(Chatham) — Pittsylvania County leaders are fighting an effort to move solar permitting authority out of local hands and into the State’s.
The County’s Legislative Committee Tuesday examined three potential measures that would put solar approval and restrictions in the hands of state regulators. “It would take the regulation of solar, siting agreements, where they could be placed, away from local governments and give it to the State Corporation Commission, County Attorney Vaden Hunt said. “I believe, and I assume you also believe, that local government should not be cut out of this process.”
Two bills in the General Assembly that would shift solar permitting authority to the SCC were tabled this year for study. Both are expected to be re-introduced in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session.
“I think we should adopt a platform that we oppose any effort to remove local regulation of solar facilities,” Hunt said.
County Planning Director Emily Ragsdale says had these bills passed this year, that would’ve hamstrung her office in imposing local regulations on solar facilities. “It would take away our ability to put restrictions on these facilities until we got to the point where four-percent of our acreage is covered with solar panels,” Ragsdale told the Board of Supervisors. “We determine acreage by the entire parcel, not the portion that has panels.”
Supervisors will ask local General Assembly representatives to oppose the measures.