the study committee in gaining sufficient information necessary to carry out its tasks, the study committee may invite a person representing the following entities to present information at one or more meetings of the committee: |
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| 54 | 52 | | |
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| 55 | 53 | | (a) The Public Service Commission; |
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| 56 | 54 | | |
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| 57 | 55 | | (b) The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; |
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| 58 | 56 | | |
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| 59 | 57 | | (c) The Department of Agriculture and Commerce; |
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| 60 | 58 | | |
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| 61 | 59 | | (d) The Department of Agriculture at Mississippi State University; |
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| 62 | 60 | | |
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| 63 | 61 | | (e) The President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, or his or her designee; and |
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| 64 | 62 | | |
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| 65 | 63 | | (f) The President of the Mississippi Agricultural Aviation Association, or his or her designee. |
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| 66 | 64 | | |
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| 67 | 65 | | (5) At the first meeting of the study committee, the committee shall elect from among its members a chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary. The committee shall adopt rules for transacting business and keeping records. In the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, and in the election of a chairman and other officers determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present is required. A majority of the members of the study committee constitutes a quorum. |
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| 68 | 66 | | |
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| 69 | 67 | | (6) Members of the study committee shall be reimbursed in the same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings. |
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| 70 | 68 | | |
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| 71 | 69 | | (7) The Legislature shall provide the staff and other support necessary for the study committee to perform its duties. |
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| 72 | 70 | | |
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| 73 | 71 | | (8) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall provide, at the request of the chairman of the study committee, the facilities, assistance, information and data needed to enable the study committee to carry out its duties. |
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| 74 | 72 | | |
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| 75 | 73 | | (9) The study committee shall develop and report its findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature before December 1, 2025. |
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| 76 | 74 | | |
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| 77 | 75 | | (10) The study committee shall be dissolved on or before January 1, 2026. |
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