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Lawmakers hear from farmers, co‑op and solar industry on bill to allow small solar on EFU corners in critical groundwater areas
Summary
House Bill 3346 drew testimony from co‑op utilities, a farmer and solar industry representatives about siting small solar arrays on dry field corners in critical groundwater areas; questions raised about taxation, transmission and program design. Committee closed the hearing with no vote.
The House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water held a public hearing March 3 on House Bill 3346, a proposal intended to allow siting of small clean energy facilities on small, dry field corners of Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) land inside designated critical groundwater areas.
Sponsor Representative Mark Owens told the committee the bill targets small parcels — corners left dry when center‑pivot irrigation is used — in basins where the Oregon Water Resources Department has declared a critical groundwater area and where no additional water rights for consumptive use are available. He said the bill is intended to create a new revenue stream for farmers and co‑ops in areas that cannot expand irrigated acreage.
Testimony in support came from Mid State Electric Cooperative, farmer Dan Janssen of Christmas Valley, and the Oregon Solar and Storage Industries Association…
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