NY cannot abandon its farms in favor of solar power arrays |
Energy demand is growing — and fast. As a direct result, state leaders and regulators are searching for any and every opportunity to generate more power, including major solar farm development in upstate agricultural communities.
But that’s put the state’s energy needs and longstanding agricultural economies on a collision course. And rather than endangering the long-term viability of New York’s agricultural sector and food supply, New York should be pursuing a broader mix of energy sources.
Utility-scale solar development is concentrating on New York’s prime agricultural soils. Because flat, cleared farmland is often the path of least resistance for developers, local officials now identify large-scale solar arrays as a key driver of farmland conversion pressure, according to a new report issued by the New York Association of Counties.
While renewables like solar are critical to meeting the state's looming clean energy deadlines, relying so heavily on open acreage creates an immediate threat to our food security and the broader agricultural sector, which generates over $47 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 160,000 jobs.........