Indiana § 8-1-41-16 - Decommissioning and site restoration plan; posting of surety bond or equivalent security; required posting increments; adjustment of bond or security after periodic reevaluation of decommissioning costs; costs to be net of estimated salvage value

§ 8-1-41-16. Decommissioning and site restoration plan; posting of surety bond or equivalent security; required posting increments; adjustment of bond or security after periodic reevaluation of decommissioning costs; costs to be net of estimated salvage value

Sec. 16. (a) Subject to subsection (b), and except as otherwise allowed by IC 36-7-4-1109, a project owner may not install or locate a wind power device in a unit unless the project owner submits to the permit authority a decommissioning and site restoration plan, and posts a surety bond, or an equivalent means of security acceptable to the permit authority, including a parent company guarantee or an irrevocable letter of credit, but excluding cash, in an amount equal to the estimated cost of decommissioning the wind power device, as calculated by a third party licensed or registered engineer, or by another person with suitable experience in the decommissioning of wind power devices, as agreed upon by the project owner and the permit authority. The required bond or other security shall be posted in increments such that the total amount of the bond or security posted is as follows:

(1) An amount equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the total estimated decommissioning costs not later than the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation. For purposes of this subdivision, the total estimated decommissioning costs shall be reevaluated by a third party licensed or registered engineer (or by another person with suitable experience in the decommissioning of wind power devices, as agreed upon by the project owner and the permit authority) in connection with the:

(A) fifth anniversary; and

(B) tenth anniversary;

of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation, and the total amount of the bond or security posted under this subdivision shall be adjusted as necessary after each reevaluation.

(2) An amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total estimated decommissioning costs not later than the fifteenth anniversary of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation. For purposes of this subdivision, the total estimated decommissioning costs shall be reevaluated by a third party licensed or registered engineer (or by another person with suitable experience in the decommissioning of wind power devices, as agreed upon by the project owner and the permit authority) in connection with the fifteenth anniversary of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation, and the total amount of the bond or security posted under this subdivision shall be adjusted as necessary after the reevaluation.

(3) An amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the total estimated decommissioning costs not later than the twentieth anniversary of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation. For purposes of this subdivision, the total estimated decommissioning costs shall be reevaluated by a third party licensed or registered engineer (or by another person with suitable experience in the decommissioning of wind power devices, as agreed upon by the project owner and the permit authority):

(A) in connection with the twentieth anniversary of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation; and

(B) at least once every succeeding five (5) year period after the twentieth anniversary of the start date of the wind power device's full commercial operation;

and the total amount of the bond or security posted under this subdivision shall be adjusted as necessary after each reevaluation.

(b) For purposes of this section, the estimated cost of decommissioning a wind power device, as calculated by a licensed or registered professional engineer (or by another person with suitable experience in the decommissioning of wind power devices, as agreed upon by the project owner and the permit authority), shall be net of any estimated salvage value attributable to the wind power device at the time of decommissioning, unless the unit and the project owner agree to include any such value in the estimated cost.

As added by P.L.90-2022, SEC.1.

IC 8-1-42Chapter 42. Default Standards for Commercial Solar Energy Systems

8-1-42-1Applicability; "solar energy ready community" 8-1-42-2"Commercial solar energy system" 8-1-42-3"Commercial solar regulation" 8-1-42-4"Dwelling" 8-1-42-5"Nonparticipating property" 8-1-42-6"Permit authority" 8-1-42-7"Project owner" 8-1-42-8"Unit" 8-1-42-9Permit authority responsible for enforcing compliance with standards; authority to adopt less restrictive standards or to waive or make less restrictive existing standards; unit's planning and zoning powers not affected 8-1-42-10Setback requirements; highways, collector roads, and local roads; nonparticipating properties; landscape buffer; height restriction; waiver of setback and buffer requirements with consent of nonparticipating property owner 8-1-42-11Ground cover; vegetation plan 8-1-42-12Fencing 8-1-42-13Underground cables; aboveground infrastructure; depth of buried cables; cables and lines outside of project site 8-1-42-14Glare minimization; adjacent properties and roadways; vehicular traffic 8-1-42-15Signal interference 8-1-42-16Sound level limitations; waiver of requirement with consent of owners of adjacent nonparticipating properties 8-1-42-17Damage to drainage infrastructure; repair; installation of new infrastructure 8-1-42-18Decommissioning and site restoration plan; posting of surety bond or equivalent security; required posting increments; adjustment of bond or security after periodic reevaluation of decommissioning costs; costs to be net of estimated salvage value; project owner's notice of intent to decommission CSE system; ground restoration; project owner's failure to remove project assets; assets allowed to remain in place with landowner's consent 8-1-42-19CSE system's failure to generate electricity; presumed abandonment; required removal of project assets; project owner's failure to remove assets; removal of assets by permit authority; recovery of costs 8-1-42-20"Force majeure event"; cessation of electricity generation; project owner's notice to permit authority; failure to resume operations; presumed abandonment; project owner's failure to remove assets; removal of assets by permit authority; recovery of costs