by CAROL BEAN
The frenzy of energy bills introduced this legislative session in Annapolis has been matched by a frenzy of activity by farmer advocates, local government associations and conservation organizations, including Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. One particular bill, sponsored by leaders from the House and Senate, the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB1036/SB0931), has elicited particularly strong opposition.
The bill would establish statewide standards for siting solar projects, with a goal of speeding approval and construction of commercial-scale solar installations and battery storage projects. Developers of these solar and storage facilities say the lack of consistent statewide policies hampers their ability to get projects on the ground in a timely manner. They argue that such policies are needed if Maryland is to achieve the solar targets mandated by Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act, passed in 2022, which requires a 60% energy emissions reduction by 2031, and net-zero emissions by 2045. Conversely, the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) contends that the proposed legislation “severely undermines local input, equitable tax policy, and essential community protections” and that “clean energy projects should complement communities, not compromise them.” ESLC will echo MACO’s views, testifying in strong opposition to SB0931 at next week’s public hearing on Friday February 28th at 1 PM.
Additional significant opposition stems from the agricultural community. The Maryland Farm Bureau opposes the bill and growing opposition to utility scale solar on farmland spurred the recent formation of a grassroots farmers’ organization, the Farmers Alliance for Rural Maryland (FARM). The new group aims to be a “united voice for farmers, landowners, and advocates who believe in local control, responsible land use, and the long-term sustainability of Maryland’s agricultural heritage.” Several of ESLC’s current and former Board Members are founders and active participants. While opposing SB0931 is the group’s current focus, long-term plans are to “oppose eminent domain initiatives, State preemption of local zoning laws, and any proposals that threaten the future of Maryland agriculture, e.g., data centers, solar projects, power lines, battery storage, and warehouse centers on zoned agricultural lands.”
This issue is not unique to Maryland. According to American Farmland Trust, roughly 83% of new solar projects in the U.S. are installed on farmland and ranchlands, almost half of them on the most productive, versatile, and resilient land. A disproportionate number of utility scale solar projects are located on the Eastern Shore which, according to the latest Census on Agriculture, accounts for 74% of the state’s agricultural economy. In recognition of the central role agriculture plays in the economy and heritage of our region, local land use tools such as comprehensive planning and zoning ordinances in our region prioritize protection of agricultural lands. The SB0931 Renewable Energy Certainty Act, however, doubles down on state authority over solar siting, a strategy that has increased tensions and acrimony for both local governments and the farming community in recent years.
SB0931 is more responsive to developers, who rarely have any ties to the community in which they site projects, than to public concerns. And the bill dismisses out of hand the important role of farmland to grow food, fuel local economies, mitigate climate change, and provide wildlife habitat. Not only are these infrastructure development projects given preferential treatment at the state level, they are also not required to mitigate their impact to agricultural lands, unlike other forms of development. ESLC has long advocated for a mitigation fee for solar installations to help fund conservation of farmland in the same county the development occurs. We will continue to testify against SB0931 and advocate for solar legislation that acknowledges Maryland’s 390+ years of agricultural heritage and the pivotal role county governments play in land use planning.
To voice your opposition, visit the Maryland Municipal League’s website for instructions on how to submit an oral, written, or informational testimony to the 2025 General Assembly: https://www.mdmunicipal.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&year=2025&month=01&day=14&id=293:how-to-submit-testimony-to-the-2025-general-assembly Or you can write in via Montgomery Countryside Alliance’s portal here: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/industrial-solar-without-guardrails-is-irresponsible-for-mocomaryland-oppose-sb931/