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S. B. No. 2641 *SS08/R1047CS.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Energy
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Whaley
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 2641
AN ACT TO CREATE THE WIND-TOWER AGRICULTURAL AND 1
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE THE COMPOSITION 2
AND DUTIES OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby established the Wind-Tower 5
Agricultural and Environmental Impact Study Committee. The 6
committee shall be composed of: 7
(a) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of 8
Agriculture and Commerce, as the chair of the committee; 9
(b) The Executive Director of the Mississippi 10
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; 11
(c) The Executive Director of the Public Service 12
Commission (PSC); 13
(d) One (1) representative from the Mississippi 14
Agricultural Aviation Association (MAAA); 15
(e) One (1) member appointed by the Mississippi Farm 16
Bureau Federation; 17
(f) One (1) member from the Mississippi Delta Council; 18
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(g) One (1) senator from the Mississippi Senate, 19
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and 20
(h) One (1) representative from the Mississippi House 21
of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House. 22
(2) The committee shall: 23
(a) Study aviation incidents, wildlife-mortality data 24
and farmland loss associated with wind-tower development; and 25
(b) Develop statewide placement and permitting 26
standards, including a wildlife-buffer map modeled after 27
regulatory framework enacted in Arkansas. 28
(3) Appointments to the study committee shall be made within 29
thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act. At the first 30
meeting, the committee shall elect from among its membership a 31
vice chairman and any other officers determined to be necessary, 32
and shall adopt rules for transacting business and keeping 33
records. 34
(4) A majority of the members of the study committee shall 35
constitute a quorum. The study committee shall develop and report 36
to the Legislature its findings and recommendations on or before 37
January 1, 2027, and repeat the reporting process annually. 38
(5) In the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, and 39
in the election of a vice chairman and any other officers 40
determined to be necessary, an affirmative vote of a majority of 41
the members present shall be required. All members shall be 42
notified in writing of all meetings, such notice shall be mailed 43
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at least five (5) days before the date on which a meeting is to be 44
held. Members of the study committee shall be reimbursed in the 45
same manner as for attending out-of-session committee meetings. 46
(6) The PEER Committee shall provide the staff and other 47
support necessary for the study committee to perform its duties. 48
(7) To effectuate the purposes of this act, any department, 49
division, board, bureau, committee, institution or agency of the 50
state, or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request 51
of the chairman of the study committee, provide the facilities, 52
assistance, information and data needed to enable the study 53
committee to carry out its duties. 54
(8) (a) The PSC shall not issue any Certificates of Public 55
Convenience and Necessity for a new wind-tower facility in this 56
state prior to one (1) year after the effective date of this act. 57
The moratorium established in this paragraph (a) shall not apply 58
to certificates for wind-tower facilities issued prior to the 59
effective date of this act. 60
(b) The designated reviewing agencies and the PSC shall 61
not issue any permits for construction or operation of a new 62
wind-tower facility in this state prior to one (1) year after the 63
effective date of this act. The moratorium established in this 64
paragraph (b) shall not apply to construction or operation of 65
wind-tower facilities that commenced prior to the effective date 66
of this act. 67
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ST: Wind-Tower Agricultural and Environmental
Impact Study Committee; create.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 68
and after its passage. 69