# Plain Language Summary: Local Control and Community Preservation Act

This bill would require wind and solar energy projects to get approval from their local government before they can receive federal tax credits. Right now, companies building wind turbines or solar farms can claim valuable tax credits from the federal government to help offset their construction costs, and they can do this without needing permission from the towns or counties where they're building. This bill would change that by making local government approval a requirement for getting those tax credits.

The practical effect is that communities would gain more say over whether large renewable energy projects get built in their area. If a local government doesn't want a wind farm or solar facility constructed nearby—perhaps due to concerns about noise, visual impact, land use, or other community preferences—they could refuse to approve it, which would make the project ineligible for federal tax credits. This would likely make the project much less financially attractive to developers, since those tax credits can be worth millions of dollars. The bill applies to all wind facilities and to solar projects with very large capacity (at least 20,000 megawatts), as long as construction begins after the law takes effect.

The bill essentially shifts power from the federal government to local communities. Supporters argue this gives residents a voice in major development projects that affect their neighborhoods. Critics might worry that it could slow down renewable energy development by giving communities a veto power, potentially making it harder to build the clean energy infrastructure needed to address climate change. Either way, the bill would fundamentally change how these projects get approved and funded.

Local Control and Community Preservation Act

Jacobs, Chris

Local Control and Community Preservation Act This bill modifies the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources and the energy tax credit to require the approval of local governments of wind and solar facilities qualifying for such credits.