Maryland House Republicans call on Gov. Moore to veto Renewable Energy Certainty Act
MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland House Republicans called on Governor Wes Moore to veto the Renewable Energy Certainty Act on Thursday in a letter signed by House Minority leadership.
HB 1036/SB931 — Renewable Energy Certainty Act will aim to accelerate the development of solar and energy storage projects in Maryland to help meet the state’s renewable energy goals by removing barriers to clean energy deployment.
Supporters of the plan say it will streamline the approval process for solar energy projects, while the GOP said in its letter that it “opens the floodgates for unlimited solar farms development.”
You can read the full letter from the Maryland House Republican Caucus to Moore below:
Dear Governor Moore,
We write to you today to urgently request you protect rural Maryland and veto HB 1036/SB 931 – Renewable Energy Certainty Act.
As our members fervently argued on the House Floor during the debate on these measures, this legislation could irrevocably change the landscape of Maryland’s rural communities and severely damage Maryland’s largest commercial industry – agriculture. Rural Maryland will soon be home to the largest solar farms in the state. The Cherrywood Solar I project currently under construction will encompass 1,059 acres in Caroline County. Just last week, the Public Service Commission held a hearing on the Jade Meadow III Solar Project which will cover 1,852 acres in Garrett and Allegany counties. With the elimination of local control in solar siting that this legislation provides, one can only imagine the size and scope of the solar projects that will come once this bill goes into effect.
This legislation opens the floodgates for unlimited solar farm development and ties the hands of local governments to restrict them. The legislation also gifts solar developers with a new fast-tracked approval process for solar projects as well as the ability to build these sprawling projects on protected agricultural land.
Our members have grave concerns that the attraction of inexpensive farmland in rural parts of the state would lead to a significant loss in active farmland – something that could decimate Maryland’s interdependent agricultural industries.
Every acre of agricultural land that is taken out of production has a sevenfold impact on the local economy. Currently, the life span of a solar farm is approximately 30 years. After decommissioning, it takes at least another decade to return the soil to agricultural use. Once these agricultural acres are lost, they are gone for at least a generation, if they ever return.
Clean energy is a laudable goal, but it is not one that should be pursued at any price. It is our duty as elected leaders to find solutions that balance everyone’s needs. The Renewable Energy Certainty Act tips the scales too much in favor of solar companies and against the interests of rural agricultural communities and local government control. For all of these reasons, we respectfully urge your veto of HB1036/SB 931.
The letter was signed by House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, House Minority Whipe Jesse Pippy, Assistant Minority Leader April Rose, Chief Deputy Minority Whip Wayne Hartman, and Delegate Jeff Christ.
If passed, HB1036/Sb931 could reshape the landscape of solar energy in Maryland.