Farmers should be able to grow a new crop: renewable energy

Five farmers in the Lyndhurst and Stuarts Draft area want to put up solar panels on 14 parcels of their farmland to generate renewable energy. The project is called Augusta Solar LLC. The power generation part will be owned and operated by an American energy company headquartered in Virginia, AES.

The farmers will still own the land and will receive compensation for leasing the land to AES for the life of the project. Once the 30-year project is over, the land can return to what it is today. It’s a way of saving farmland.

Farming will continue on the remainder of the property, producing beef, various grains, and hay. In addition, pollinator plants will be grown under and around the panels to provide wildlife habitat.

The land area directly under the panels is 131 acres, split up over 14 parcels. The average acreage area directly under the panels is 9 acres. This amount of land is so small that each portion of the project is more like a few small projects rather than a utility-scale project.

Two public hearings are required for the project to proceed. One before Augusta County’s planning commission and one before its board of supervisors.

The planning commission held its hearing on May 14 and in a 6–1 vote recommended denial of the project because in its opinion the project was not in substantial accord with the county’s comprehensive plan. Ironically, the same commission recommended approval of the project in 2019 when it was 60 percent larger. The board of supervisors in a 4-3 vote killed that project ,stating in their opinion it was not in substantial accord with the comprehensive plan.

“Substantial accord” is pathetically subjective. The facts speak for themselves. The greatly reduced project, with smaller solar arrays distributed over a large area, protects the rural character of the county, preserves farmland and the property rights of landowners.

The final public hearing will be on July 24 at 7pm before the board of supervisors. I support the project. It meets or exceeds all the siting criteria from the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, the American Planning Association, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Augusta County. It meets all 10 of my “must haves” for properly sited utility-scale solar projects.

So what are the issues? It boils down to a contest between the neighbor’s viewshed and the farmer’s property rights. The neighbors don’t want to see solar panels. The farmers want to stay in business, continue farming, and help the country and the planet by producing renewable energy.

As for the neighbor’s viewsheds, the project planners have been very considerate, arranging for setbacks, screening, and buffers that exceed the county’s requirements. The pollinator habitats will be magnets for birds, butterflies, and other critters—which even enhance the view. And besides, is it really fair to object to the view of someone else’s property?

Now let’s consider some alternatives the farmers have. They could put up poultry houses or a hog operation within 25 feet of adjoining property lines—without going through the public hearing process. Those enterprises not only affect the viewshed but assault the nose and ears and bring in large vehicles and equipment. Solar panel projects don’t make noise, don’t smell, and don’t increase local traffic. They contribute to public welfare in the form of clean energy, and they mitigate wildlife habitat loss. So why are they viewed with suspicion and subject to far greater scrutiny and regulation?

We shouldn’t allow government officials to deny farmers the right to install solar panels on their land. Instead, we should unleash the ingenuity and grit of the American farmer to produce not only wholesome food but also the renewable energy we’ll certainly need to power our developing region.

Augusta County has made it very difficult for farmers to adapt to changing times. Let’s not make our county a graveyard for renewable energy and property rights—and maybe even farming itself. Contact the board of supervisors at board@co.augusta.va.us, and come to the public hearing on July 24 at 7 p.m.

About the author: Robert “Bobby” Whitescarver is a farmer in Churchville, VA, and teaches natural resources management at James Madison University. He can be reached through his website at www.gettingmoreontheground.com

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Farmers should be able to grow a new crop: renewable energy