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.
More info on the Ramire Project in Poolesville
More info on the Sugarloaf Project in Dickerson
More info on the Ramire Project in Poolesville
More info on the Sugarloaf Project in Dickerson
Update: Planning Staff Recommendation of Denial for the Sugarloaf Project
Reads in part: As they exist today, Montgomery County land use and zoning controls allow for a significant amount of solar production in the County, and do not result in an effective ban on solar in Montgomery County. The General Plan, Master Plan, and Zoning Ordinance land use controls appropriately allow solar production in the Agricultural Reserve to meet renewable energy goals, while preserving and protecting the most productive soils for the primary use in the Agricultural Reserve, agriculture.
Reads in part: As they exist today, Montgomery County land use and zoning controls allow for a significant amount of solar production in the County, and do not result in an effective ban on solar in Montgomery County. The General Plan, Master Plan, and Zoning Ordinance land use controls appropriately allow solar production in the Agricultural Reserve to meet renewable energy goals, while preserving and protecting the most productive soils for the primary use in the Agricultural Reserve, agriculture.
We are asking that county leaders strongly defend MoCo's zoning and master plan before the PSC. Take a moment to personalize an email to the Council, Exec and Planning.
The Public Service Commission's first public hearing was on July 10th Recording here - skip to 16:29 to start public comments - all of them strong defense of MoCo farms and the zoning that helps them thrive).
Written public comment can still be submitted to the PSC even after this hearing. All comments must include reference to Case No. 9726. The PSC page for the Dickerson proposal is here.
The next step - in the Fall there will be an in-person public hearing in Montgomery County.
Written public comment can still be submitted to the PSC even after this hearing. All comments must include reference to Case No. 9726. The PSC page for the Dickerson proposal is here.
The next step - in the Fall there will be an in-person public hearing in Montgomery County.
Below- a post card sent to an Ag Reserve Landowner offering between 40-200k per year for 10+ acres of leased land for a solar project. Important to note - the going rate per acre in the Ag Reserve is $125/year and 60% of land under cultivation in the Reserve is leased.
View MCA's Presentation delivered to the MoCo Climate Action Coalition
Our Partners weigh in - strong testimony in favor of county solar policies from:
- The MoCo Climate Coalition, representing 20+ local climate concerned organizations
- League of Women Voters of MoCo
- B-CC Chapter of the IWLA
- Even more groups representing the diversity of local civic and environmental groups signed on to reaffirm the group of 60+ state and local groups that formed the coalition to site solar with care in the Ag Reserve back in 2021.
- MCA's testimony is here.
2 solar projects have applied directly to the MD Public Service Commission (PSC) for approval of their 4-5 mw facilities in the Reserve - on prime farm soils in contradiction to the County’s zoning provisions.
State Legislation has opened this path and concern mounts that conservation goals and laws will be compromised if the PSC allows projects to move forward regardless of how they might affect carefully crafted provisions for renewable projects.
Moreover, currently there is a backlog of projects on less than prime soils that have gone through the County's process - the grid operators are unable to take more power.
The arguments of those seeking solar on prime farmland remain unchanged from the original MC solar ZTA debate in 2021 including and outrageously that the Reserve represents failure… farming here does not contribute to our food system.
Our central argument is unchanged:
Panels should not be erected on prime farmland, defined as nearly level, with deep, well-drained soil capable of producing food without irrigation. These are class I and II soils in the USDA’s soil capability classification system.
In Montgomery County these lands were set aside for Agriculture. When these lands are open to industrial uses the economics of farming are upended. Solar companies are offering 100 times the rate farmers are paying per acre.
The purchase of farmland is already out of reach for aspiring farmers - a fact leading to the creation of our Land Link Montgomery program to connect new and expanding farmers with long term land leases. The land seekers in the program are almost entirely aspiring farmers of color, many of them immigrants, more than half women. AfriThrive, as profiled below is just one of several successful matches increasing local food production in the Ag Reserve - with more farmers seeking land each year.
State Legislation has opened this path and concern mounts that conservation goals and laws will be compromised if the PSC allows projects to move forward regardless of how they might affect carefully crafted provisions for renewable projects.
Moreover, currently there is a backlog of projects on less than prime soils that have gone through the County's process - the grid operators are unable to take more power.
The arguments of those seeking solar on prime farmland remain unchanged from the original MC solar ZTA debate in 2021 including and outrageously that the Reserve represents failure… farming here does not contribute to our food system.
Our central argument is unchanged:
Panels should not be erected on prime farmland, defined as nearly level, with deep, well-drained soil capable of producing food without irrigation. These are class I and II soils in the USDA’s soil capability classification system.
In Montgomery County these lands were set aside for Agriculture. When these lands are open to industrial uses the economics of farming are upended. Solar companies are offering 100 times the rate farmers are paying per acre.
The purchase of farmland is already out of reach for aspiring farmers - a fact leading to the creation of our Land Link Montgomery program to connect new and expanding farmers with long term land leases. The land seekers in the program are almost entirely aspiring farmers of color, many of them immigrants, more than half women. AfriThrive, as profiled below is just one of several successful matches increasing local food production in the Ag Reserve - with more farmers seeking land each year.
A volunteer harvesting peppers at the AfriThive farm - destined for their mobile food pantry. AfriThrive grows on 2 acres of leased land in Poolesville found through the Land Link program.
More Background:
- Resources for MoCo Homes, Businesses and Farms Going Solar
- Position Paper from Sugarloaf Citizens Association
- Harvard Study: "More solar energy needed, but clearing forests for panels may not be way to do it"
- "Driving Farmers off the Land" - a paper by Alfred Wurglitz
- Land Link Farmer Profile: AfriThrive - Bridging the divide between food security and cultural integrity
- Maryland Matters Opinion: Preserve farmland and prioritize solar arrays in the built environment
- Chesapeake Conservancy - Solar Siting Methodology for Local and State Governments
Letters to just one local landowner promising between $1500-4000/acre per year to lease farmland for solar. An acre for farming usually goes for just under $200/year.
