Proposed solar farms in Carroll County spurs debate

As officials in the state of Maryland work to generate more energy, new solar projects are popping up. However, leaders in rural areas like Carroll County are pushing back, arguing these projects shouldn’t come at the cost of agricultural land.

Carroll County Commissioner Mike Guerin said there are currently 13 proposed industrial solar projects throughout the county, which are being reviewed by the Maryland Public Service Commission. Two of those projects are proposed along Fannie Dorsey Road in Woodbine, about a mile and a half apart.

“I don’t have anything against solar,” said Carroll County resident Dennis Miner.

“There’s places where it should be and there’s places where it shouldn’t be and I think agricultural should not be taken away.”

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“It’s preserving what Carroll County is best at doing, agriculture,” resident Annette Fleishell said.

In 2023, the Carroll County Commissioners voted to prohibit solar industrial projects in agriculturally zoned land. However, the state legislature also passed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act during the last session, which aims to get more solar farms online sooner, streamlining the approval process.

“It prevents counties using overly restrictive zoning laws to block solar and energy storage projects that meet state standards,” Del. C.T. Wilson said during the legislative session.

“There’s always the NIMBY, the problem is, you know, right now, we are trying to have some input on where our generation comes in before that next round of transmission comes in and we get blindsided with very little input, because it becomes a PJM out of state decision and we are just left hanging because we don’t generate what we need to here,” Wilson added.

However, Guerin argues “our home rule on that is being usurped.”

“We all know that solar and wind, and those alternative energy sources, they do not answer the mail on getting enough energy to people of Maryland.” he added during a meeting over the summer.

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“I have not been able to find any benefit to anyone in Carroll County yet from any of these proposed solar industrial projects,” Guerin said.

Guerin argues Carroll County supports many uses of agricultural land, and supports solar on private property and industrial land.

“There’s only one person that wants this, the one that is going to put the money in his pocket,” Miner said.

“It’s land that some resident, local farmer is farming,” Fleishell said.

The projects are still under consideration and review with the Maryland Public Service Commission.