Bill > HB3723

This bill requires that any industrial wind or solar energy project must receive approval from the board of county commissioners in each county where the project is located before it can proceed with state or regional permitting, siting reviews, or interconnection studies, which are processes managed by entities like the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). Before the county vote, the project developer must submit detailed engineering plans, maps, environmental impact assessments, construction schedules, and decommissioning plans to the commissioners. The commissioners must publicly announce and hold a vote on the project at a regular meeting, with advance notice given to the public through local newspapers and social media, and also directly to landowners within the project area and within a five-mile radius. If citizens disagree with the commissioners' decision, they have the right to initiate a referendum petition, which requires signatures from at least ten percent of the county's registered voters within thirty days of the commissioners' vote. The process for verifying these signatures involves the county election board, with opportunities for legal challenges and protests heard in district court. A clear and impartial ballot title, no more than 150 words, must be prepared for the referendum question, and any disputes over its wording can be appealed to the district court. Once a ballot title is finalized, the question will be placed on the ballot for the next general election, with further public and direct landowner notification required beforehand. The outcome of this voter referendum will be legally binding on the county commissioners and the project developer, preventing any further development, construction, or operation that contradicts the voters' decision. The bill also declares an emergency, meaning it will take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb3723&Session=2600