IL HB5477

Commercial wind and solar energy facilities proposed for unincorporated areas within a municipality's zoning jurisdiction and adjacent to municipal boundaries must either be annexed to the municipality or comply with the municipality's zoning regulations.

Facilities disturbing more than one acre of land cannot receive county approval unless the owner obtains a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Facility owners must provide the county with a deconstruction plan prepared by a professional engineer, and counties may require changes to financial assurance levels during the approval process.

Counties must evaluate whether siting requests comply with standards in the Counties Code, local zoning ordinances, and applicable state and federal regulations before granting approval.

The Renewable Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act's standard agreements must be amended to conform with the financial assurance procedures established in the Counties Code.