The Legislature finds that:

1. Oklahoma’s wind energy resources are an important asset for the continued economic growth of the state and for the provision of clean and renewable power to both the people of the state and the nation as a whole;

2. Promotion of the development of wind energy resources is important to the economic growth of the state;

3. The prudent development of wind energy resources requires addressing the relationship of the needs of wind energy developers with those of the mineral estate owners who have the historical right to make reasonable use of the surface estate, including the right of ingress and egress therefor, for the purpose of exploring, severing, capturing and producing the minerals as reflected in the Exploration Rights Act of 2011, Sections 3 through 7 of this act, and balancing the needs of wind energy developers with those of the landowners who provide access to the wind energy resource, including assurances that wind turbines and wind energy facilities will be properly decommissioned, that they will have access to adequate information to verify the accuracy of their payments, and that they will be adequately protected against hazards and accidents that may arise from the wind turbines or wind energy facilities;

4. The conversion of wind energy into power for utility-scale systems frequently requires large wind energy systems consisting of wind turbines, electrical substations, electrical lines, and other supporting systems;

5. Wind energy facilities, if abandoned or not properly maintained, could pose a hazard to public health, safety, and welfare through mechanical failures, electrical hazards, or the release of hazardous substances; and

6. To protect the public against health and safety hazards, standards for the safe decommissioning of wind energy facilities should be established and assurance of adequate financial resources should be given so that the wind energy systems can be properly decommissioned at the end of their useful life.

Added by Laws 2010, c. 319, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011. Amended by Laws 2011, c. 197, § 2.