SB 1514 amends Oklahoma's Wind Energy Development Act to clarify definitions and strengthen decommissioning requirements for wind energy facilities. It shortens the abandonment period from 24 months to 180 days (without power generation) and mandates removal of equipment upon abandonment or end of a facility's useful life. The bill also adds requirements for financial security, permit applications, public notice, and restoration of land after decommissioning, directly affecting wind energy facility owners and operators. These changes aim to ensure responsible end-of-life management of wind projects while maintaining clarity in regulatory processes.
HB 3095, the Rural Landowners Protection Act, requires landowner approval for certain large-scale projects like wind energy facilities, data centers, battery storage, and carbon capture operations. It directly affects landowners within a 5-mile radius of these projects, granting each parcel one voting share. Projects need approval from at least two-thirds of all affected landowners through a county-administered election, with a 30-day window for voting after application. Failed projects cannot be resubmitted for landowner approval for three years. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026.
SB 2123 amends Oklahoma's Wind Energy Development Act to clarify and strengthen decommissioning requirements for wind energy facilities. It shortens the abandonment period from 24 months to 180 consecutive days (excluding certain exceptions like curtailment), requiring owners to remove all equipment - including turbines, towers, foundations, and cabling - upon abandonment or end of a facility's useful life. The bill also modifies definitions (e.g., "abandonment," "useful life"), updates permit application criteria, and mandates public hearings for facility expansions. These changes directly affect wind energy facility owners and operators, ensuring clearer accountability for site restoration after operations cease.
SB 2183 modifies Oklahoma's Wind Energy Development Act by updating key definitions and requirements for wind energy facilities. It shortens the abandonment timeline from 24 months to 180 consecutive days (excluding curtailment or regulatory actions) and mandates the removal of wind turbines and infrastructure upon abandonment or end of useful life, as specified in amended Sections 160.13 and 160.14. The bill also adjusts definitions for terms like "commercial wind energy equipment" (500kw+ capacity) and "wind energy facility" (5MW+ capacity), while adding new requirements for financial security, permit applications, and public notification. These changes directly affect wind energy facility owners and operators who must comply with the updated decommissioning and operational standards.
SB 1606 modifies Oklahoma's wind energy decommissioning rules by changing the deadline for removing wind facilities from "within 12 months after abandonment" to "within 12 months after the end of the useful life of the commercial wind energy equipment." This affects wind energy facility owners, who must now complete decommissioning (removing turbines, towers, and restoring land to pre-construction conditions) within 12 months of equipment reaching end-of-life, not just when operations stop. The bill maintains existing decommissioning requirements (removing equipment to 30 inches below grade and restoring land) and allows landowners to request road restoration in writing. It takes effect November 1, 2026.
SB 1012 establishes a formal process for wind energy developers to request waivers from setback distance rules near airports, schools, and hospitals in Oklahoma. The bill requires written waivers approved by school boards or hospital governing bodies to be submitted to the state energy agency (Corporation Commission) before construction begins. Developers who fail to provide required waivers or military airspace clearances (via FAA Form 7460-1) face daily penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. The law, effective July 1, 2025, updates existing rules to clarify compliance requirements for wind energy facilities while maintaining distance standards. It directly affects wind energy project developers and local school/hospital boards responsible for granting waivers.
SB 2 establishes new setback requirements for wind energy facilities in Oklahoma, effective November 1, 2025. It requires wind turbines to be at least one-quarter nautical mile from homes and neighboring property (previously 1.5 miles from schools/hospitals), and mandates that projects near military installations must obtain a Federal Aviation Administration "Determination of No Hazard" and resolve Department of Defense impacts before construction. Developers who fail to comply face daily penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. The bill directly affects wind energy developers, landowners, and communities near proposed sites, with specific rules for military compatibility and dispute resolution.
HB 2751 proposes setback requirements for wind energy towers in Oklahoma counties with specific population density (>8.5 people/sq mile) or low wind speed (<9.5 mph). It requires towers to be placed at least 2.5 times their tip height or 1/4 mile from nearby properties, whichever is greater, and allows counties to vote to waive this requirement via referendum every five years. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission must maintain a public database tracking which counties have active setback rules. The bill failed in the Energy Committee on April 24, 2025, and remains pending. This would directly affect property owners and wind energy developers in designated counties.
HB 1156 sets new distance requirements for wind energy facility construction in Oklahoma. It prohibits building wind towers within 1.5 nautical miles of airport runways (public or municipal), public schools, or hospitals, and within 0.5 miles of adjacent property lines. The bill also requires wind projects needing FAA Form 7460-1 to obtain a "Determination of No Hazard" from the FAA and resolve military impact concerns before construction, with penalties of up to $1,500 per day for non-compliance. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, directly affecting wind energy developers, landowners, and military installations near proposed sites.
HB 2747 allows Oklahoma electric utilities regulated by the Corporation Commission to recover specific costs through rate adjustments. It creates mechanisms for utilities to seek recovery of costs for: (1) transmission upgrades supporting wind generation (approved by Southwest Power Pool before 2013), (2) capital expenditures needed to comply with environmental laws (like Clean Air Act), and (3) new generation facilities or power contracts after considering reasonable alternatives through competitive bidding. The bill requires the Corporation Commission to review these cost recovery requests within set timelines (180-240 days) and mandates a rate review within 24 months of cost recovery initiation. This directly affects regulated utilities and impacts electricity rates for Oklahoma consumers.
