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Senate Study Bill 1077 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to commercially owned solar panel field
2installation on agricultural land.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 473.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsections:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 01. “Agricultural land” means land suitable
4for the use of farming.
5 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. “Commercially owned solar panel field”
6or “solar panel field” means a device or structural feature
7owned by a corporate entity that collects solar energy by means
8of converting solar radiation into thermal, mechanical, or
9electrical energy.
10 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 473.43 Agricultural land — solar
11panel eligibility.
12A commercially owned solar panel field shall not be
13installed upon agricultural land unless all of the following
14apply:
151. The solar panel field is not less than one hundred fifty
16feet from the nearest adjacent landowner.
172. The solar panel field is not less than one thousand two
18hundred feet from the nearest residence or livestock facility.
19EXPLANATION
20The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
21the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
22This bill relates to commercially owned solar panel field
23installation on agricultural land.
24The bill defines “agricultural land” to mean land that
25is suitable for farming. The bill defines “commercially
26owned solar panel field” or “solar panel field” to include
27corporately owned devices or structural features that
28collect and convert solar radiation into other energy. The
29bill prohibits a commercially owned solar panel field from
30installation on agricultural land unless the solar panel field
31is at least 150 feet from the nearest adjacent landowner and
321,200 feet from the nearest residence or livestock facility.
-1-es/rn
2installation on agricultural land.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 473.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsections:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 01. “Agricultural land” means land suitable
4for the use of farming.
5 NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. “Commercially owned solar panel field”
6or “solar panel field” means a device or structural feature
7owned by a corporate entity that collects solar energy by means
8of converting solar radiation into thermal, mechanical, or
9electrical energy.
10 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 473.43 Agricultural land — solar
11panel eligibility.
12A commercially owned solar panel field shall not be
13installed upon agricultural land unless all of the following
14apply:
151. The solar panel field is not less than one hundred fifty
16feet from the nearest adjacent landowner.
172. The solar panel field is not less than one thousand two
18hundred feet from the nearest residence or livestock facility.
19EXPLANATION
20The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
21the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
22This bill relates to commercially owned solar panel field
23installation on agricultural land.
24The bill defines “agricultural land” to mean land that
25is suitable for farming. The bill defines “commercially
26owned solar panel field” or “solar panel field” to include
27corporately owned devices or structural features that
28collect and convert solar radiation into other energy. The
29bill prohibits a commercially owned solar panel field from
30installation on agricultural land unless the solar panel field
31is at least 150 feet from the nearest adjacent landowner and
321,200 feet from the nearest residence or livestock facility.
-1-es/rn