Excerpt from full letter submitted by Community Renewable Energy, a project of the Land and Cultural Preservation Fund, Inc. a tax-exempt, 501c3 not for profit organization. 

It is my opinion that there should be a strong preference for renewable energy projects in this order:

1. a. For ownership and direct economic benefit/use by the site-owner
2. b. For distributed generation purposes which provide energy-resiliency dedicated for local critical infrastructure
3. c. For projects which provide electrons for local community benefits, and thereby enable more local electricity users, such as through the Maryland Community Solar Energy Generating Stations Regulations.
4. d. For commercial-scale solar projects which include a well -designed and managed Co-Location Plan for Solar Energy Technologies and Vegetation

It is our objective to support the clean, renewable energy industry by helping to create land-use friendly master plans for ground-mounted solar projects which will accomplish the following:

1. Prevent the use of the phrase “solar farm” for what are essentially Power Generation Plant Projects unless they have a certified crop/plant co-location plan filed.

2. Reduce long-term carbon footprint of the project (versus mowing.)

3. Reduce long-term costs associated with having mowing crews engaged

4. Improve storm-water management of the agricultural soils by selecting plants suitable for a particular region/soil type.

5. Create permanent jobs in Maryland for landscape planners, landscape maintenance companies, native plant growers and beekeepers.

6. Improve the habitat for pollinators and nectar rich plants.

7. Prevent the use of herbicides that would otherwise be used to keep turf-grass controlled

8. Improve crop yields in adjacent farms by supporting a pollinator-friendly habitat.

For more information Email: rebecca@communityrenewableenergy.org, Phone: 301-797-4146