Solar and wind farm setbacks being debated in the Oklahoma legislature are similar to other arguments around the Midwest.
One such event took place in Nebraska.
Three years after a Nebraska County initiated discussions for rules and regulations for the siting of solar farms, its commissioners voted to create one-half mile setback requirements for the projects. The vote came as some landowners objected to one solar project that would be half the size of New York City.
It was in York County and after the 3-2 vote, the crowd on hand erupted into applause. One commissioner stated he felt the setbacks were “not reasonable” and likely to be “project killers.”
But another commissioner disagreed.
“We are an agricultural county, that is our bread and butter. Farm ground needs to stay farm ground in York County and I don’t think we should vote against what the planning/zoning committee presented to us. I will make a motion to approve the regulations as they are presented,” said Commissioner Andy Bowman.
The zoning regulations establish four classes of solar facilities increasing in size. Setbacks vary from 75 feet for Class 1 to half a mile for Class 4.
Just as in Oklahoma where there have been intense discussions regarding opposition to wind farms and solar farms, some of it focused on landowners who might prefer to locate the projects on their farmland. Around York, a reported 21 landowners signed on to allow their farmland to be used for a solar project.
