The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, working in conjunction with other state agencies and nonprofit conservation organizations, shall establish a native vegetation habitat and pollinator management plan to be used as technical guidance for the purposes of this act.
An owner of a solar energy generation site implementing solar site management practices under this section may claim that the site increases the habitat value by providing benefits to gamebirds, songbirds, pollinators, and small mammals only if the site adheres to guidance set forth by the wildlife habitat and pollinator plan provided by the department or any other gamebird, songbird, or pollinator foraging-friendly vegetation standard established by the department. An owner wishing to make a beneficial habitat claim must make the site's vegetation management plan available to the public and provide a copy of the plan to the department for review.
The department or another entity may issue a certificate of compliance to the owner of a solar site meeting the plan guidelines that the owner may use to promote its participation in the program.
HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 253 (H.4875), Section 1, eff May 25, 2018.