Bill > HB3724

This bill defines "high-demand facility" as a commercial, industrial, or institutional operation requiring at least 75 megawatts (MW) of electricity, or an expansion that would reach that threshold, and applies these rules to new or expanding facilities starting from the bill's effective date. It prohibits any taxpayer-funded subsidies, such as tax credits, grants, or tax exemptions, for these facilities, and requires that any public infrastructure built specifically for them must be fully paid for by the facility itself, not by other electricity customers. Local governments are given the authority to ban these facilities within their jurisdictions, which cannot be overridden by state law or zoning. High-demand facilities must cover all costs for necessary electricity infrastructure upgrades and pay monthly for either their actual electricity usage or at least 80% of their contracted capacity. For water usage, these facilities must conduct a water impact assessment, prioritize water recycling and reuse, and are prohibited from acquiring new water rights solely to serve them; their daily water withdrawals are also limited. The bill also prevents foreign principals (entities controlled by foreign governments or individuals) from constructing or operating these facilities, or from building them on agricultural land, with measures to prevent evasion. All such facilities must comply with local noise ordinances and submit a decommissioning plan before construction, detailing how the site will be dismantled and restored. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission will oversee electricity-related provisions, while water use will be enforced by the relevant water resource authorities, and the Commission can create rules to implement the bill. Furthermore, citizens can use initiative and referendum petitions to challenge decisions regarding these facilities, with specific requirements for petition signatures, verification, and court review of ballot titles, and the outcome of any such vote will be binding. The bill declares an emergency, meaning it will take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb3724&Session=2600