Emery County adopts resolution opposing solar farms on federal and state lands

The Emery County Commission voted to adopt a resolution opposing the development of utility-scale solar farms on federal and state lands within the county.

The resolution states the board’s opposition to solar farms on public lands and cites state code (Utah Code 17-53-01 and 17-53-02) as the legal authority for county action. Commissioners referenced the Bureau of Land Management’s 2024 PEIS/RMPA process that identified parcels potentially open to utility-scale solar and said the county is concerned about sole-use conversion of multi-use public lands, impacts to scenic values and protecting transmission capacity for existing base-load power plants that provide local jobs and tax base.

Commission discussion noted that the county general plan includes language about encouraging multiple uses of federal land and that some county leaders would still consider narrowly tailored projects (for example, private businesses that power their own facilities) on a case-by-case basis. The public-lands committee and some commissioners specifically mentioned concern about the base of Cedar Mountain and adjacent SITLA parcels.

The commission voted to adopt the resolution. Commissioners emphasized the resolution expresses county policy preferences and does not change federal or state authority over public lands.

Why it matters: The county’s resolution is a formal local policy position intended to be considered by state and federal agencies in land-use planning processes; it signals local opposition to large-scale solar on public lands and could influence future project proposals and consultations.