Scott Flood, president of Friends of Buckingham, has submitted comments on our behalf regarding the proposed rule for small solar energy projects with rated capacity greater than five MW and disturbance zones greater than 10 acres. See https://www.townhall.virginia.gov/L/viewcomments.cfm?commentid=228954.

Chapter 688 defines and adds prime agricultural soils and forest lands to the requirement for an analysis of the beneficial and adverse impacts on natural resources. If a potential solar project would disturb more than 10 acres of prime agricultural soils or 50 acres of contiguous forest lands, or if it would disturb forest lands enrolled in a forestry preservation program, it is deemed to have a significant adverse impact, requiring the submission of a mitigation plan. If a draft mitigation plan was not provided by the applicant as part of the initial application, the applicant must develop a mitigation plan and conduct a 45-day public comment period. Any application for a small renewable energy project received for which an interconnection request is applied for and received by December 31, 2024, is not subject to these new provisions.

To view the combined public comment from SELC, CCAN, App Voices, Sierra Club, and Natural Resources Defense Council, see
https://www.southernenvironment.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SELC-AppVoices-CCAN-Sierra-Club-NRDC-HB206-Comments-FINAL.pdf