HB 522 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Department of General Services to lease certain submerged lands within Erie County and associated wind, water and solar resources for the assessment, development, construction and operation of utility scale offshore wind, solar or kinetic energy generation facilities; providing for collection of certain lease and royalty payments; establishing the Lake Erie Large-Scale Energy System Development Fund; and providing for distributions and transfers from the fund.

This bill authorizes Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection to lease submerged lands in Lake Erie (Erie County) for utility-scale offshore wind, solar, or kinetic energy projects, with requirements to avoid nearshore areas, shipping lanes, and migratory pathways. It establishes the Lake Erie Large-Scale Energy System Development Fund to collect lease and royalty payments from these projects, with funds distributed for energy development and related purposes. The bill sets a lease size limit of 25 to 10,000 contiguous acres and mandates that designated areas be developed in consultation with conservation agencies.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Last action Feb 5, 2025
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Committee
1
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Referred to Environmental & Natural Resource Protection
lower
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors

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