SOLAR Act

The SOLAR Act would prevent the Department of Agriculture from providing financial assistance to solar energy projects that would convert high-quality farmland into non-agricultural use. The bill defines covered farmland as prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland designated as important at the state or local level. If enacted, this would restrict federal funding for solar development on these agricultural lands, potentially affecting both renewable energy expansion and farmland preservation efforts.

The bill includes exceptions for smaller solar projects. Projects converting less than 5 acres of farmland, or less than 50 acres if the solar energy primarily serves on-farm use, would be permitted. Additionally, projects that receive approval from local county and municipal governments could proceed if developers create a farmland conservation plan to protect soil health and provide sufficient funds to decommission the solar system and restore the farmland afterward.

Currently, the bill is under consideration in the House Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development. If it advances and is enacted, it would affect how federal agricultural funding can be used in relation to solar energy development on productive farmland.