§22-32-4. Bonding required.

(a) Within 12 months of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility commencing commercial operation, except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility operating in West Virginia shall:

(1) Notify the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in writing of the date that the facility began commercial operation;

(2)(A) Submit a plan, certified by a qualified independent licensed professional engineer, for decommissioning the facility to the DEP in compliance with DEP standards and technical specifications including a scope of work to be completed and cost estimates for completion and salvage estimates, taking into account local siting conditions; or (B) if exempt hereunder, submit a copy of a properly executed and legally binding decommissioning agreement with all attachments, schedules, and addendums thereto;

(3) Provide the DEP with any other necessary information in accordance with this article and rules adopted pursuant to this article in order for the department to determine bond requirements in accordance with this section; and

(4) Submit a fee for a new application of $100 per megawatt of nameplate generation capacity or a fee for any modification of $50 per megawatt of nameplate generation capacity to be deposited into the Wind and Solar Decommissioning Account and utilized for implementing this article and its rules.

(b) If a wind generation facility or solar generation facility commenced commercial operation before July 1, 2021, the owner of the facility shall submit to the department the information required in subsection (a) of this section on or before July 1, 2022.

(c) If a wind generation facility or solar generation facility commenced commercial operation before July 1, 2021, and the owner of the facility submitted information required by subsection (a) of this section on or before July 1, 2021, the owner is not required to resubmit the information.

(d) If a property owner and the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility and to the extent necessary any local governing body reach an agreement concerning: (1) Alternative restoration of buildings, equipment, other associated property (including appurtenant land, improvements, and personal property), cabling, electrical components, roads, or any other associated facilities (instead of removal); or (2) alternative plans for reclamation of surface lands; or (3) both, the agreement must be provided to the DEP for review and approval by the Cabinet Secretary or his assigns. The DEP must approve or deny the alternative plan submission within 90 days of receipt. Decommissioning agreements which legally bind exempt parties are not subject to approval or modification by DEP but are subject to review and comment by DEP.

(e)(1) Upon application by the wind generation facility or solar generation facility, the DEP may modify a plan for decommissioning and adjust bond requirements in accordance with this article.

(2) The DEP shall notify the owner of the facility of any modification. The owner of the wind generation facility or solar generation facility may appeal a modification by the DEP of a plan for decommissioning to the Environmental Quality Board within 30 days of receiving notice of the modification to the plan.

(f) To determine the amount of a bond required in accordance with this act, the DEP shall take into account the report submitted with an application and assess a bond value based upon the total disturbed acreage of land upon which the wind generation or solar generation facility is operated, less salvage value: Provided, That the amount of the bond required shall not exceed the total projected future cost of decommissioning, less salvage value.

(g) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility shall submit to the DEP a bond payable to the State of West Virginia in a form acceptable by the DEP and in the sum determined by the DEP, conditioned on the faithful decommissioning of the wind generation facility or solar generation facility.

(h)(1) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, if a wind generation facility or solar generation facility commenced commercial operation on or before July 1, 2021, the operator shall submit the decommissioning bond to the DEP on or before July 1, 2022.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, if a wind generation facility or solar generation facility commenced commercial operation after July 1, 2021, the operator shall submit the decommissioning bond to the DEP within one year of the date on which the wind generation facility or solar generation facility first produces electricity for consumer or industrial use.

(i) An owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility is exempt from the requirements of this section if:

(1) The facility has less than 1.0 megawatts in nameplate capacity;

(2) The facility is operated by a regulated public utility who can successfully demonstrate to the Public Service Commission and the DEP an acceptable showing of financial integrity and long-term viability; or

(3) The facility is legally bound by a decommissioning agreement, based upon a qualified independent party and executed before the effective date of this article; or is or was granted a siting certificate or other authorization to construct by the Public Service Commission, conditioned upon the execution of such agreement before the effective date of this article: Such facilities are exempt, unless or until the facility, is (A) found to be in breach of such agreement or such agreement is found to be unenforceable, (B) sold or transferred to a party or parties not bound under such agreement, or (C) substantially expanded in total disturbed acreage.

(j)(1) If the owner of the wind generation facility or solar generation facility fails to submit a decommissioning bond acceptable to the DEP or the properly executed and legally binding decommissioning agreement within the time frame required by this section, the DEP shall provide notice to the facility owner. If, after 30 days, the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility has not submitted a decommissioning bond or such agreement, the DEP may assess an administrative penalty of not more than $10,000 for the first day of violation and may assess an additional administrative penalty of not more than $500 for each day the failure to submit the decommissioning bond continues.

(2) The owner of the wind generation facility or solar generation facility may appeal a penalty assessment to the Environmental Quality Board within 30 days after receipt of written notice of the penalty. The provisions of §22B-1-1 et seq. of this code shall apply to such appeals.

(k) If the owner of a bonded wind generation facility or solar generation facility transfers ownership of the facility to a successor owner, the first owner’s bond must be released after 90 days. The new owner of a bonded facility shall submit any necessary bond within 90 days after transfer of ownership or be subject to penalties in accordance with this section. The new owner of an unbonded facility shall submit any necessary bond within 90 days after transfer of ownership or be subject to penalties in accordance with this section.

(l) Once every five years, the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility may submit an amended plan for the DEP’s approval. As part of the submission, the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility may also apply to the DEP for a reduction in the amount of the decommissioning bond applicable to the wind energy facility or solar generation facility. The owner’s application to the DEP must include written evidence of a reduction in the total disturbed acreage upon which the facility is sited and a modification fee of $50 per megawatt of nameplate generation capacity.

(m) Submitting a bond or a properly executed and legally binding decommissioning agreement in accordance with this section does not absolve the owner of a wind generation facility or solar generation facility from complying with all other applicable laws, rules, regulations, and requirements applicable to a wind generation facility or solar generation facility.

(n) The Public Service Commission of West Virginia shall condition all siting certificates issued on full compliance, as determined by the DEP, with the provisions of this article and the rules promulgated hereunder and shall not require further decommission bonding. Entities subject to and in compliance with this article shall not be subjected to any municipal, county, or local political subdivision’s code, ordinances, rules, or regulations including additional decommission bonding.

(o) DEP shall issue a decision approving, approving with modifications, or denying an application, plan, amended plan, modification, or bond within 90 days of receipt.

(p) Any person adversely affected by a decision of DEP to approve or deny a decommissioning plan; establish the amount of a decommissioning bond; approve or deny an application to modify a decommissioning plan or bond; grant or release a decommissioning bond; or to forfeit a decommissioning bond may appeal that decision to the Environmental Quality Board and thereafter to the appropriate court in accordance with the provisions of §22B-1-1, et seq of this code.