Center For Rural Pennsylvania Holds Oct. 1 Hearing On Solar Development In Rural PA At Shippensburg University

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, chaired by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, will hold a public hearing on October 1 to explore current policy approaches to solar development in rural Pennsylvania, and matters to consider when beginning and ending/decommissioning a solar project. 

The hearing will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Shippensburg University Conference Center, 500 Newburg Rd, Shippensburg To attend the hearing via Zoom, attendees are asked to register in advance.

“With the expansion of the solar energy industry in Pennsylvania, rural communities and landowners are asking important questions about solar development in terms of land use policies, project implementation, and solar panel decommissioning,” said Sen. Yaw. “The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has assembled state, regional, and national experts who can speak to these issues and provide guidance to our rural communities.”

Featured panelists at the hearing are: Thomas Murphy, Penn State Extension; Mohamed Badissy, Penn State Dickinson School of Law; Michael Roth, Policy Director, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; Brian Ross, Vice President for Renewable Energy, Great Plains Institute/SolSmart Advisor; Daniel Brockett, Penn State Extension; Paul Mason, Fourth Generation Dairy Farmer and Farm Bureau Member; Ariane Benrey, Policy Analyst, Division of Clean Energy, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; Bruce Burcat, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition; and Scott Elias, Senior Manager of State Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Association. 

In addition to Sen. Yaw, Center Board members are: Board Vice Chairman Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski; Board Secretary Dr. Nancy Falvo, Clarion University of Pennsylvania; Board Treasurer Stephen Brame, Governor’s representative; Sen. Katie Muth; Rep. Dan Moul; Richard Esch, University of Pittsburgh; Dr. Timothy Kelsey, Pennsylvania State University; Shannon Munro, Pennsylvania College of Technology; Dr. Charles Patterson, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania; Susan Snelick, Northern Pennsylvania Regional College; and Darrin Youker, Governor’s representative.

Click Here to register to attend via Zoom.

Background

Farm groups testified before several committees about the economic benefits of solar energy facilities and how they help keep their farms operating.  Read more here.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Committee, has sponsored several bills to help block solar energy development in the state and make it more expensive, denying farmers and other landowners the economic benefits of this development.  Read more here.

(Photo: Community Energy Keystone Solar Project in Lancaster County.)

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[Posted: September 21, 2021]  PA Environment Digest