Bill > SB2657

This bill requires wind and solar power facility agreements to include specific provisions for recycling and responsible disposal of facility components. The legislation defines "recycle" as the processing of an item to recover a usable product and mandates that facility operators (grantees) must collect and either reuse or recycle all components that can practicably be recycled, such as wind turbine blades and photovoltaic modules. For components that cannot be recycled, grantees must dispose of hazardous materials at authorized facilities and non-hazardous materials at appropriate waste disposal sites. The bill also requires grantees to provide financial assurance to cover the estimated costs of removing, recycling, and disposing of facility components, with these estimates to be determined by an independent professional engineer. The financial assurance must be updated at least every five years and cover the difference between removal and restoration costs and the salvage value of the facilities. These requirements will apply only to new wind and solar power facility agreements entered into after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025, aiming to promote more environmentally responsible decommissioning of renewable energy facilities.