Southern Illinois Congressman Mike Bost has introduced legislation to establish guidelines for solar panel projects on prime and unique farmland funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Securing Our Lands And Resources Act, or the SOLAR Act, would ensure rural communities have a say in the approval process for solar panel projects, while still giving farmers the flexibility to utilize renewable energy on their operations.
The SOLAR Act will also require that funding recipients have soil remediation plans in place and the funding secured to remove the solar panels after the project is completed.
This legislation comes after Illinois became one of the first Midwest states in January 2023 to strip zoning authority from local governments in determining if solar panel projects were right for their communities.
