51282.7.
(a) The owner of land located in a basin under the jurisdiction of either an adjudicated watermaster or the groundwater sustainability agency pursuant to Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code may petition the board or council for cancellation of a contract.(b) Notwithstanding Section 51282, the board or council may grant a petition for cancellation under this section provided both of the following are met:
(1) The landowner provides a written commitment to limit the amount of water rights for the land to a specific solar energy project use that uses less water than the agricultural use.
(2) The board or council makes the following findings:
(A) There will be insufficient permanent water for agricultural use on the land.
(B) A solar energy project use is being permitted that will use less water than the agricultural use.
(C) The cancellation and the waiver of penalty fees benefits the rebalancing of the water basin for sustainability while providing for a water-restricted use of the land.
(c) Section 51283 shall not apply to a contract canceled pursuant to this section and a cancellation fee shall not be imposed.
(d) If the landowner is issued a certificate of cancellation of contract based on this section, the landowner shall execute and record concurrently with the recordation of the certificate of cancellation of contract a deed restriction that includes prohibition on the landowner from entering into a contract pursuant to this chapter with respect to the land.
(e) Notwithstanding any other law, the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code) shall not apply to cancellation of a contract pursuant to this section.
(f) For the purposes of this section, “solar energy project” means a facility that collects and distributes solar energy for the generation of electricity.