FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kyra Helming, Press Secretary
317-232-9498
Walter Aleksic, Press Secretary Intern
STATEHOUSE (Feb. 1, 2022) — A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would determine how many acres of farmland are being used for solar and wind energy farms, passed the Senate today unanimously.
Senate Bill 176 requires the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to include in its annual report the following information concerning a county's utility-grade wind power and solar energy facilities:
• The total number of devices and facilities installed or under construction;
• The total generating capacity of the devices and facilities;
• The county's total land acreage occupied by or otherwise part of a project or development that includes one or more devices or facilities; and
• Of the occupied land, the percentage of that acreage assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
"As renewable energy expands, I'm concerned Indiana's farmland will be overwhelmed by energy production," Leising said. "This bill would help Indiana monitor and expand its clean energy projects throughout the state and increase the understanding of its impact on farmland."
SB 176 will now move to the Indiana House of Representatives for further consideration. To learn more about this bill or to watch the legislative session, visit iga.in.gov.
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For a high-resolution photo of Sen. Leising, click here.
