Governor Moore has signed SB0931/HB1036—the Renewable Energy Certainty Act—into law. Despite its name, this legislation brings uncertainty to rural Maryland by stripping counties of their authority to enforce land use ordinances tied to their Comprehensive Plans. It prevents local governments from protecting Priority Preservation Areas—lands specifically designated to safeguard prime agricultural resources.
This one-size-fits-all approach ignores local context, imposes state-mandated landscaping requirements, and removes the ability of rural communities to shape their own future. It is a direct assault on local governance and agricultural preservation.
Proponents claim the bill will advance clean energy goals. But in places like California and Germany, we’ve seen that overreliance on intermittent energy sources has contributed to rising electricity costs—something Marylanders are already struggling with. This legislation will not reverse that trend.
If you believe, as we do, that when presented with the facts, Maryland voters will choose to preserve local decision-making and protect our farmland and rural way of life, then join us. The Farmer’s Alliance for Rural Maryland (FARM) has launched a referendum campaign to place this law on the ballot. It’s a herculean task—requiring at least 20,000 valid signatures by June 1st, followed by an addition 40,000—but it’s a critical effort to ensure that Marylanders have a voice in the future of land use policy in our state.
This is an urgent call for participation. If you want to help protect local control and support this grassroots effort, visit the Farmer’s Alliance for Rural Maryland Webpage, Farmer’s Alliance for Rural Maryland Facebook page. You can also contact Jay Falstad, [email protected] or Janet Christensen-Lewis, [email protected] for more information and updates on how to get involved.
Save our Rural Farmland and Local Land Use Control.
Janet Christensen-Lewis
Jay Falstad
Glenn Michael says
Every effort to preserve farm land as farm land needs to be done.
Nancy McGuire says
Outrageous that this kind of thinking is real. We have not just decided randomly and overnight to preserve our land. It has required generation after generation of local residents preserving land to accomplish a wonderful green County. This is a first step toward government ruining our County. Local authority is our only means. Stay away from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. You are not welcome.
Juanita Lynne Fairall says
Please preserve our precious land. We are supposed to be stewards of the earth – not destroyers.
John Butterworth says
Very bad. You can take a 500 acre farm and put solar on it (all 500 acres) without county or town being able to say no. And the power can be shipped out.
Paula Reeder says
Peel back the covers on FARM’s latest harangue opposing renewable power installations in MD and you’ll discover a bunch of chicken little claims and a ton of deliberate mis-information. Fact is, today 85% of Kent County’s farmland is currently dedicated to agriculture. Of that nearly 40% is permanently protected by easements- for which the State paid most owners as much if not more than they paid for the property – and cannot be used for anything other than agricultural use. An additional 20% or more of our farmland has been placed in preservation district status; soon to be converted to permanently protected status at MD taxpayer expense. Isn’t that enough???
Residential and commercial property owners who hold only about 15% of the land in the county foot over 85% of the gross property tax bill to pay for living here. That’s because agricultural use property owners get the benefit of a fixed $500/acre or lower property assessment, regardless of property location or crop productivity, while the rest of us pay taxes based on the current market value of our property. Guess who will get hit with any increases in property tax in the future?
With electric bills rising exponentially due to the fact MD has to import most of the electric power delivered to state residents at spot market prices because the State doesn’t produce enough electric power to satisfy demand, MD unquestionably needs to facilitate increase in-state power production capability – preferably with renewable energy rather than fossil fuel fueled power plants – without interference from local governments.
It’s about time FARM and our local goverment officials acknowledge the facts that: 1. The vast majority of Kent County’s land is currently in agricultural use and, soon, a majority portion of that land will not ever be available for installation of renewable energy production facilities or other development for that matter; 2.That being the case, FARM’s use of the harum-scarum threat of the loss of our existing historic viewshed is specious; 3.Every farmer deserves the self-determined right to elect to put their land to use for electric power production without being subject to politically motivated restraints imposed by local governments; 5. Residential property and commercial owners should not continue to be held hostage to the interests of agricultural use property owners for payment of 85% or more of the cost of maintaining rural county and town services and infrastructure; and 6. Kent County residents who cannot afford to install independent solar and generator-fueled electric power production on their property are suffering from growing electric bills and periodic power outages and will only suffer more if the Renewable Energy Certainty Act is not fully implemented as planned. In conclusion, signing FARM’s petition is not in the interests of any Kent County resident.
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Lisa Moser says
I understand the need for renewable energy, but this is just pure greed IMHO.
Follow the money ALWAYS
Ellen McConnell says
Need to protect our natural resources here in Maryland, we have been blessed with wildlife, endangered species such as our terrapin turtles, bald eagles, egrets and alike. It’s time we decide what is the environmental impact and how can I tact these precious resources for future generations. Let us decide and not corrupt Politicians. It’s not always going to be about the money will build ourselves out of the beauty of Maryland.