HB3523 - Wind Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act

• Requires commercial wind energy facility owners (facilities 500+ kilowatts) to enter into agricultural impact mitigation agreements with the Illinois Department of Agriculture before public hearings on siting decisions.

• Agreements must address construction and deconstruction standards including topsoil restoration, drainage tile protection, soil compaction repair, property damage compensation, and financial assurance for decommissioning.

• Defines "abandonment" as failure to complete deconstruction within 18 months after a facility stops generating electricity for 12 consecutive months and fails to pay landowners for 6 consecutive months.

• Applies to facilities seeking new permits or extensions of existing permits issued before the act's effective date, but excludes facilities with completed permit applications or construction before the effective date.

• Amends county and municipal wind farm regulations to require agricultural impact mitigation agreements prior to permit decisions, with test wind towers exempt from formal approval requirements.