Solar power could be on the minds of Kentucky lawmakers. The state legislature is being asked to consider changes to the development of solar farms. These include local government notification by solar farm firms, and end-of-life decommissioning plans. Lane Boldman is the executive director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee. She said there are varying attitudes about erecting large numbers of solar panels in rural areas.
“It’s either welcomed by the farming community or it raises big concerns about eating up farmland for solar. The communities that like it, they like it because it brings in another tax base. It’s a way for farmers to retain their land for farm use, yet also make some extra income,” said Boldman.
Boldman said the state has seen applications for about 30 of these solar farms with several approved. She noted the K-C-C is also interested in seeing more individual home rooftop solar installations.
Boldman said her group is watching several bills including one just filed that she feels limits intervention in utility rate cases.
Final budget wrangling may not be done for several weeks and Boldman would like some of that money to go towards helping the environment. She added lawmakers may choose to set aside more unallocated funds to be available if any tax cuts are made.
Here's more with Kentucky Conservation Committee Director Lane Boldman:
