Energy-Ready Community Designation; Criteria; Application Process; Award Process

(a) The Office of Energy shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to establish a procedure and criteria for awarding a coal, geothermal, hydrogen, hydropower, natural gas, or nuclear-ready community designation to demonstrate a community's voluntary readiness to welcome electric generation-related development. The procedure and criteria to attain the designation shall include: (1) The holding of local public educational meetings, by a county or municipality, to educate the community on coal, geothermal, hydrogen, hydropower, natural gas, or nuclear electric generation technologies, the related ecosystem, and the role that energy-related development could play in the community; (2) The availability of at least one site within the community that has been designated by the Office of Energy as a "Designated Site" suitable for a coal, geothermal, hydrogen, hydropower, natural gas, or nuclear electric generation project; and (3) The adoption of resolutions from the county or the municipalities within the designation area requesting a designation of the community's readiness for energy-related projects to be developed and sited there. (b) Communities may voluntarily apply to the Office of Energy for an energy-ready community designation in the form and manner as the office may require, and the office shall evaluate the application and award the designation based on the criteria established under subsection (a) of this section.