Here is why MCA and our partners oppose these arrays - they are attempting to override the careful policies crafted to balance solar with farming in the Ag Reserve:

Please join us either on zoom or in person for this hearing:

April 14, 2025 6:30 PM

Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department

19801 Beallsville Road, Beallsville, MD (in person) or on Zoom 


Here's How You Can Help:

• Show up! - And Bring a Friend 
  
  
• Choose to speak at the hearing (coordinate with us to be sure all topics are covered - [email protected]) 
  
  
• Can't make it? - Write in using the PSC portal (open until April  17) here and please reference Case No. 9733 (hit a snag -> [email protected])

Much more info in our recent newsletter on the previous hearing here.

More: We are working to bring balance to a bill at the General Assembly that will open virtually all forests and farms to the siting of industrial scale solar - can you take a moment to personalize a letter to your representatives. 
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A project for 1.8 MW of solar at 17700 Barnesville Road is moving toward a conditional use hearing.  More info from the solar developer about the project here. 
The project was called the Barnesville Solar project but is now called Mountain Vale Community Solar in response to resident feedback. 

ZTA 20-01 opened the Ag Reserve to community solar arrays of under 2 MW on sub prime soils (class 3 and above) that leave forests intact and avoid steep slopes. The ZTA established a conditional use process - the same as other industrial uses in the Reserve must go through. 

MCA will be watching the development of this array but so far this project looks to meet the stipulations of County policy. A larger map showing where signs will be posted to alert neighbors is here. Note that the triangle of forested area to the right to the map belongs to the same landowner will not hold any arrays or other infrastructure. 

While this project looks to be on the right side of county policies - two other developments are threating to tip the balance between solar and agriculture in the Reserve and across the state more broadly: 

1. Solar developer Chaberton Energy is attempting to sidestep local provisions that balance solar and faming in the Reserve and taking a proposal for solar on prime soils to the state. These arrays are larger than those currently allowed and are mostly on prime class 2 soils - taking the best soils out of production for a least a generation. 

2. General Assembly bill HB1036 and SB931 would allow solar arrays on all ag soils, mature forests and stream buffers - completely upending decades of conservation efforts at the local level and overriding master plans across the state.  Learn more and take action here. 

Curious about what's in your water?

Have you ever looked at your water quality report and wondered what it really means? Or do you rely on a well and want to know how to keep your drinking water safe?

Join us for a webinar where we will share some valuable insights and answer your questions. Water Quality Specialist with UMD University of Maryland Extension, Andy Lazur, will help us break it all down.

Here is the Recording of this webinar (slides from UMD Extension's Andy Lazur here  slides from the Good Gift Campaign in MoCo Here): 

Much more information can be found at our Good Gift Project site 

This webinar and the Good Gift Project are funded through the following grants and supporters like you - we'd be honored by your tax deductible support as we expand this pilot project.