Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) introduced legislation to prohibit large-scale solar project developments on prime Pennsylvania farmland.
Senate Bill 798 would prohibit development on land considered class one or class two by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service. USDA considers these classes the best for farming and crop production.
“In recent years, there has been a surge in the number of solar companies seeking to lease prime agricultural land for the purpose of constructing large solar facilities,” Mastriano said. “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 also can be affected by large-scale developments, as some large solar farms create eyesores for the neighboring community.”
Mastriano’s bill also would create a new type of state tax credit program unavailable in any other state that would provide incentives for solar companies to develop on alternate sites.
Source: localnews1.org
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jimfeng
Categories: Pennsylvania, General