Renewable Energy Development on Disturbed Lands

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata provided does not list an effective date, though the bill is marked as enacted and signed by the Governor.

Renewable Energy Development on Disturbed Lands

This law allows local governments to designate specific areas for renewable energy projects and permits the use of tax funds from urban renewal plans to help pay for them.

What This Bill Does

• Allows local governments with land-use permitting authority to name certain places as renewable energy reinvestment areas for power plants and storage systems.
• Requires public meetings before naming an area or approving construction permits in these zones, unless the area is part of a specific urban renewal or county revitalization plan that follows existing outreach rules.
• Permits authorities to use tax money from urban renewal plans to pay costs for eligible projects if the designated area is included in those plans.
• Mandates that local governments talk with tribes before picking sites on tribal lands.
• Orders utilities to share available information about these areas within 30 days of a request made by a local government or project developer.
• Requires the Colorado Energy Office to collect, publish online, and update guides about building these energy projects.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local governments with power over land use permits
• Urban renewal authorities and county revitalization authorities
• Developers of renewable energy and storage systems
• Electric utilities in Colorado

Terms To Know

Renewable Energy Reinvestment Area

A place a local government picks for building solar, wind, or other clean power projects.

Tax Increment Revenue

Extra tax money collected from an area that is used to pay for improvements in that same area.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not define exactly which types of land count as 'disturbed' or eligible.
• Outreach requirements depend on whether the area is part of an urban renewal plan, and specific steps must follow existing statutory rules.

Official Summary Text

The act authorizes a local government with permitting authority over land uses (local government) to designate one or more areas within the jurisdiction of the local government as renewable energy reinvestment areas for the siting of renewable energy and energy storage system projects (eligible projects). In designating an area as a renewable energy reinvestment area, the local government must hold at least one public hearing and hold at least one public hearing for any construction permit applications required for a proposed eligible project in the renewable energy reinvestment area or must designate the area as part of an urban renewal plan or county revitalization plan and ensure that any outreach to and engagement of disproportionately impacted communities is consistent with statutory requirements. A local government cannot designate an eligible site within tribal lands without first consulting with the tribe with jurisdiction over the lands.
If an eligible project is sited in a renewable energy reinvestment area, an urban renewal authority or county revitalization authority (authority) may distribute tax increment revenue to finance or reimburse costs associated with the eligible project if the renewable energy reinvestment area is included in the authority's urban renewal plan or county revitalization plan.
In response to a request made by a local government or an eligible project developer for information regarding a designated renewable energy reinvestment area, a utility is required to acknowledge the request and provide the requestor readily available information within 30 days after the request is made.
The Colorado energy office is required to consolidate, publish on its website, and periodically update technical and informational resources concerning the process for siting, permitting, and developing eligible projects in renewable energy reinvestment areas.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)