MARYLAND — Senate Bill 931, effective July 1, introduces new regulations supporting solar energy but raises alarms among farmers and officials on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The law prevents local governments from creating zoning restrictions on solar developments, a move some say limits community control over land use. Delegate Wayne Hartman, representing Wicomico and Worcester counties, says the region is already seeing significant land taken for solar projects. He estimates nearly 10,000 acres in Worcester and more than 9,000 acres in Wicomico could be converted from farmland to solar farms. Hartman and others worry the change threatens local agriculture by reducing available farmland and removing zoning authority from county officials.
Farmers share the concern. Worcester County Farm Bureau Vice President John Bruning points out that farmers cannot match the financial offers from solar companies, which could result in permanent farmland loss. Similarly, Wicomico farmer Steve Hurley emphasizes that solar installations will replace productive farm fields without clear plans for panel disposal once their lifespan ends. The debate highlights the challenge of balancing renewable energy growth with protecting the Eastern Shore’s agricultural heritage and land resources.
