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Committee examines bill to remove solar exemption from CUVA, drawing divided views
Summary
Representative Cowan told the committee the measure would remove a carve-out that treated solar installations differently than other commercial uses on land enrolled in conservation-use valuation (CUVA) and the Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA). Environmental groups and economic-development speakers offered competing testimony.
Representative Chuck Cowan presented House Bill 169 (LC442945), which would change how CUVA and FLPA covenants treat solar installations on enrolled agricultural and timberland. Cowan said the bill would treat a solar conversion like any other commercial or industrial use — precipitating a breach of the covenant on the entire tract rather than only on the acres converted.
"This bill does not prevent a landowner from installing solar panels on their farm or forest land," Cowan said. "It just removes the exemption for solar panels and…
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