S.F. No. 2689 creates a new section of law [216B.1642] establishing voluntary solar site management practices for owners of ground-mounted solar site with a generating capacity of more than 40 kilowatts.

Section 1 [Solar site management].

Subdivision 1 [Site management practices] provides that an owner of a ground-mounted solar may follow management practices that provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitat beneficial to gamebirds, songbirds, and pollinators, and reduce storm water runoff and erosion. Specifies that site management practices should include use of native plant species and seed mixes as provided in the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) native vegetation establishment and enhancement guidelines.

Subdivision 2 [Recognition of beneficial habitat] allows owners implementing solar site management practices to claim that the site benefits gamebirds, songbirds, and pollinators only if the site adheres to BWSR pollinator plan guidance or other foraging-friendly vegetation standard established by BWSR.  Requires an owner making a beneficial habitat claim to make the site's vegetation management plan available to the public and provide a copy to a Minnesota nonprofit solar industry trade association.

CDF/syl