Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1718
       
       
        
       By Senator Collins
       
       
       
       
       
       14-01073A-24                                          20241718__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to wind energy facility siting;
    3         creating s. 377.708, F.S.; defining terms; prohibiting
    4         construction, operation, or expansion of wind energy
    5         facilities and offshore wind energy facilities in this
    6         state; authorizing injunctive relief; requiring the
    7         department to adopt rules; providing an effective
    8         date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Section 377.708, Florida Statutes, is created to
   13  read:
   14         377.708 Wind energy facility siting.—
   15         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
   16         (a) “Department” means the Department of Environmental
   17  Protection.
   18         (b) “Offshore wind energy facility” means any wind energy
   19  facility located on state submerged lands or territorial waters,
   20  including other buildings, structures, or electrical
   21  transmission cabling to be sited on state submerged lands or
   22  territorial waters, or connected to corresponding onshore
   23  substations which are used to support the operation of any wind
   24  energy facility sited on submerged lands or territorial waters
   25  that are not under the jurisdiction of the state.
   26         (c) “Wind energy facility” means an electrical wind
   27  generation facility or expansion thereof having at least a 1
   28  megawatt rated capacity, including substations; meteorological
   29  data towers; aboveground, underground, and electrical
   30  transmission lines; and transformers, control systems, and other
   31  buildings or structures under common ownership or operating
   32  control used to support the operation of the facility the
   33  primary purpose of which is to offer electricity supply for
   34  sale.
   35         (2) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES.—The construction, operation, or
   36  expansion of a wind energy facility or an offshore wind energy
   37  facility in this state is prohibited.
   38         (3) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.—The department may bring an action
   39  for injunctive relief against the owner of a wind energy
   40  facility or an offshore wind energy facility who constructs,
   41  operates, or expands a wind energy facility or an offshore wind
   42  energy facility in this state.
   43         (4) RULES.—The department shall adopt rules to implement
   44  this section.
   45         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.