Resolution in Support of Farming and Energy Production

Prior to task force meetings, ALEC posts these legislative member-submitted draft model policies to our website. The draft model policies are then discussed, debated, and voted on by ALEC task force members. Policies that receive final approval by legislators on the ALEC Board of Directors become official ALEC model policy. Draft model policies that fail to become official ALEC model policy are removed from the website.

Policy Status

  • Type: Model Resolution
  • Status: Draft
  • Date Introduced: December 4, 2024

Issues

  • Local Issues
  • Energy
  • Agriculture

    • Task Forces

  • American City County Exchange
  • Energy, Environment and Agriculture

    • Tags

  • SNPS 2024

    • Summary

    This resolution supports a balance between the importance of agriculture and the energy sectors. There needs to be a balance between traditional land use and emerging technologies.
    Draft

    Resolution in Support of Farming and Energy Production

    RESOLUTION RE: EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR LAND USE AND PERMITTING FOR LESS THAN 5 ACRE COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDENS AND PROJECTS UP TO 160 ACRES FOR AGRIVOVOLTAIC PROJECTS IN_______COUNTY AND SETTING OF CODE ORDINANCE READING SCHEDULE TO AMEND___________ COUNTY CODE SECTION___________

    WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of _____ County, ________, pursuant to state statute is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of _____County, and

    WHEREAS, farming and ranching have become more expensive and unpredictable and farmers are increasingly turning to agrivoltaics projects to keep farmlands in production; and

    WHEREAS, whereas Western lands are being contaminated by rising salts from the over-saturation of conjunctive use activities and/or reuse of water from wastewater treatment plants are making farmlands less or unproductive downstream for some crops; and

    WHEREAS, solar facilities are a land intensive use and could compete with taking irrigated farmlands out of production, and

    WHEREAS, agrivoltaics projects can combine energy production and farming and ranching production at the same time; and

    WHEREAS permitting solar facilities on unproductive or nonproductive farm ground can provide a passive income for farmers to weather adverse events or uncertainty; and

    WHEREAS, solar production and agrivoltaics can also help young farmers afford to buy land for farming production; and

    WHEREAS, innovations in technology including robotics, drip-tape, GPS tracking and shepherding can increase farming input while producing domestic American Energy; and

    WHEREAS, limiting consumer choice on how energy is produced is also not beneficial to the farming and ranching community and can reduce energy production sources to the electric grid, causing increased electric costs, and

    WHEREAS, after review, the Board desires to express its support for small community solar and agrivoltaics projects in ______ County and wishes to set a schedule to amend _________ County Code Section __________

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of _______ County, ________, that the Board hereby expresses support for small community solar and agrivoltaics projects  in ________ County.