When it comes to large-scale solar projects on agricultural or forested land in Virginia counties and towns, solar developers have a head start.
Why?
Because they’ve been working behind the scenes with county and town officials for months, sometimes over a year, before anyone else in the community finds out.
This letter, below, to Dinwiddie County officials is a good example of how solar developers go about their business. And it’s all allowed by the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), which put its legislative finger on the scales in favor of solar developers, not Virginia residents, when it comes to planning and approving large-scale solar projects on agricultural or forested lands.
To push back against these projects, which could eventually consume well over 750 square miles of Virginia countryside, please see our list of tips on organizing a local group in your area to raise concerns over the long-term (and potentially permanent) environmental and ecological damage to your community.