Solar Energy Expansion In New York State: Its Impacts on Agriculture and Rural Communities

The rapid expansion of large-scale solar energy in New York State is transforming rural landscapes, particularly in agricultural regions where farmland is increasingly leased or sold for corporate solar projects. While this transition aligns with state climate goals, it raises concerns among family farms and rural communities about land use, economic sustainability, and social equity. Government incentives, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), and the 94-C permitting process-which allows the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) to override local zoning laws-have accelerated solar deployment but also fueled land use conflicts, community resistance, and weakened local decision-making. While solar leasing provides financial relief for farmers, it often results in the loss of prime agricultural land, disruptions to local food systems, and increasing corporate control over rural land use. Rural communities remain divided, with some welcoming job creation and tax revenue, while others express concerns over aesthetic impacts, farmland heritage loss, and the lack of local input in decision-making. This thesis examines the economic pressures driving farmland conversion, the environmental trade-offs of large-scale solar, and the socio-political tensions emerging from this transition. Using policy analysis, Rotterdam, NY area case study, and interviews with farmers, community members, and local officials, it explores how large-scale solar can be implemented more equitably and sustainably. To address these challenges, this research advocates for a community-centered approach-prioritizing farmland conservation, promoting agrivoltaics (dual-use solar farming) and other solar integration methods, and ensuring meaningful local participation. Policy recommendations include strengthening local authority in solar siting, incentivizing projects on non-agricultural land, implementing revenue-sharing models, and utilizing GIS-based planning tools for optimal siting. While solar energy expansion is crucial for combating climate change and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, responsible land-use strategies are essential to prevent rural economic disparities, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. This research provides a framework for balancing renewable energy growth with rural sustainability, ensuring that clean energy development helps support rather than harm local communities and agricultural landscapes in New York State.