Solar Regulations Go Into Effect in Virginia
20 Jun 2025
Years in the making, regulations governing large-scale solar projects in Virginia have been finalized and took effect on Wednesday, June 18. These regulations establish standards for mitigating significant impacts that solar projects may have on farms and forests. To address these impacts, developers have the option to secure a permanent conservation easement on comparable land or to contribute to a fund that the state will utilize for conservation efforts on their behalf.
Additionally, the regulations introduce incentives for developers to enhance their site construction practices. This includes minimizing grading, preserving topsoil, and even planting trees along waterways on land designated for conservation, which can help reduce mitigation requirements.
Patrick Fanning, Staff Attorney at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), commented: “The regulations strike an important balance, protecting forest cores and farms while we accelerate renewable energy deployment to meet the goals set by the Virginia Clean Economy Act.” He added, “The solar mitigation regulations will enhance the siting of utility-scale solar facilities, assist developers in avoiding our most valuable conservation lands, and create a flexible framework for mitigation when avoidance is not possible. Where mitigation is required, the establishment of permanent conservation easements will safeguard prime agricultural and forest lands while promoting clean energy.”
For further inquiries, please contact Vanessa Remmers, Virginia Communications & Media Relations Manager at CBF, at [email protected] or 804-258-1567.
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Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/new-solar-regulations-implemented-in-virginia-to-balance-renewable-energy-and-conservation/
