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revise provisions regarding rule-making authority to establish certain fuel standards.

SB 94 removes the state's authority to set fuel standards that go beyond federal requirements, preventing South Dakota from adopting stricter emissions or fuel quality rules on its own. This change limits state regulators' ability to establish environmental rules independently and aligns the state more closely with federal fuel standards.

establish certain provisions regarding financial security for the decommissioning of wind turbines.

SB16 requires wind turbine owners to post financial security (like a bond or escrow account) to ensure they have money available to pay for removing and disposing of turbines when they reach the end of their useful life. This new requirement protects South Dakota from being left with abandoned turbines and ensures landowners aren't stuck paying decommissioning costs if a wind company goes out of business.

revise certain provisions regarding buffer strips.

# SB183 Summary SB183 modifies South Dakota's rules for buffer strips—vegetated areas required along waterways and wetlands to prevent soil erosion and protect water quality. The bill revises requirements for how wide these strips must be, what types of vegetation are acceptable, and how they're enforced, making the standards more flexible for landowners while maintaining environmental protections.

revise the distance certain wind energy systems must be set back from surrounding property.

HB1226 reduces the required distance that wind turbines must be set back from neighboring properties. Instead of the current setback requirement, wind energy systems would only need to be positioned a shorter distance from property lines, making it easier for wind farm developers to use their land more efficiently.

create the clean air act settlement fund, to make an appropriation from the fund, and to declare an emergency.

HB1258 creates a new state fund to hold money from clean air settlements and makes an initial appropriation from that fund for unspecified purposes. This establishes a dedicated account to manage settlement payments South Dakota receives related to air quality violations, rather than depositing them into general state revenue.

repeal certain provisions regarding the exercise of certain powers over certain property.

South Dakota counties can now establish commercial property assessed clean energy (PACE) programs that allow businesses to finance energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems through property assessments. The bill defines key terms like "energy improvements" (equipment upgrades that reduce energy consumption) and "renewable energy systems" (solar panels, wind turbines, and similar installations), and allows counties to administer these programs themselves or hire a third party to run them. This creates a new financing mechanism to help businesses pay for energy-saving upgrades.