LD1207 • 2025

An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks

Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Russell Black
Last action: 2025-05-23
Official status: Signed by the Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks

An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks Sponsor: Senator Russell Black Reference committee: Environment and Natural Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks Sponsor: Senator Russell Black Reference committee: Environment and Natural Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

C-A (S-65)

Adopted by House & Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR0976(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

Page 1 - 132LR0976(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
1207 2 Date: (Filing No.
S- ) 3ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate.
5STATE OF MAINE 6SENATE 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to S.P.

Bill History

2025-05-23 Governor
Signed by the Governor
2025-05-21 Senate
PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.
2025-05-20 House
PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
2025-05-09 Committee
Reported Out; OTP-AM
2025-04-16 Committee
Work Session Held
2025-04-16 Committee
Voted; OTP-AM
2025-03-20 Committee
Referred to Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and Brooks
Sponsor:
Senator Russell Black
Reference committee:
Environment and Natural Resources
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Page 1 - 132LR0976(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
S.P. 496 - L.D. 1207
An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws to Require a 100-
foot Buffer Between Solar Energy Developments and Rivers, Streams and
Brooks
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §484, sub-§11 is enacted to read:
11. Special provision; solar energy development. In the case of a proposed solar
energy development, the development will not be constructed within 100 feet of a river,
stream or brook. This subsection does not apply to vegetation removal activities necessary
for shade management or road or utility line crossings within 100 feet of a river, stream or
brook.
As used in this subsection, "solar energy development" means a development that uses a
solar energy system consisting of ground-mounted solar panels to convert solar energy to
electrical energy and includes generating facilities and associated facilities.
APPROVED
MAY 23, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
106
PUBLIC LAW