H.R. 1592 · 119th Congress
SOLAR Act
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R
BostSponsor5 cosponsors · 5 R
3 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from providing financial assistance for certain projects that would result in the conversion of covered farmland for solar energy production.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Feb 26, 2025
Securing Our Lands and Resources Act or the SOLAR Act
This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture from providing financial assistance for certain projects that would result in the conversion of covered farmland for solar energy production.
Under the bill, covered farmland generally refers to prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland that is of statewide or local importance. Conversion means any activity that results in the covered farmland no longer meeting certain requirements for agricultural production, activity, or use.
The bill includes an exception for certain smaller projects that result in the conversion of (1) less than 5 acres of covered farmland, or (2) less than 50 acres of covered farmland if the majority of the energy produced by the project is for on-farm use.
The bill also includes an exception for projects that have the approval or support from the local county and municipality. For these projects, the applicant must (1) develop a farmland conservation plan for the project (e.g., implementing best practices to protect future soil health and productivity), and (2) ensure that sufficient funds are provided for the decommissioning of the solar energy production system and the remediation and restoration of the farmland.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: SOLAR Act
Also known as: Securing Our Lands and Resources Act
Latest action (Mar 28, 2025): Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics · Origin: House · Introduced: Feb 26, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.