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Pennsylvania State Senate
05/11/2024 10:12 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=39154
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 6, 2023 01:52 PM
From: Senator Doug Mastriano
To: All Senate members
Subject: Protecting Prime Agricultural Land from Solar Panel Development
 
In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to prohibit large scale solar developments on prime Pennsylvania farmland.

An abundance of agricultural land is crucial to maintaining food security and protecting against supply chain instability for the commonwealth and our nation as a whole.

According to the PA Department of Agriculture, the crucial agricultural industry provides a $135.7 billion annual economic impact and represents close to 18% of Pennsylvania’s gross state product. It also employs and supports nearly 580,000 people with combined wages of $27 billion.

Pennsylvania’s agricultural land provides scenic images of rural life landscaped across fertile valleys of surrounding hills and mountains. These open spaces are a beautiful backdrop and draw thousands to our state to spend money in Pennsylvania’s growing agritourism business.

In recent years, there has been a surge in the number of solar companies seeking to lease agricultural land for the purpose of constructing large solar facilities. Once the panels are installed, the landscape of the land is drastically altered and unlikely to be able to be used again for adequate farming after the lease ends. Nearby property values can also be affected by large scale developments as some large solar farms create eyesores for the neighboring community.

Guidelines published by the PA Department of Agriculture in December 2022 called for new solar projects to be kept off the most productive soils and instead placed on roofs, parking lots, and brownfields.

My legislation will prohibit the leasing of prime agricultural land for the purposes of large solar panel development.    The definition of Prime Agricultural land will include:
  • Preserved farmland, farmland in “Agricultural Security Areas”, and farmland enrolled in the “Clean and Green” program
  • Land in Soil Capability Classes of I, II, III, and IV
A strict waiver process will be established for exceptions to the prohibition for certain solar development on prime farmland pending public community hearings and approval from local government officials. 

Nothing in this legislation will preclude a farmer from installing solar panels for farm operations and personal use.    

My bill will additionally create state tax incentives for solar companies who choose to develop on several alternative sites to include:
  • “brownfields”
  • abandoned strip mine land
  • old industrial sites
  • capped landfills
  • warehouse rooftops
I believe that we can balance the expansion of solar energy and protect our precious prime farmland at the same time.

I hope you will join me as a co-sponsor of this important legislation.
 


Introduced as SB798