News

SOLAR Act aimed at protecting prime U.S. farmland

Legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives is intended to protect prime farmland.

Illinois Congressman, Mike Bost, says his Securing Our Lands and Resources Act, or SOLAR Act, would…

“Establish guidelines for the USDA funded solar panel projects on prime farmland and requires a remediation plan for when the project is complete.”  He says, “There will be a one-acre limit though on prime farmland.”

He tells Brownfield the bill is a direct result of Illinois becoming one of the first Midwestern states to remove local zoning authority in 2023.

“If we keep this up without regulations, and no input from our local communities, we’re going to see a major impact on our agricultural supply chain, our food security and our rural economy,” he says.

Bost says solar projects have taken advantage of the opportunity to increase their footprint.

“Gobbling up acre after acre of land, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s on prime or productive farmland.”  He says, “Matter of fact, there’s a lot of prime and productive farmland right now being taken out of production.”

He says there is bipartisan support for the measure and wants to see it brought forward in the current legislative session. 

AUDIO: Rep. Mike Bost – Illinois 12th Congressional District

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  This, “Illinois becoming one of the first Midwestern states to remove local zoning authority in 2023,” reads very ominously.

  What, exactly, does it mean that local zoning authority has been removed? Who has such in Illinois now and why would such occur?

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    In January 2023, Illinois enacted a Siting Bill that sets state zoning requirements for solar and wind projects. Counties are not able to set stricter requirements.

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    It’s mostly just ominous to interests intent on suppressing the development of Community Solar, or renewable energy in general. According to the Illinois State Association of Counties ISSUE BRIEF – It was Illinois House Bill 4412. The vote in the House was 73-36 and the vote in the Senate was 33-17. It was signed into law on January 27, 2023, as P.A. 102-1123.
    The short of it was that the law blocks counties from enacting blanket bans, or rules that act effectively as blanket bans, on development of commercial scale renewable energy. Each individual project still requires a variance, and public hearing on the proposal.

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  Yes, I support this bill. Communities need to have the right to allow or not allow these farms. They are ones who will live near them. Farmers are our food chain. Solar alone is not feasible solution for power for our country.

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