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