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News

Referendum effort to overturn 100k acres of solar on MD's Prime Farmland falls short

5/25/2025

 
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Bay Journal
As of 11pm on May 31st, our coalition across the state fell short of the 20,000 signatures needed to start a ballot referendum process to bring the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (SB931) to a vote. 
 A statement from Farmers for Rural Maryland (FARM) who coordinated the effort in which MCA was proud to partner: 
​
Statement from Jay Falstad on behalf of FARM
10:00 PM, Saturday, May 31

We have come to Annapolis tonight to submit thousands of signed petitions to put SB 931—the solar land-grab bill—on the ballot for Maryland citizens to vote up or down. The turnout against this bill over just a few days of signature collection has been extraordinary.
But due to the Election Board’s last-minute decision to advance the submission deadline, our petition drive was severely disrupted. As a result, we have fallen short of the number of signatures required—and the disruption was so significant that even the originally stated Monday deadline would no longer be sufficient.
Accordingly, we have no choice but to suspend the signature collection effort and extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who worked to preserve Maryland farmland.
The private solar developers have had their hands on the controls of the Annapolis political machine throughout the push to enact SB 931. Today is just more evidence of that. But FARM is not finished—we have other options, and we will pursue them.
I remain convinced that Marylanders will not surrender our agricultural sector to solar developers. Keep the faith—FARM will be back. And again, thank you to the thousands who took the time and effort to sign a petition.

​
New: A video breaking down how the referendum effort fell short from our partners at FARM.

Here at MCA we'd like to thank FARM and all the thousands who signed petitions here in MoCo and across the state and circulated them to their friends, putting up with a decidedly antiquated and complicated process to get as many signatures as possible with very, very little time. We missed the mark - but your efforts mattered greatly. 

What's Next? 

We are undeterred.

​Prime, protected soils don't belong under solar and battery storage. Solar lease rates of 10-20x what farmers pay are devastating to rural areas and the new, diverse crop of farmers seeking land. 
  • MCA and our partners have become intervenors in the quasi-judicial process of two Chaberton Energy proposed projects that would take many acres of the very best soils in the Ag Reserve out of production for a generation in conflict with the master plan. It's unclear what SB931 means for this effort. 

  • Also: Chaberton Energy was pleased to boast about their involvement in SB931 - flaunting their influence on the bill while Farmers were completely shut out of the process with an inartful "room where it happens" reference.  Who else was in that room? The lawyer for another Maryland solar company - because he is also the Senate President who pushed this bill forward at every stage. 
    ​
Please stay tuned as we work to understand what this law means for the Reserve. 

A new state law prioritizes 100,000 acres of Maryland's protected farmland  (including 5000 acres of the Ag Reserve) for solar and battery storage. Farmers were not granted a seat at the table in crafting this law. **We need 20,000 signatures by Saturday 5/31*** to complete the first step of getting this on the ballot. Can you help? 
We are working with Farmers for Rural Maryland (FARM) of the Eastern Shore to gather as many signatures as possible. The process is rather lumpy, to add your name to this effort please carefully complete the following steps: 
​

1. READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST - your signature could be discounted for any number of reasons. It needs to be printed, signed properly and sent to our friends in Centerville (ideally popping in the mail by Tuesday by 5) to make the deadline.
The pages you must print front and back are here
1.5 New - there are three locations in Montgomery County that folks can come sign in person (until Saturday Afternoon 5/31) : 

Farm and Home Services - 16315 Old River Road Poolesville, MD 20837 (Friday till 5, Saturday 8-4)

Barnesville Post Office: 22110 Beallsville Rd, Barnesville, MD 20838 (Friday till 5 Saturday 9-12)

Lewis Orchards: 18901 Peach Tree Rd, Dickerson, MD 20842 (11-5pm Saturday) ​
2. Sign Properly and Gather Signatures from Friends/Neighbors properly - again, please read the instructions.

3. Send it -quick! (if you don't sign in person) Refer to the instructions for the address and include your phone number in any mailings you send to FARM if they have questions.  At this point - visit Lewis/ Farm and Home to sign in person.

That address is: 
QACA/FALSTAD, P.O. Box 157, Centreville, MD 21617


4. Let us know you took action.  With how low tech this process is, we have no way of tracking how we are doing toward the goal of 20k signatures. Once you send your signatures, take one minute to let us know right here. 

SB931 Renewable Certainty Act- Solar Company Flaunts Influence While Farmers Shut out of "Room Where It Happens"

5/24/2025

 
Where to even begin with this post from Chaberton Energy? This is the same company seeking to end run the Montgomery County master plan and site solar on the Ag Reserve's very best soils. To call it tone deaf is generous. 

The Hamilton reference is apt - "But no one else was in the room where it happened..." the solar companies were there, while civic groups representing environmental concerns and Maryland's #1 industry - Agriculture - could not even get a meeting with sponsors. The lawyer for one Maryland Solar company was there because he is also the Senate President and had a major hand in crafting this bill. 

SB931, The Renewable Energy act does not "protect" agricultural lands - but instead prioritizes solar on 100,000 acres (5% of each County's priority preservation areas) of land that taxpayers paid for to be preserved in perpetuity. This includes around 5000 acres of Montgomery County's Ag Reserve. 

And it's not just the 100k acres. The extremely high prices promised by solar companies (including Chaberton, see below) are sending farmland prices even further out of reach for farmers that want to grow food and fiber. 

In the Ag Reserve - an acre goes for around $200/year. These companies are offering 10 and 20 times that. Now we hear companies are offering flat rate bonuses on top of $10,000. The diverse land seekers looking for land through our Land Link program are not offering a bonus to lease land to grow local food. Established Farmers in the Ag Reserve are already loosing leases to solar developments. 

One day remains to participate in a long shot referendum effort to get this bill in front of the voters. Click here to learn more and take part. 

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Poolesville Water Capacity Informational Hearing 4.21

5/13/2025

 
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 Thanks to all that joined or watched the Poolesville public hearing on the water supply. The full recording of the hearing is above. 


The Town contractor’s 45 minute presentation highlighted differences in process and
conclusions with the research/reporting conducted by hydrogeologist Patrick Hammond. There are consequential differences in their respective methodology and emphasis as to how various factors affect groundwater availability in Poolesville. Mr. Hammond’s 15 minute power point presentation slides  provides a history of the town’s municipal water supply and a summary of his report  without commentary about the town contractor’s data and methodology. He did, however, provide some responses to the contractor’s presentation after the public meeting. A summary of those points with context follows.

Climate Change: a key difference in methodology
Background: The primary goal of the MCA groundwater study  prepared by
hydrogeologist Pat Hammond
is to employ current modeling/data to provide best information as to guide how collaboratively steward the sole source groundwater aquifer that supplies water to over a third of the county’s landmass – Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, rural municipalities and edge communities. Mr. Hammond’s Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) study “The Effect of Climate Change on Maryland’s Water Supplies” was the catalyst for our more locally focused study utilizing the solid water system record keeping of the town of Poolesville. Mr. Hammond’s published MDE study cites the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin’s modeling on how climate change will affect regional water supplies.
The town hydrogeologist noted in her presentation that climate change is “complicated” and that the  "MDE is not requiring municipalities to consider climate change in water management at this time due to uncertainty.” This contention, without reference documentation, seems at odds with State reports/literature.
Here are relevant MDE resources regarding recommendations for safeguarding water supplies to address climate change:
Here are relevant MDE resources regarding recommendations for safeguarding water supplies to address climate change. Here are the resources from UMD Extension. 

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) has conducted extensive modeling that forecasts climate change effect on regional water supplies. The WSSC has been working to put failsafe plans in effect to address these coming changes and any potential for water system disruption that will challenge their ability to meet water demand at various times. See press event from 2024
 
To be clear, while there are some data analysis differences between the two hydrogeologists, the primary substantive difference hinges on how we should account for the effects of a changing climate on water availability/well yields. Mr. Hammond notes that the town contractor in their reporting factored in an increase in future water use due to climate change based on 30 days of above 100 degree temperatures annually but then the town contractor used only 5 days of above 100 degree temperatures when analyzing the effect on well yields. Mr. Hammond’s report factors in 30 days of above 100 degree temperatures in the future to determine the effect (evapotranspiration etc.) on well yields. If we are to employ no regrets land use planning and decision making, this issue matters.


The Degradation of Horsepen Branch
Hydrogeologist Pat Hammond has raised important concerns that the Town’s continued reliance on a historically granted emergency overallocation (more than their permit allowed in a single watershed) to supply the population (at that point in time) with water has resulted in severe impairment of Horsepen Branch (flows south of Poolesville to the Potomac). Poolesville’s contractor did not address this issue. To date, the Town has not addressed the stream degradation or their continued reliance on the emergency over allocation as relates to future water consumption due to growth.


A town resident put it well in his questions after the presentation - if there is disagreement in the science and the Town's models say everything is fine and Mr. Hammond's models say we need to act quickly  to avert serious issues- residents trust their leaders to take the prudent and conservative path that ensures resources remain abundant in the future. That path requires action.
For residents on wells - our recent webinar on well care is a great place to start learning about the aquifer and how to steward your own well for the future. 


Please plan to join your neighbors at an important informational meeting on the future of the Poolesville Sole Source Aquifer, the only viable water source for the town. 

Poolesville Town Hall
April 21, 7pm 

From the Town site: 
The Commissioners of Poolesville will be holding an informational hearing to discuss water capacity.
Hydrologists Kathy Mihm and Pat Hammond along with Montgomery County Alliance’s Executor (sic) Director Caroline Taylor will present and discuss recent water capacity studies.
The studies, derived from historical pump data, aquifer models and specific scientific calculations, will be discussed along with solutions for ensuring an adequate water supply for the future.
The informational hearing will be held on April 21, 2025, 7:00pm, at Townhall. It will also be available on YouTube, both live stream and archived for later viewing.


YouTube Channel
The background - in 2023 MCA funded a study into the future yields of the town's water supply undertaken by seasoned state hydrogeologist Pat Hammond. The results of this study show that current overallocation of water to the town have had an impact on sensitive Horse Penn Branch. Looking ahead, droughts are forecasted to be more frequent and more severe. Seasonal conservation measures will keep the currently sized town population within allocated water limits but new development in the town will necessitate increased conservation measures throughout the year and may cause some wells to dry up. 

 The study results have informed MCA's Good Gift Groundwater Project seeking to raise awareness about the aquifers under our feet. Recently, the project hosted a webinar all about well care to educate homeowners. 

11 acre solar project on prime soil takes another step toward approval -Hearing May 19th

5/10/2025

 
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(Chaberton energy is sending postcards offering 10 times what leasing farmers pay for land in the Ag Reserve and have proposed two projects on prime soils in conflict with the county master plan. The state Public Service Commission (PSC) has authority to allow these projects to go through. Show up to help make the case for local farms and the Ag Reserve.)
The Chaberton Ramire Project will have the third public hearing - this time on zoom. May 19th at 7pm 
Instructions for signing up to testify (virtually) or submit public comment are here. If you'd like to testify, please get in touch to coordinate with us - [email protected]. 
​ (Their website is clunky, if you hit a snag, let us help -  [email protected])

Our Executive Director Caroline  Taylor and farmer ally Doug Lechlider plus our Pro Bono counsel Bishop Sheehan all testified at an evidentiary hearing full video here.  MCA's submitted brief is here. 
Update 4.30.25 Montgomery County's Planning Board has approved the mandatory referral by a vote of 4-1 - in opposition to the Planning Staff recommendation for denial. To remind-this is an 11 acre 3MW array on entirely prime class 2 soils - the best soils in the Ag Reserve. This array is not in alignment with the County master plan.
With the recent passage of "The Renewable Energy Certainty Act" which takes oversight completely out of the hands of local municipalities, more of these arrays on prime soils will be proposed - and built on up to 5000 acres of the Reserve.
​Though at the local level, the Planning Board is not upholding the master plan, MCA has become an "intervenor" at the state Public Service Commission that will decide this case. Staff, our pro bono attorneys and farmer partners spent time in Baltimore this week testifying against this proposal that would take prime soils out of production. Please stay tuned. 
Bethesda Beat Coverage 
​Please plan to join MCA, and our partners at a public hearing on the second of  two large solar proposals seeking to end run MoCo's master plan by siting on prime soils - this is the second public hearing, the first was the Sugarloaf Array in Dickerson, this one is on the Ramire Project on Whites Ferry Road in Poolesville  - organized by the Public Service Commission. The updated plans can be viewed here
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:
MoCo Master Plan
Chaberton Sugarloaf
Chaberton Ramire
Under 2 MW
4 MW
3 MW
Only on Class Soils 3 and above - protect prime soils
77% on prime class 2 soils
99% on Prime class 2 soils
Protection for Streams, Forests, slopes
None
None
Local, transparent conditional use process 
Qazi-judicial process in Baltimore where residents have no standing
Qazi-judicial process in Baltimore where residents have no standing
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. 
​

Solar bill in Annapolis passes - overrides local farm, forest and water protections on 5000 Ag Reserve Acres

5/7/2025

 
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Bay Journal
We need 20,000 signatures  (by Friday 5/30!) from across the state to get a ballot referendum on this new law. Please take action!
Sign the Petition

MCA, Sugarloaf Citizens Association, Montgomery Ag Producers and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau have all released a statement  regarding the passage of SB931.


The provision opens up around 100,000 acres of farmland/forestland across the state to the siting of solar with no oversight from local jurisdictions - missing an opportunity for Maryland to lead with thoughtful policies to balance renewable energy and thriving farms, prime soils and forests. The bill directs the Public Service Commission to approve solar projects on 5% of each county's priority preservation areas (farmland and forest conservation areas) - upending the decades of time and taxpayer funds spent to conserve these areas all across the state.

Here close to home, we are still gathering the specifics on what this means for the Ag Reserve, but it is looking like 5,000 acres of the nation's most successful farmland protection zone will spend a generation under solar and battery storage.  Efforts to amend the legislation to honor the unique zoning of the Reserve (and the similar long term preservation efforts of other counties) or reduce the percentage cap were unheeded by the very same representatives of the Ag Reserve's district.


What happens now? 
Even before the Governor's signature makes this official, there has already been a marked increase in outreach from solar developers to Ag Reserve landowners - still offering 10-20 times what farmers pay to lease land and now adding "signing bonuses" to sweeten the deal. We continue to represent the Reserve in two cases at the PSC of solar developers seeking to site on prime soils (a public hearing in Beallsville will go ahead on the 14th - please show up if you can). But is is unclear what this new law would mean for these projects. As we seek more specifics about just how dramatic the impacts will be from this bill - we join with our partners - both old - Sugarloaf Citizens Association, Maryland Ag Producers and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau -  and new ag partners across the state to end on a resolute note. The work of farmland protection in Maryland has been dealt a heavy blow but we are all the more committed to seeing farms thrive right here where they are needed. Please stay tuned.
Background:
Good summary of provision and of the current state of play here

Currently:
Generally, a person may not begin construction in the State of a generating station, overhead transmission line, or a qualified generator lead line unless a CPCN is first obtained from PSC. The application process involves notifying specified stakeholders, public hearings, the consideration of recommendations by State and local government entities, and the project’s effect on various aspects of the State infrastructure, economy, and environment. PSC must take final action on a CPCN application only after due consideration of the recommendations of the governing body of each county or municipality in which any portion of the project is proposed to be located; the effect of the project on various aspects of the State infrastructure, economy, and environment; the effect of climate change on the project; and, for a generating station only, other specified information.

Short version: currently the PSC must consider local planning and zoning in rendering a decision of whether to grant a CPCN permit. Local jurisdictions as well as local stakeholders can present their views as parties to the proceeding.

The effect of SB 931:
The bill also explicitly states that an owner of a solar energy generating station must comply with all State laws relating to stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, site stabilization, impacts on soil density and compaction, and impacts on ground cover under the panels.
An owner of a proposed solar energy generating station must comply with various land use requirements, which include, among other things: Setbacks, screening, fencing, holding graded soil on site.

Take note the legislation provides:
However, the owner of a proposed solar energy generating station and the applicable county may enter into a written siting agreement that provides less stringent restrictions than those specified above. Written documentation provided to PSC or the applicable local jurisdiction must be considered as meeting the requirements.

Short version: Now the PSC will not consider local planning and zoning in rendering a decision of whether to grant a CPCN permit. Local jurisdictions as well as local stakeholders will not be afforded the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the proceeding.

Update: Agriculture is still being denied a seat at the table as amendments are being discussed. Nevertheless we persist at the doorway, recommending refinements to the bill that will provide the guardrails to protect agriculture and natural resources such as mature forests. We have underscored the MD code requirement (66B as amended in 2009) that land use action must be substantially consistent with County master plans. Without amendments this legislation violates this requirement, here in MC in particular, by upending the Ag Reserve’s central purpose: the continued primacy of farming.

Please take a moment to personalize a message to our leaders in Annapolis.

Take Action
Montgomery County among many other counties has written in opposition to the bill. 
First Hearing 2/28: The first hearing in Annapolis was contentious. (Full video here) (our ED Caroline Taylor's testimony here) Caroline's report from the hearing: 
Notes from the field - Annapolis 2.28.25
You know what is particularly tough in these legislative tussles? It’s having to bear some extraordinarily ill informed folks making some outrageous statements and, worse, state electeds making decisions without knowledge or care as to the consequences. So much of this could be avoided by making a bigger table for stakeholders at the outset. In this case the most affected, agriculture, has been left out. The solar Industry clearly had their hand in it, unencumbered.
We’ve been advised that we are “fighting city hall” and this bill to strip local control completely from how industrial solar will be sited in MD counties will pass. Our reply- “Yeah , well, we will go down swinging.” And your emails/calls to decision makers is keeping the heat up… thank you!
Yesterday in Annapolis, we rose with farmers and colleagues from across the state. Farmers left important work in their fields, greenhouses, seed catalogues, from machine repair, animal care- coming together at the joint hearing on SB 931/ HB 1036.
Chief sponsor of this bill Rep. CT Wilson berated speakers including MC councilmember Marilyn Balcombe, whose strong testimony opposing the bill and calm response to the delegate’s dismissive and disrespectful comments was admirable.
Give voice to maintaining balance in how we deploy solar facilities across MD. Help protect the land that sustains us Take action


Montgomery County's own Senator Brian Feldman is carrying forward SB 931/ HB1036 The Renewable Energy Certainty Act a bill that would override all local master plan protections in the the siting of community and industrial scale solar and large battery storage installations. 

That means overriding local level protections across the state for: 
-Farms  and prime soils (stripping of topsoil is allowed)
-Forests
-Stream buffers and slopes


MCA, in partnership with 62 other local and state organizations successfully crafted a ZTA in 2021 that allowed solar in the county's Ag Reserve - notably protecting prime soils, forests and steep slopes to balance renewable energy and shared resources - allowing acreage totaling 3 square miles to be used for community solar projects in the Reserve. (That's in addition to the 187 MW total the County has generated - second highest of all MoCo Counties - data from the PSC 12/24)
  
This bill, lacking the ZTA's balanced approach, is a clear threat to the Ag Reserve, where solar developers are already proposing large arrays on prime soils in an attempt to override county zoning at the state level.  The Montgomery County Council has voted to oppose SB931.

Maryland's counties and municipalities have spent many decades rightly protecting farmland, forests and sensitive watershed areas at the taxpayer's expense. This proposal supplants every one of these priorities for the sake of solar. A broad suite of best practices for siting large scale solar that balances these commitments is readily available (see more below). Moreover, while it seems clear the solar industry had a hand in crafting this bill,  it seems no one in Annapolis consulted farmers or the myriad groups working on forest and water protection. By refusing to acknowledge the complexity of solar siting, this bill is simply raising hackles when it could be building bridges - a missed opportunity that is hindering the aim of more renewable energy.

For our part, MCA is working with local partners representing farming and environmental interests to suggest amendments that will better balance this bill.  We are gathering partner groups and will be releasing an action alert this week.

Please stay tuned. This bill is scheduled for a hearing on February 28th.

Explore More

Best Practices for siting large scale solar (hint: discouraging or prohibiting solar on forests, prime agricultural soils and stream buffers is a theme):

  • Abell Foundation “Getting Solar Siting Right in Maryland”
  • Farmland Solar Policy Design Toolkit (U-VT and USDA)
  • “Where solar arrays shouldn’t go is as critical as where they do go” - Lee Epstein, Chesapeake Bay Foundation director of Lands Programs

More reactions to SB 931:
  • WBOC: Maryland Senate Bill on Renewable Energy Sparks Debate Over Local Authority
  • New Organization Farmers Alliance for Rural Maryland is pushing back against Data Centers, Battery Storage and other industrial uses on Ag Zoned lands
  • Central Farm Markets: Energy Boondoggle
  • Cherstertown Spy Opinion: Maryland's Legislature is failing Rural Communities
  • From Delmarva Farmer: Shore growers meet to beat Maryland bill
  • Baltimore Sun Opinion: Solar Sprawl is not what Maryland Needs
  • Maryland Association of Counties opposes SB931 and offers amendments

MCA recently hosted a solar info session to explain the County's conditional use process for solar in the Ag Reserve and developers looking to end run the County's master plan. 

We need to deploy a lot more solar - in all the right places. Looking for ways to go solar at your farm, business, home? We hosted a number of info sessions with the MoCo Green Bank, find all the recordings here. 

Bill to ban pesticides with high PFAS was hijacked by pesticide industry - fails to pass. PFAS danger in pesticides continues

4/2/2025

 
In trying to remove PFAS (forever chemicals with established and sever long term health impacts) from the environment, a key vector is substances that come into contact with food, water and soils. Many pesticides are known to have large amounts of PFAS chemicals and are sprayed both in agricultural and residential settings causing huge risks across sectors. 

House Bill 386 would have phased out the pesticides with high concentrations of PFAS. However, amendments to this bill to redefine the chemical structure of what constitutes a "PFAS" forced bill supporters from environmental and civic groups to work against the bill in fear that redefining what is and is not a forever chemical had wide reaching implications in PFAS regulation both in Maryland and across the country - threatening to undo established rules on firefighting foams and the EPAs recent sweeping ruling on PFAS in water. 

The result has been bittersweet - the hijacked bill has failed to pass, but pesticides with high levels of PFAS continue to be widely used. We are proud to be part of the Smart on Pesticides Coalition

Read up on this bill at Maryland Matters
More on PFAS:
  • The EPA is finally regulating forever chemicals in drinking water - what you can do to reduce your risk.
    ​
  • Poolesville has been grappling with PFAS in a municipal well, taking the well offline and preforming costly remediation's

  • A key source of PFAS in soil, food and water is sewage sludge fertilizers used on farms and yards- we support a ban on these fertilizers with off the charts PFAS and joined to support a bill to take this ban statewide - it does not look likely to pass. 

Solar on sub-prime soils moves forward in Barnesville

3/21/2025

 
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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. 

Know your water webinar 3/19

3/17/2025

 
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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.
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PFAS limits on Sewage Sludge fertilizers - we support SB732/HB909

2/18/2025

 
MCA, with many partner organizations has signed on to support  SB0732 / HB0909 - the bill simply requires that levels of PFAS and PFOS - a category of thousands of "forever chemicals" with well established health impacts - are tested and remain low in biosolid fertilizers farmers are permitted to use. 

The Biden administration established the first regulations on PFAS in drinking water. biosolid based fertilizer - or sewage sludge - are the solids left over from the water filtration process in municipal waste water treatment plants. This has been promoted for decades as a fertilizer for farm fields, it is only now coming to light that these bio solids carry extremely high levels of these dangerous and persistent chemicals. Much more from Chesapeake Riverkeeper.

This issue hits home in MoCo. Some of Poolesville's wells have been taken off line and remediated after testing revealed elevated PFAS levels. There are farms in the Reserve that use a bioludge product created by WSSC called Bloom, found to have highly elevated PFAS levels. 

The link between groundwater and soil is clear. In Maine, where the state has begun testing farm soils for PFAS and condemning farms with astronomical levels, biosludge application is banned. 

​
We will keep folks updated on the progress of this bill. 

County Launches Climate Smart Campaign and Resident Pledge

1/30/2025

 
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The County Executive has launched a new Climate Smart program that asks residents to commit to small changes they can make to yield big results in emissions reductions for the county. 

More Information here

More to Explore:

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We worked with the MoCo Green Bank and Office of Ag to offer webinars and other resources for going solar on your home/business/farm

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Resources for homes on well and septic on how to save water

We Support the Data Center Impact Analysis and Report Act

1/21/2025

 
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This bill has passed the general assembly in the 2025 session - our thanks to all our partners for making this happen.
Unfortunately, Governor Moore has vetoed the bill.  Click here to urge our legislators to override the veto. 

​To follow the data centers proposed for Dickerson along the Potomac click here. To follow the data centers proposed in Frederick County, refer to our partners at Sugarloaf Alliance. 
SB116 - the Data Center Study Bill just had it's day in the Senate Environment Committee (video here). Testimony included details from Loudoun County Supervisor Mike Turner pulling from his white paper on Data Centers detailing staggering increases in energy use projected to outstrip supply, and increasing water needs crashing into the reality of increasing drought. 
MCA joined with the Climate Justice Wing of the MD Legislative Coalition and out partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association to provide this joint testimony. 

More to Explore: 
Update on this bill from the Stop MPRP (Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project)
Frederick News Post Coverage
DeepSeek - the new Chinese AI company upending the Tech industry and data centers, underscoring the "wild west" nature of this new industry

Data Centers are an entirely new (and unregulated) land use with massive resource needs:
  • Many thousands of gallons of potable water to cool equipment 24/7
  • Large areas of land to site warehouses - often taking farmland and open space
  • Each data center has the constant, round the clock power needs of a small city - ratepayers can expect to see increases up to 70% in their bills in the next 5 years.
  • When power can't come from the grid - that constant power comes from high emissions diesel generators.

Our digital lives require cloud storage but the rise of AI has made the need for data centers explode. Developers are looking all over the country and world for suitable places to site data centers. Maryland, particularly Western Maryland, with it's proximity to Virginia's 'data center alley' is appealing to the industry. 

But we have lots of questions about just where all these resources will come from and who ends up footing the bill. 

​That is why we support the Data Center Impact Analysis and Report Act (( HB270  SB116)) we are working with state and local partners in the Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition to support this and other common sense bills to protect our environment. We will be asking for folks to write in and testify on this bill - for now, please check out our fact sheet. 
Data Center Study Bill Facts
Much More Information on Data Centers:
  • Multiple Data Centers in Dickerson along the Potomac gain conditional approval
  • ​​Lawyer for Data Center developer insists community concerns about water, power, farmland be stricken from the hearing record
Montgomery Countryside Alliance relies on local support to take on issues like balancing data centers with natural resource protection. We'd be honored by your tax-deductible gift. 
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Large Solar Arrays on Prime Farm Land Recommended for Denial at PSC by MoCo Planning Board - Misconceptions of the Reserve and Farms Abound

1/13/2025

 
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How we use our prime agricultural lands matters. Flat, sunny, well drained soils are at a premium. Despite a compromise allowing solar in the Ag Reserve on non-prime soils as a conditional use in 2021, 2 solar projects are now applying to the state to end run the County's protections for prime soils in the Ag Reserve. All while solar companies inflate land values, putting acreage further out of reach for the new, diverse crop of local farmers in the only area set aside for farming. Above - a postcard to Ag Reserve residents offering 20 times what local farmers are paying per acre of land. ​
Update: The County Council and County Executive have also sent a letter  to the PSC urging denial of the Chaberton Sugarloaf project. 

Summary:
  The Montgomery County Planning Board voted to send their recommendation to deny a solar project (full video here) (Chaberton Sugarloaf in Dickerson) (known as a mandatory referral) to the MD Public Service Commission (PSC) on 1/9. Their decision reasoned that the project proposed to occupy Class II prime farm soil and generate over 2 mw conflicting with county zoning. Much credit goes to the nearly 100 supporters who wrote quick letters to support the denial and strong testimony from Montgomery County Farm Bureau and Sugarloaf Citizens’ Association.
The State PSC is the ultimate deciding body and can still approve the project over MoCo objections. MCA and partner groups have intervened in the PSC proceeding to advocate for continued protection of the Reserve’s prime purpose – agriculture, and denial of the project as submitted.
After the Planning Board vote on 1/9 (3-2), Board members engaged in broader discussion that revealed troubling misperceptions of the Agricultural Reserve, its history and success, agrivoltaics, the position of the MC Office of Agriculture, and why solar has been slow to gain approval in our electrical service area.
Background: 
Chaberton Energy has applied directly to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) for two large solar projects  of 3-4 mw facilities in the Reserve - almost entirely on on prime farm soils in contradiction to the County’s zoning provisions. Much more about the Sugarloaf and Ramire proposals here.

Next Up 
The project proceeds at the PSC, MCA with partners have been granted intervenor status and we are mounting a defense of prime soils and our master plan. 

​Bonus: Misconceptions at the Planning Board
The ZTA is the factor preventing solar projects - false

 At the 1/9 hearing the Planning Board discussed whether and how to ask the Council to revisit the zoning provision for solar in the Reserve - ZTA 20-01 – with several board members arguing that only two projects being built in the Reserve since 2021 is cause for opening all prime soils to the industrial use.

The Planning department's own report (p.9) in December 2023 identified that zoning is not the central  issue holding back construction of new arrays. Instead, a long waitlist for interconnection with the utility and grid operator are the largest hurdles to making proposed arrays a reality. 

In fact PJM - the grid operator for much of the Mid-Atlantic - has the most severe backlog of new generation projects of any grid operator in the country - "projects entering the queue today have little chance of coming online before 2030."
All the same, more projects are being proposed through the county's conditional use process - including on sub-prime soils in Barnesville.

Agrivoltaics make this an Accessory to Farming - false
In the September 5 public hearing the planning board had asked the applicant, Chaberton Energy, to come up with an agrivoltaics plan. Their draft request for proposals (RFP) is here. 
The RFP visions that farmers might grow crops in the 7 feet between arrays and harvest them by hand. Water might be available - it might not be and no plants can be over 2.5' high.  It is clear that farming is an afterthought here - an opportunity to say that farming opportunities were offered but no farmers were able to meet the criteria of what becomes the industrial use supplanting agriculture.

The RFP says that this offer of free "farmland" in 7-foot strips will make a difference for the large number of farmers seeking affordable land. All while Chaberton is seeking approval for a project that takes prime soils out of farming for at least a generation in conflict with the master plan and drives up the cost of other unencumbered farmland that might have been available for these producers. (Check out our Land Link program to see local farmers seeking long term leases).

What do Ag Reserve farmers think about agrivoltaics? The Office of Ag says local farmers, like many, are seeking more data before embracing farming under solar arrays. OAGs thoughts about the Agrivoltaic RFP here.  The office wants to be clear that the office did not help draft the plan or sign off on the project in any way. 

MCA and colleagues  have  repeatedly asked that the County invest in a full-fledged agrivoltaics demonstration project on county land that can provide key data on whether compatibility of table crop and livestock production and solar arrays in our specific growing conditions.
Board member Hedrick said, “ we're talking about allowing a use on the AG Reserve that's a better use than anything that's currently going on on the acreage that's being proposed. Right here no one's talking about taking anything [sic] think about offering up an option for use of the AG Reserve which is inarguably both economically and environmentally a better use than most of it's currently put to.” 
This view represents a lack of knowledge of the agricultural production, supporting businesses, and ecological services that serve in the Reserve.

More to Explore: 

​- Solar info session recording - Some proposals are working within the master plan to balance farming and solar generation - the two Chaberton proposals are not. We spoke with stakeholders about where solar stands in the Reserve in November 2024

- Interested in solar on your farm, business or home - check out our info session with the MoCo Green Bank

MCA is leading the charge to balance solar production and protection of farmland in the Ag Reserve- this local focus relies on local support - we'd be honored by your tax deductible gift. 
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Terra Energy’s Sketch Plan for Data Center Complex in Dickerson Gains Conditional Use Approval

11/22/2024

 
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Breaking: Ratepayers can expect power bill increases of 25-70% in the next 5 years to meet Data Center energy demand.  Data Centers proposed for the Reserve along the Potomac are seeking a full exemption from County energy tax and the applicant has suggested public concerns have no place in conditional use hearings. 

Also - Water concerns are coming to the fore. The Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) has found that more new data centers in the region turn to evaporative cooling  the industry could require 70 million gallons of water per day — “almost doubling” the existing consumptive water use in the Potomac River basin.
Update: Where do things stand with the proposal for Data Centers along the Potomac? 
The hearing examiner gave approval to a conditional use approval plan that was extremely light on the most basic details - how many data centers would be built at the site, where the immense amounts of water would come from to cool the centers. 

MCA, in talks with the applicant has reached an agreement for two new conditions on the project: 
  • Groundwater will not be used to cool the data centers. The aquifer underlying the Reserve is the only source of water for the entire area and is already facing projections of drought. Check out our Good Gift Campaign. 
  • Back-up power will be provided by a Battery Energy Storage System, Natural
    Gas Generators or some other source - not diesel generators that cause huge emissions. (The state allowed data centers to be completely exempt from emissions rules and have as many diesel generators running around the clock for back up power as they need.) 

The applicant and hearing examiner continue to take public concerns less than seriously. The amendment refers to our Executive Caroline Taylor as a "concerned citizen" - downplaying her representation of many thousands of residents on who's behalf we work. 
We set the record straight: 
 As a matter of clarification, my testimony, subsequent submission to the record, and the collaboration on these two additional conditions were on behalf of two County nonprofits as previously noted – Sugarloaf Citizens’ Association and Montgomery Countryside Alliance.

Efforts to diminish our concerns by failing to recognize the participation of two respected non-profits is troubling. 

Next up: The project seeks exemption from County energy tax. Will the County Council be dazzled by this industry and the perception that it will deliver tax windfall? What independent analysis will be conducted to determine the cost vs benefits?
Background - Data Centers have been proposed for the former site of the PEPCO plant in Dickerson adjacent to the C+O Canal and the Potomac by Terra Energy. Data Centers are a entirely novel and resource hungry land use - using the power of a small city, requiring constant water for cooling severs and often relying on a large amount of diesel generators to provide backup power. All of our concerns - sourced from the community - can be found here.

In short… from the Conditional Use decision granting approval to the project:
  • Property consists of four recorded lots covering 758 acres located at the corner of Martinsburg Road, Darnestown Road and Dickerson Road.
  • The conditional use “work” will be divided into “three land bays” and contained to the IH (heavy industrial) zoned portion of the property
  • The Applicant is proposing and requesting general approval for the conditional uses on the property and if the Applicant receives the requested, the Applicant proposes submitting more detailed site plans modifying the conditional use at each phase. (see footnote 2)
 Related: Attorney for proposed Dickerson Data Centers Asks that Public Concerns About Water, Power and Climate Change be Stricken from the Hearing Record
2 The Zoning Ordinance does not specifically permit the Hearing Examiner to grant a conditional use “general approval”. The Hearing Examiner evaluated the Application, all testimony, and all documents in evidence pursuant to Section 59.7.3.1.E.
​
Concern remains:
The number of data centers and their ultimate square footage has been left to future “modifications.” 1 data center or 5 or 10… unknown. Both MCA and our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens’ Association conveyed to the applicant, MC Planning staff and board, and to the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings (OZAH) our concern that the sketch plan lacks necessary specifics related to the project’s scope and resource requirements. 
To be clear, we maintain that, especially without a regulatory framework to properly guide the data center industry in Montgomery County, providing a “general approval” casts a blind eye to potential cumulative non-inherent impacts of the full scope of the project.  Would a hearing examiner approve a residential apartment project in Bethesda or Silver Spring without knowing the full square footage and occupancy allowing the applicant to come back later with a site plan and details?
MCA and SCA are considering our options, which could be a request for reconsideration or oral argument.  Stay tuned.
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Survey Reveals Urgent Need for Groundwater Conservation as U.S. Aquifers Face Depletion

11/11/2024

 
MCA has undertaken the Good Gift Campaign - building awareness and action around the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer - the only potable source of water for residents in the Ag Reserve. 
This project kicked off with a baseline survey of county residents - check out the video above to hear our groundwater program coordinator Abby Mann go through the results. 

Abby's slides here
​

Infographic of the results here

Press Release Here

Much more about the Good Gift Groundwater Campaign here

Solar in the Ag Reserve Info Zoom Recording

10/22/2024

 
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The proposal for a 1.8 MW community solar installation on Barnesville Road, applying under the county's conditional use approval process for solar in the Ag Reserve on sub-prime soils.
Folks have likely been hearing about a number of proposed solar projects in the Reserve recently. 
There may be a lot of questions about why these proposals are happening now and how they fit in with the purpose of the Ag Reserve. 


Let's talk about it.  With our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association we met with folks on Zoom. Click below to see the video and access the slides from the meeting. ​
Watch the Info Session
View the Slides
Thanks to all those that took the time to hear about how some solar proposals are balancing agriculture and some.... are not. From the slides we shared, here is what you can do to take action on this issue: 
  • Read up – sign up for SCA/MCA newsletters and alerts - We are keeping tabs on both local solar proposals and new bills in Annapolis that may shake up solar siting. 
  •  Reach out to electeds - Upholding MoCo's master plan and balanced approach to siting solar on farms at the state level is a job for our elected officials. Let them know your thoughts. You can write the whole council here.
  • Attend conditional use hearings - The conditional use process is meant to take stock of the specific pros and cons of this use on this particular property. It is meant to be a transparent and inclusive process - you can get involved and have your say. The proposal for the array in Barnesville has not been submitted yet, but we will let folks know when to weigh in. 

You may still have questions we didn't get to in the info session - drop us a line- [email protected]

Background: 


Community Solar is allowed in the Ag Reserve - with conditions - ZTA 21-01 was the result of lengthily deliberations that balanced the need to ramp up clean energy generation and keep farms thriving in the Reserve. ZTA 21-01 allowed community solar to be built in the Reserve on up to 1800 total acres of sub-prime soils with no property hosting more than 2 MW of arrays, along with protections for forests, streams, and slopes. 
 So far - two arrays have been approved through this conditional use process in the Reserve. A bottleneck at the interconnection stage has prevented more projects. As this bottleneck is clearing, we will likely see more projects proposed. 


Some developers are working within the County's carefully devised conditional use process, some are not. 


By the Book 
The recent  community solar array proposed on Barnesville Road 
  (as pictured above) though still in the pre-application process, looks to be meeting County policies for solar in the Reserve - notably by only building on non-prime soils, cutting no trees and keeping the project under the 2 Mega Watt cap. 
 
An End Run at the State
Contrast this array seeming to follow county policies with two proposed arrays of 4 and 5 Megawatts each on prime soils proposed in Poolesville and Dickerson in conflict with the compromise ZTA. This solar developer, Chaberton Energy, is going to the Public Service Commission at the state level to gain approval. MCA has filed as an intervenor in the proceedings to represent the Reserve and our county master plan. 


What is Coming from Annapolis
We understand that the new session in Annapolis (starting in January) will bring a bill that would override most local control on solar siting across the whole state. In the map below, preferred corridors would be within 2 miles of a high gage transmission line. No protections for prime farm soils will be considered. Instead, projects in areas deemed to be important for agriculture will have to pay the local government into a fund to preserve agriculture- a startling misunderstanding - farmland is a finite resource.   (A deep dive on how the bill will probably look here)

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Related: Are you looking to go solar at your home, business or farm - we break down the options with MoCo Green Bank here.
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Attorney for proposed Dickerson Data Centers Asks that Public Concerns About Water, Power and Climate Change be Stricken from the Hearing Record

10/19/2024

 
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The Dickerson power plant where Terra Energy proposes Data Centers. The property line is 110 feet from the C+O Canal Towpath.
With an entirely new land use (Data Centers), one with inherently large needs for water and power, residents want to understand the implications - particularly when the project is to be sited in the AG Reserve and close to a  National Park. 

Understanding the resource use of the proposed data centers in Dickerson at the site of the shuttered Pepco plant has been difficult. Despite getting approval from planning staff, there is not yet a detailed site plan for this project. 

 MCA and our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens maintain that without a complete site plan that answers basic questions about how much water (from the Potomac - maybe some from the Aquifer) and power will be used there - this plan cannot be approved.


MCA attended the next step in the process, a hearing with the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. Hearing that the applicant had still not produced a full plan, MCA  asked to submit some community concerns to be added to the hearing record. Our concerns covered water, power, and how this large power draw and carbon emitter will fit in with County and State zero emissions policies- our full submission here. 

In response, the applicant, Terra Energy, had their attorney​ send a letter to the hearing examiner dismissing our concerns - your concerns - and ask that they be stricken from the record. (update - we have responded here)

Some key passages from the Attorney's letter: 

- "Moreover, the materials concern issues not applicable here (like ground water impact, use of agricultural land and climate change),..

-"Overall, the comments are both irrelevant and immaterial to the circumstances of this case. They either should be stricken or given little to no weight."

Water
-The results will be far superior to those of the last 70 years when a coal fired power plant operated on the site. As stated at the hearing, Applicant will have to obtain final permits for water withdrawal from the Maryland Department of the Environment once the final size of the proposed facilities, their location and the engineering details of the water system are determined.

-In terms of groundwater and the aquifer which the Countryside Alliance references, the claims also are irrelevant and immaterial. The water used for cooling will come from the Potomac River, not from any underground aquifer. Any well water from the aquifer will be very limited, for use only as normal drinking water and internal use for a very limited number of employees.

Digital infrastructure is an entirely new land use. The onus is on Terra Energy to show the public how this project fits into the county's climate goals and stewards our shared resources - particularly the Potomac. In the absence of concrete data that would be provided by a full site plan, invalidating real public concerns is not the way forward. 
​
​
Another harvest season is in full swing in the Ag Reserve. As the season winds down we'd be honored by your end-of-year gift. Our focus on local issues like these is possible with generous local support. Thank You!
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2024 Royce Hanson Ag Reserve Champion Award - Doug Lechlider

10/14/2024

 
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​​"Farming will evolve with time. No one knows what the future holds. One thing we do know is that people will need food.  This large contiguous area of farmland will only grow in importance." - Doug Lechlider

This year we are pleased to honor Doug Lechlider of Laytonsville Turf Farm with the Royce Hanson Ag Reserve Champion Award. 

Doug has been a stalwart collaborator, bringing voice to issues impacting farmers in the Reserve. His inclusive and level-headed approach has brought balance to a number of zoning issues that threaten to take farmland out of production. Doug served on the solar work group that found a path forward for solar in the Reserve that preserves prime soils and he was instrumental in championing farmland protections in a proposal to allow overnight stays as a conditional use in the Reserve. Doug is currently engaged in thoughtful advocacy for the Reserve's farms as solar developers seek state approval to put large arrays on prime soils in conflict with county policies. 

As a 5th generation farmer, Doug knows the importance of protecting farmland.  He grew up on a crop and livestock farm in Laytonsville, MD, taking part in 4 H and FFA. In 1989, soon after the creation of the Reserve, he started a landscape business specializing in erosion control. Since then, Laytonsville Turf Farm has grown from 40 acres of sod planted to prevent sedimentation to 700 acres of various crops farmed by Doug, his wife Robin and son Matthew. 

Doug's focus on erosion prevention has led to the use of innovative farming practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping and no-till farming. 
Doug puts in the time on his own farm but also and works productively with others to secure the protection of the Reserve, "​as citizens and Ag. leaders of MC it is important to educate ourselves, as well as new County leaders, of the purpose and importance the AR has to MC as well as the entire region. New pressures to open this area to commercial entities will only intensify. To this point I believe coalitions of different groups with similar goals is very important."

Doug makes time to be involved with the farming community - he serves on a number of boards and committees, including: 
Senior Farmers Club
Montgomery Agricultural Producers
Montgomery County Agricultural Fair
Montgomery County Agricultural Advisory Committee
Montgomery County Farm Bureau
Maryland Ag Commission
Maryland Agriculture Council
Turf Producers of MD
We are proud to honor this hard working and community minded farmer!

Community Solar in Barnesville Pre-Proposal Public Meeting 10/10

10/3/2024

 
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Neighbors are being alerted to a pre- application public meting about a 1.8 Megawatt community solar installation 17700 Barnesville Road in Barnesville. We are perplexed as to why there are signs about this proposal miles from this property and we are looking into this. 

The meeting will be on zoom on October 10 at 6:30pm.

Please RSVP by calling or sending an email to Morgan Abramson at (301) 961-8661 or at
[email protected].

See the full information here. 

​
ZTA 21-01 made provision for this size of array to be located in the Reserve on Class 3 soils and above. We will await particulars about this specific proposal but it is an example of a solar developer going through the established conditional use process at the county level and providing opportunities for the public to understand the project in advance.

This is in stark contrast to another solar developer who is sidestepping local provisions that balance solar and faming in the Reserve and taking a proposal for solar on prime soils to the state. 
​

Drought Continues - Take our Groundwater Survey

9/19/2024

 
What's the best way to steward finite groundwater resources as droughts become more common? We want to hear from you - please take a few minutes and answer our anonymous groundwater survey. 

Take the Survey
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​The drought that has been hindering the region (and especially farmers) throughout the summer only briefly abated when the remnants of Hurricane Debby came through dropping several inches of rain in just a few days. We are back in the red, with no rain forecasted soon. 

This is troubling region wide but particularly in rural areas that rely on wells - no reservoir can be tapped to replenish groundwater. 

MCA has undertaken a research and outreach program for the county's water resources. Check out the "Good Gift" campaign. 

You can help - please take 10 minutes to answer anonymous questions about your well and local groundwater supplies. 

Related: How to Conserve water at home
​The Good Gift in PLENTY Magazine

Multiple Data Centers Proposed at Dickerson Power Plant - Concerns and Recommendations

8/20/2024

 
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Dickerson Plant site lies right along the C+O Canal and Potomac River
Update 10/19/24: MCA submitted a document of public concerns to the hearing examiner about missing specifics on how this proposal will fit into county and state climate goals and the Potomac's water level, among other concerns. The applicant's attorney wants these concerns (your concerns) stricken from the record. 
Senator Cardin's Letter to Governor Moore urging caution on Data Center development is a good distillation of the concerns many share about this new, highly consumptive industry.  The Senator also wrote to the PSC urging caution and transparency in the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project - a massive power line set to take farmland out of production across Frederick, Carrol and Baltimore Counties. 

These two issues are linked - as the Guardian has found that Data Center power needs - already known to be constant and massive - are actually under reported by 600+%. 
​Coverage from Maryland Matters
Update: Planning staff have recommended approval with conditions for the Terra Energy project at Dickerson along the river for what look to be seven data centers to start and just shy 500,000 ft.² of building space which includes warehouse space and substations. That does not include roadways, etc.
​
 The approval allows this project to proceed without full details from the applicant. There is a lot we still want to know - for example- how much Potomac River water will be diverted for the constant cooling needed for servers? The application and staff recommendation is silent on this and other points. Please stay tuned for ways to get involved. 
Related - Proposals for a large powerline to go through Frederick County proposed protected area near Sugarloaf cause concern. The increased need for power infrastructure can be connected to the outsized power needs of proposed data centers - an industry with few guardrails. Maryland Matter piece here.  
Update: Data Center Emissions Exemption Passes MCA with partners opposed a bill in the General Assembly that would allow diesel generators of any size, and quantity in any location to provide backup power to data centers without oversight of the Public Service Commission. With the addition of a provision to provide 15% of tax revenues from this novel land use to fund environmental protection, the bill passed before the end of the session. Learn More. 

Related: WaPo: Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal
Grist: The Surging Demand for Data is Guzzling Virginia's Water Supply

Montgomery County Data Center Updates: 
Currently no regulatory framework exists in the state or county to govern data centers. County Executive Elrich is now working with the county climate change officer to establish one in MoCo. The first step is researching best practices in use nationally and globally for sustainably meeting the outsized needs for water, land and power of this unique use.  (Iceland, for example)
MCA continues to collaborate with the owners of the Terra Energy facility proposed for the former Pepco plant to advocate for care in siting and operation of these centers along the Potomac. 

Quantum Loophole continues to run afoul of MDE rules - The Frederick News Post reports a stop work order was issued for a drilling project in Frederick County for the fiberoptic cable loop stretching from Adamstown across to "Data Center Alley" in Virginia. The contractor was drilling without telling the county and may have released drilling materials into underground water aquifers. To link the two updates - Quantum Loophole at full buildout will use power equivalent to 400,000 homes (12 Fredericks or 4 Baltimores).

Frederick County Data Center Workgroup Report Released
from our partners at Sugarloaf Alliance:
"The Frederick County Data Centers Workgroup (DCWG) released its final report on March 1 (read the text here). Generally speaking, the recommendations agree with Sugarloaf Alliance positions, including the recommendation that data centers not be sited in Treasured Landscapes, and the report specifically mentions Sugarloaf Mountain. Read the Frederick News Post report here. The report is in the hands of the County Executive, and her administration is expected to make recommendations for legislation governing data centers in Frederick County. We still don’t have information about legislation or timing."
Check out this video from our friends across the Potomac, Piedmont Environmental Council. Virginia has been building data centers for decades and we can learn from their experience.
Data centers alone are expected to double Virginia's energy use by 2040. Who pays for increased energy capacity? Hint- it's not the data center operators. In fact Marylanders could be paying for $500 million of the tab for grid improvements to support VA's data center spree. 

This new energy and water intensive use needs careful guiderails on our side of the River. Read on for how we are engaging stakeholders to share concerns and recommendations for a proposal in the Ag Reserve.

Watch the Video
  • Also- why so many Data Centers? Turns out AI is a huge driver of climate change.
Update: 1/24: The conditional use application for these data centers proposed by Terra Energy is now at Planning (view the plan here).
​We are meeting with Planning staff to share our thoughts which include concern about lack of specific information about project. Applicant indicates they will provide details later after approval.

Update: 12/23 Terra (the company proposing the data centers) has shared their conditional use submission documents with both SCA and MCA. We appreciate that. The application (for data centers and battery back up project) is currently being reviewed by staff at the planning department.
Our review of the documents submitted raises concerns, primarily as to the material that has not been included. The applicant apparently is looking for preliminary approval before submitting all required application components. This is troubling as one rightly asked how something can be approved without knowing the salient details. Stay tuned for more.
​

Maryland Matters did a great background of why data centers cause so much concern
News from FredCo - Aligned, the company behind one of the proposed data center projects in Adamstown was not successful in getting approval to use 168 (!) diesel generators to complete construction of the project and have canceled the project. It is unclear at this time what impact this has on the Terra energy site proposed in Dickerson along the river. 
Update: We await the submission of the conditional use application by Terra. We are also awaiting reply from County Executive regarding request for committee to establish regulatory framework to guide data center development.
Montgomery Countryside Alliance and our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association are continuing to carefully monitor the proposal as many as 20 data centers and a large scale grid battery storage facility at the former PEPCO Power Plant in Dickerson. The new property owner Terra Innovations will file for conditional use approval for the project very soon.
Here are the concerns and recommendations submitted by both organizations to the applicant.
We continue to advocate for both state and county regulations to guide this land use. Currently the data center land-use does not have a regulatory framework.

Some maps from the Terra Innovations site showing property boundaries and zoning:
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Pieces of this property are part of the Ag Reserve as shown above
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Much More: 
Community Meeting with SCA, MCA and Sugarloaf Alliance on Data Center Concerns

​Northern VA has a Data Center Problem
Data Centers in N VA are nearing a tipping point
​Quantum Loophole to Bore under Potomac is 3 places to lay data center infrastructure
​Quantum Loophole cited for many MDE violations - stop work order issued

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ABOUT US
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ABOUT Ag RESERVE
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Montgomery Countryside Alliance
P.O Box 24, Poolesville, MD  20837
301-461-9831  •  ​[email protected]
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.

​MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there.
COPYRIGHT © MONTGOMERY COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE 2008