AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- STATEWIDE MUNICIPAL SOLAR PERMIT (Requires as part of the solar permit application an assessment on carbon-neutral, a solar permit would only be approved if it was carbon neutral based on the assessment.)

S2217

2026 -- S 2217
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LC003288
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- STATEWIDE MUNICIPAL SOLAR PERMIT

Introduced By:
Senators Rogers, de la Cruz, and Paolino

Date Introduced:
January 23, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Environment & Agriculture
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 45-68-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-68 entitled "Statewide
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Municipal Solar Permit" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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45-68-3. Renewable energy permit.
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(a) The office, in consultation with the commission, shall promulgate and adopt rules and
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regulations that will create a statewide solar photovoltaic permit application that municipalities will
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be required to use beginning on January 1, 2018. The office’s rules and regulations shall be adopted
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no later than November 1, 2017.
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(b) The office, in consultation with the department of environmental management, shall
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promulgate and adopt rules and regulations to require including, as part of the solar permit
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application, an assessment whether the proposed solar photovoltaic system would be carbon-neutral
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in accordance with the emission reduction goals set forth by § 42-6.2-9. The assessment shall detail
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the amount of carbon sequestration and carbon storage loss that would occur if the permit is
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approved. The office's rules and regulations shall be adopted no later than November 1, 2026.
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(c) A solar permit shall only be approved if the proposed solar photovoltaic system is
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verified to be carbon neutral based upon the assessment submitted under section (b) of this section.
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The office, in consultation with the department of environmental management, shall promulgate
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and adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the emission reduction goals set forth by § 42-
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6.2-9 to enforce this section.
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(b)
(d)
The office shall establish an advisory group for the purpose of creating a statewide

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solar energy permit application form.
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(c)
(e)
The advisory group shall include the following members and may be expanded by
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the office in its discretion, to include other personnel with experience and/or expertise in the area
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of solar energy:
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(1) A renewable energy developer with expertise in residential solar photovoltaic
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installation;
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(2) A renewable energy developer with expertise in commercial solar photovoltaic
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installations; and
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(3) Three (3) municipal officials with expertise in building and electric permitting
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processes.
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SECTION 2. Section 42-98-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-98 entitled "Energy
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Facility Siting Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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42-98-8. Applications — Contents — Acceptance for filing.
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(a) The rules and regulations promulgated by the board pursuant to § 42-98-7(c) shall
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prescribe the form and contents of applications under this chapter. The applications shall contain
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at least the following, where applicable:
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(1) Identification of the proposed owner(s) of the facility, including identification of all
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affiliates of the proposed owners, as the term is defined in § 39-3-27.
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(2) Detailed description of the proposed facility, including its function and operating
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characteristics, and complete plans as to all structures, including underground construction and
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transmission facilities, underground or aerial, associated with the proposed facility.
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The complete plans shall be the basis for determining jurisdiction under the energy facility
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siting act and shall be the plans submitted to all agencies whose permit is required under the law.
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(3) A detailed description and analysis of the impact of the proposed facility on its physical
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and social environment together with a detailed description of all environmental characteristics of
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the proposed site, and a summary of all studies prepared and relied upon in connection therewith
,
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including if the proposed facility would be carbon neutral in accordance with the emission
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reduction goals set forth by § 42-6.2-9. The description and analysis shall detail the amount of
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carbon sequestration and carbon storage loss that would occur if the facility is permitted
.
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Where applicable these descriptions and analysis shall include a review of current
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independent, scientific research pertaining to electric and magnetic fields (EMF). The review shall
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provide data assessing potential health risks associated with EMF exposure. For the purposes of
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this chapter “prudent avoidance” shall refer to measures to be implemented in order to protect the
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public from EMF exposure.

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(4) All studies and forecasts, complete with the information, data, methodology, and
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assumptions on which they are based, on which the applicant intends to rely in showing the need
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for the proposed facility under the statewide master construction plan submitted annually.
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(5) Complete detail as to the estimated construction cost of the proposed facility, the
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projected maintenance and operation costs, estimated costs to the community such as safety and
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public health issues, storm damage and power outages, estimated costs to businesses and
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homeowners due to power outages, the estimated unit cost of energy to be produced by the proposed
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facility, and expected methods of financing the facility.
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(6) A complete life-cycle management plan for the proposed facility, including measures
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for protecting the public health and safety and the environment during the facility’s operations,
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including plans for the handling and disposal of wastes from the facility, and plans for the
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decommissioning of the facility at the end of its useful life.
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(7) A study of alternatives to the proposed facility, including alternatives as to energy
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sources, methods of energy production,
methods for preserving carbon sequestration and carbon
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storage,
and sites for the facility, together with reasons for the applicant’s rejection of these
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alternatives. The study shall include estimates of facility cost and unit energy costs of alternatives
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considered.
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(b) Within thirty (30) days of the filing of an applicant under this chapter, the board shall
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notify the applicant whether the application is in the form and addresses the matters that are required
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by this section and the rules and regulations as are promulgated pursuant to § 42-98-7. An
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application meeting these requirements shall then be docketed. Any application deemed to be
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deficient shall be returned to the applicant, together with a concise and explicit statement of the
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application’s deficiencies. Within fifteen (15) days of the resubmission of an application following
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a rejection for deficiency, the board shall docket the application together with specification of
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continuing deficiencies noted by the board, if any.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- STATEWIDE MUNICIPAL SOLAR PERMIT
***
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This act would allow the office, in consultation with the department of environmental
2
management, to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations, no later than November 1, 2026, to
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require as part of the solar permit application an assessment as to whether the proposed solar
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photovoltaic system would be carbon-neutral in accordance with the emission reduction goals set
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forth by § 42-6.2-9. A solar permit would only be approved if the proposed solar photovoltaic
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system is verified to be carbon neutral based upon the assessment. The act would also require
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applications for energy facility siting to detail the amount of carbon sequestration and carbon
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storage loss if the facility is permitted.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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