On March 6, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the House Economic Matters Committee and the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in support of HB 739 / SB 478 – Public Utilities – Solar Energy Generating Stations – Local Approval.
This bill prevents the Public Service Commission from approving a Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity for a solar energy generating system until the project has received approval from the county in which it is located.
Since 2019, counties have been preempted for solar energy projects above 2 megawatts and forced to operate under a confusing and confounding system for approvals. This bill reverts approval authority to the counties and reasserts local control.
Since the 2019 Board of County Commissioners of Washington County v. Perennial Solar, LLC decision, counties have been largely preempted from imposing additional requirements that could help mitigate these concerns. HB 739 seeks to restore local authority over solar projects, ensuring that developers engage with communities, uphold responsible siting practices, and operate as good neighbors. This is commonsense legislation which seeks to address conflicts between Maryland’s growing demand for energy and the concerns of affected communities.
More on MACo’s Advocacy: