I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7923 

To limit USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 10, 2024 

Mr. BOST (for himself, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. LANGWORTHY, and Mr. AUSTIN

SCOTT of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To limit USDA funding for ground-mounted solar energy 

systems, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing Our Lands 

5 and Resources Act’’ or the ‘‘SOLAR Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USDA FUNDING FOR GROUND7 MOUNTED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS. 

8 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 (1) COVERED FARMLAND.—The term ‘‘covered 

10 farmland’’ has the meaning given in the term in secVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:52 Apr 20, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7923.IH H7923

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1 tion 1540(c)(1) of the Farmland Protection Policy 

2 Act (7 U.S.C. 4201(c)(1)). 

3 (2) CONVERSION.—The term ‘‘conversion’’ 

4 means, with respect to covered farmland, any activ5 ity that results in the covered farmland failing to 

6 meet the requirements of a State (as defined in sec7 tion 343 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Devel8 opment Act (7 U.S.C. 1991)) for agricultural pro9 duction, activity, or use. 

10 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

11 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

12 (b) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may not provide fi13 nancial assistance for a project that would result in the 

14 conversion of covered farmland for solar energy produc15 tion. 

16 (c) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (b) shall not apply to 

17 a project if the project— 

18 (1) results in the conversion of less than the 

19 greater of— 

20 (A) a de minimis amount of covered farm21 land for solar energy production relative to the 

22 total project area necessary for the success of 

23 the project, as determined by the Secretary, not 

24 to exceed 5 acres; or 

25 (B) 1 acre of covered farmland; and 


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1 (2) has received a resolution of approval or sup2 port, or other similar instrument from each county 

3 and municipality in which the project is sited. 

4 (d) COVERED FARMLAND PROTECTION.— 

5 (1) MITIGATION AND REMEDIATION PLAN RE6 QUIRED.—A person who has applied to the Secretary 

7 for financial assistance for a project that would re8 sult in the conversion of covered farmland for solar 

9 energy production and to which subsection (b) does 

10 not apply shall— 

11 (A) develop a mitigation and remediation 

12 plan for the project to— 

13 (i) implement best practices to protect 

14 future soil health and productivity, and 

15 mitigate soil erosion, compaction, and 

16 other effects of solar energy production 

17 during construction, operation, and decom18 missioning; and 

19 (ii) remediate and restore the soil 

20 health of the farmland to that of the farm21 land before the solar energy production 

22 project construction; and 

23 (B) ensure that sufficient funds, as deter24 mined by the Secretary, are provided for the de25 commissioning of the solar energy production 


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1 system and the remediation and restoration of 

2 covered farmland to carry out the mitigation 

3 and remediation plan described in subparagraph 

4 (A). 

5 (2) OBLIGATION AND DISBURSEMENT OF

6 FUNDS.—The Secretary may obligate financial as7 sistance for a project described in paragraph (1), 

8 but shall not disburse the financial assistance until 

9 the Secretary has determined that the applicant for 

10 the financial assistance has complied with paragraph 

11 (1). 

12 (3) PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.—A person re13 ferred to in paragraph (1) shall carry out— 

14 (A) the provisions of the plan that are de15 scribed in paragraph (1)(A)(i), on the receipt 

16 by the project of financial assistance from the 

17 Secretary and for the duration of solar energy 

18 production under the project; and 

19 (B) the provisions of the plan that are de20 scribed in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), on the cessation 

21 of solar energy production under the project. 

22 (4) COMPLIANCE.—A person who fails to com23 ply with paragraph (3) with respect to a project 

24 shall repay to the Secretary the full amount of the 


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1 financial assistance provided by the Secretary to the 

2 person for the project. 

Æ 


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