North Carolina bill would make it harder to build solar in the name of protecting farmland
A new bill was introduced in the North Carolina state house that would make it more difficult and more expensive to build big, utility-scale solar projects on agricultural land.
The bill, titled the Farmland Protection Act or HB 729, would reduce the tax abatement for certain solar projects to 40% of the appraised value, half of the current 80% tax abatement. It was introduced by Republican Rep. Jimmy Dixon of Duplin.
The bill would also prioritize solar development on clear-cut timberland or former industrial property (EPA-designated brownfields) rather than farmland. It would require the North Carolina Utilities Commission to refrain from submitting a certificate of public convenience and necessity for utility-scale solar for land currently being used for agricultural or horticultural production.
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The bill comes as solar projects across the state face some backlash and counties consider moratoriums on the industry to protect their farmland. Davidson County passed a two-year moratorium late last year.
A 2020 report from the American Farmland Trust ranks North Carolina second in states with the most-threatened agricultural land. The report claims the biggest threats are from urbanization and sprawl from low-density residential land use, the report does not mention solar development.
According to a report from the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association from 2022, solar occupies 0.28% of agricultural land in North Carolina.
As of Wednesday, the bill has not been referred to committee, but already has several sponsors including Rep. Kelly Hastings (R-Cleveland) and Rep. Ben Moss (R-Richmond).
(VIDEO: First solar-powered Domino's opens in Clover)
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