Maryland SB 753: Offshore Wind Turbines and Accessory Installations - Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0753*

SENATE BILL 753
C5 5lr2100

By: Senator Kramer
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Offshore Wind Turbines and Accessory Installations – Aircraft Detection 2
Lighting Systems 3

FOR the purpose of requiring that any wind turbine and accessory installation associated 4
with a qualified offshore wind project or an offshore wind transmission project be 5
installed with a certain aircraft detection lighting system; and generally relating to 6
offshore wind turbines and accessory installations. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Public Utilities 9
Section 7–218 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Public Utilities 15

7–218. 16

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18

(2) “AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM” MEANS A 19
SENSOR–BASED SYSTEM DESIGNED TO: 20

(I) DETECT AN AIRCRAFT APPROACHING AN OBSTRUCTION OR 21
GROUP OF OBSTRUCTIONS; AND 22

2 SENATE BILL 753

(II) AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS UNTIL 1
THE AIRCRAFT HAS DEPARTED THE AREA. 2

(3) “OFFSHORE WIND TRANSMISSION PROJECT” HAS THE MEANING 3
STATED IN § 7–701 OF THIS TITLE. 4

(4) “QUALIFIED OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT” HAS THE MEANING 5
STATED IN § 7–701 OF THIS TITLE. 6

(B) BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025, ANY WIND TURBINE AND ACCESSORY 7
INSTALLATION CONSTRUCTED IN CONNECTION WITH A QUALIFIED OFFSHORE WIND 8
PROJECT OR AN OFFSHORE WIND TRANSMISSION PROJECT SHALL INCLUDE THE 9
INSTALLATION OF AN AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE 10
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION. 11

(C) A PERSON THAT OWNS OR OPERATES A QUALIFIED OFFSHORE WIND 12
PROJECT OR AN OFFSHORE WIND TRANSMISSION PROJECT CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 13
OCTOBER 1, 2025, THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN AIRCRAFT DETECTION 14
LIGHTING SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION 15
SHALL: 16

(1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2025, SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO 17
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FOR APPROVAL TO INSTALL ON EACH 18
WIND TURBINE AND ANY ACCESSORY INSTALLATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE 19
PROJECT AN AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM; AND 20

(2) COMMENCE INSTALLATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DETECTION 21
LIGHTING SYSTEM ON EACH WIND TURBINE AND ANY ACCESSORY INSTALLATION 22
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE FEDERAL AVIATION 23
ADMINISTRATION APPROVES AND CERTIFIES THE SYSTEM. 24

(D) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 25
SECTION. 26

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
October 1, 2025. 28