Securing Our Lands and Resources Act or the SOLAR Act
This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from providing financial assistance for certain projects that would result in the conversion of covered farmland for solar energy production.
Under the bill, covered farmland generally refers to prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland that is of statewide or local importance. Conversion means any activity that results in the covered farmland no longer meeting certain requirements for agricultural production, activity, or use.
The bill includes an exception for certain smaller projects that have the approval or support from the local county and municipality. Any project that receives financial assistance from USDA under an exception must (1) develop a mitigation and remediation plan for the project (e.g., implementing best practices to protect future soil health and productivity), and (2) ensure that sufficient funds are provided for the decommissioning of the solar energy production system and the remediation and restoration of the farmland.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7923 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7923
To limit USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2024
Mr. Bost (for himself, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Langworthy, and Mr. Austin
Scott of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To limit USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Securing Our Lands and Resources
Act'' or the ``SOLAR Act''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USDA FUNDING FOR GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY
SYSTEMS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered farmland.--The term ``covered farmland'' has
the meaning given in the term in section 1540(c)(1) of the
Farmland Protection Policy Act (7 U.S.C. 4201(c)(1)).
(2) Conversion.--The term ``conversion'' means, with
respect to covered farmland, any activity that results in the
covered farmland failing to meet the requirements of a State
(as defined in section 343 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991)) for agricultural production,
activity, or use.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(b) In General.--The Secretary may not provide financial assistance
for a project that would result in the conversion of covered farmland
for solar energy production.
(c) Exception.--Subsection (b) shall not apply to a project if the
project--
(1) results in the conversion of less than the greater of--
(A) a de minimis amount of covered farmland for
solar energy production relative to the total project
area necessary for the success of the project, as
determined by the Secretary, not to exceed 5 acres; or
(B) 1 acre of covered farmland; and
(2) has received a resolution of approval or support, or
other similar instrument from each county and municipality in
which the project is sited.
(d) Covered Farmland Protection.--
(1) Mitigation and remediation plan required.--A person who
has applied to the Secretary for financial assistance for a
project that would result in the conversion of covered farmland
for solar energy production and to which subsection (b) does
not apply shall--
(A) develop a mitigation and remediation plan for
the project to--
(i) implement best practices to protect
future soil health and productivity, and
mitigate soil erosion, compaction, and other
effects of solar energy production during
construction, operation, and decommissioning;
and
(ii) remediate and restore the soil health
of the farmland to that of the farmland before
the solar energy production project
construction; and
(B) ensure that sufficient funds, as determined by
the Secretary, are provided for the decommissioning of
the solar energy production system and the remediation
and restoration of covered farmland to carry out the
mitigation and remediation plan described in
subparagraph (A).
(2) Obligation and disbursement of funds.--The Secretary
may obligate financial assistance for a project described in
paragraph (1), but shall not disburse the financial assistance
until the Secretary has determined that the applicant for the
financial assistance has complied with paragraph (1).
(3) Plan implementation.--A person referred to in paragraph
(1) shall carry out--
(A) the provisions of the plan that are described
in paragraph (1)(A)(i), on the receipt by the project
of financial assistance from the Secretary and for the
duration of solar energy production under the project;
and
(B) the provisions of the plan that are described
in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), on the cessation of solar
energy production under the project.
(4) Compliance.--A person who fails to comply with
paragraph (3) with respect to a project shall repay to the
Secretary the full amount of the financial assistance provided
by the Secretary to the person for the project.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line