New York S 8712: Requires the office of renewable energy siting and electric transmission to establish and/or amend rules and regulations pertaining to standards related to siting major renewable energy facilities

Bill Text

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S08712 Summary:

BILL NOS08712B

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A10519-A

&nbsp

SPONSORHINCHEY

&nbsp

COSPNSRFAHY, GONZALEZ, SALAZAR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§137 & 138, Pub Serv L

&nbsp

Requires the office of renewable energy siting and electric transmission to establish and/or amend rules and regulations pertaining to standards related to the siting, design, construction and operation of major renewable energy facilities; requires such rules and regulations to include information relating to farmland protection and application procedures; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

Go to top S08712 Actions:

BILL NOS08712B

&nbsp

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

02/25/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

02/25/2026PRINT NUMBER 8712A

06/01/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

06/01/2026PRINT NUMBER 8712B

Go to topS08712 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS08712 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS08712 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 8712--B

 IN SENATE

 January 7, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, FAHY, GONZALEZ -- read twice and ordered
 printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy
 and Telecommunications -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the siting,
 design, construction and operation of major renewable energy facili-
 ties and to applications therefor; and providing for the repeal of
 certain provisions upon expiration thereof

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 137 of the public service law is amended by adding
 2 a new subdivision 14 to read as follows:
 3 14. "Agrivoltaics project" shall mean an agrivoltaic project as
 4 defined pursuant to section nineteen hundred two of the public authori-
 5 ties law.
 6 § 2. Section 137 of the public service law is amended by adding two
 7 new subdivisions 14 and 15 to read as follows:
 8 14. "Agrivoltaics project" shall mean the simultaneous use of areas of
 9 land for both solar power generation and agriculture through a ground-
 10 mounted photovoltaic solar energy system constructed, installed, and
 11 operated to achieve integrated and simultaneous production of both solar
 12 energy and marketable agricultural products or activities by an agricul-
 13 tural producer, provided that such use:
 14 (a) is constructed, installed, and operated to achieve integrated and
 15 simultaneous production of both solar energy and marketable agricultural
 16 products or activities consistent with commercial agricultural
 17 production, as soon as agronomically feasible and continuing until
 18 decommissioning, on land beneath or between solar panels;
 19 (b) has been intentionally planned and designed with agricultural
 20 producers or experts;
 21 (c) has provisions for decommissioning to protect the land's agricul-
 22 tural resources and utility; and

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD14269-05-6

 S. 8712--B 2

 1 (d) does not significantly displace farming activity.
 2 15. "Agricultural products or activities" shall include: (a) crop
 3 production; (b) animal husbandry; and (c) livestock grazing or cattle
 4 grazing; provided, however, that agricultural products or activities
 5 shall not include sheep grazing as the sole farming activity except
 6 where the land utilized is currently utilized primarily or exclusively
 7 for such purpose; and provided further, however, that agricultural
 8 products or activities shall not include pollinator habitats, apiaries,
 9 or both as the sole farming activities.
 10 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 138 of the public service law is amended
 11 by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
 12 (d) In its review of applications for permits pursuant to this arti-
 13 cle, ORES shall give priority to previously developed sites and existing
 14 or ab