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Governor's 2025-27 Executive Budget - What's Next
Governor Evers introduced his 2025-27 Executive Budget Tuesday night in Madison, and within moments of the conclusion of his speech, Legislative Republicans said the budget was “D.O.A” (Dead on Arrival) and they would craft a budget working from base, going through the normal legislative process. Members of Joint Finance Committee said legislators will begin holding in-district listening sessions, and the members of the Joint Finance Committee will hold public hearings around the state to take input on the budget. At this time, the budget process is expected to move forward under the normal timeline and in the normal process, but concerns have been raised about whether or not the budget process will be completed before the current budget ends due to several lawsuits either already in the WI Supreme Court or cases working their way through the legal system likely to end up in the WI Supreme Court.
Wind and Solar Projects
Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) introduced a proposal (SB-003/AB-007) requiring local approval for certain wind and solar projects before Public Service Commission approval. According to the cosponsorship memo released by the legislators, “In recent years, citizens in rural communities and their locally elected officials have felt ignored when expressing concerns about large utility projects being constructed in their backyards. We elect local officials to make decisions on issues at the local level and large-scale utility projects have an enormous impact on rural communities, effecting everything from the environment and groundwater to infrastructure and roads. This bill reaffirms local control by empowering local municipalities and their elected officials by providing them a seat at the table when it comes to the approval of large-scale solar and wind projects.”
The Legislative Reference Bureau Analysis of the bill states:
Current law prohibits a person from beginning construction of a large electric generating facility (LEGF) unless the Public Service Commission grants a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for the proposed facility. An LEGF is defined as a facility with a nominal operating capacity of 100 megawatts or more. In addition, a public utility may not engage in certain construction, expansion, or other projects unless PSC grants a certificate of authority (CA) for the proposed project. The bill defines a “solar project” and “wind project” as an area of land on which, respectively, solar photovoltaic panels or devices used for collecting wind energy, along with any associated equipment and facilities, are installed in order to generate electricity and which altogether is designed for nominal operation at a capacity of 15 megawatts or more.
Under this bill, before PSC may approve a CA or a CPCN for the construction of a solar project or wind project, the person seeking the certificate must seek approval from each city, village, and town in which the solar project or wind project is to be located. The bill requires a city, village, or town to approve or disapprove a proposed solar project or wind project by adopting a resolution to that effect no later than 90 days after receiving a request for such approval. If the city, village, or town fails to act within that time period, the project is considered approved. The bill allows this deadline to be extended for certain reasons. Current law limits the authority of political subdivisions to regulate solar and wind energy systems, allowing political subdivisions to impose restrictions only if they meet certain conditions. The bill provides that those limitations do not apply to the approval or disapproval of a solar project or a wind project by a city, town, or village. Current law also imposes procedures for political subdivisions that receive applications for approval relating to wind energy systems. Those procedures do not apply to approval or disapproval of a wind project under the bill.
Under the bill, PSC may not issue a CPCN or CA for a solar project or wind project unless each city, village, and town in which the project is proposed to be located has adopted a resolution approving the project.
The Assembly Bill was referred to the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities. The Senate Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Utilities and Tourism.
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