Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Impacts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Landowner tells commission solar can supplement farm income and be returned to cropland after use
Summary
Jamie Walter, the landowner and local farmer, testified that solar projects can provide revenue when crop income is tight, described typical project length and decommissioning, and said plantings under panels provide wildlife habitat while prime farmland is preserved.
Landowner Jamie Walter told the commission he farms around the county and has worked with SolarStone Partners on operable solar projects. Walter said such projects can provide a revenue stream when farming income is tight and described the site use as temporary: the solar arrangement is generally a 20-year project with possible extensions and, when finished, "the area is decommissioned and returned to farm land."
Walter also said plantings under the panels provide wildlife habitat and that prime farmland is not being permanently destroyed, framing the proposal as one way to keep land in agricultural use while providing income to landowners. He said he believes the company is reputable based on his prior experience.
