https://www.cfact.org/2022/12/19/solar-energys-deforestation-problem-ft-john-murawski/
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“This year the American Farmland Trust said that expanding solar power could gobble up as much as 3,900 square miles nationwide, and predicted that many Eastern states could lose between 1.5% and 6% of their undeveloped land to solar facilities – mostly on farmland that’s flat, cleared, and near to existing transmission infrastructure. A Princeton University study this year forecast that achieving a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050 could directly impact a cumulative land area the size of Virginia, with forested lands the most directly impacted by solar deployment in Eastern states. In local opposition to solar, big concerns are loss of farmland and harm to animals. The environmental groups that have launched waves of lawsuits and press releases to fight oil and gas pipelines, natural gas fracking activity, and power plant ozone violations have largely been absent on this issue.” — John Murawski, RealClearInvestigations
In Episode 326 of District of Conservation, Gabriella speaks with RealClearInvestigations reporter John Murawski about the largest-planned solar energy facility, thus far, in Virginia and the battle brewing in Charlotte County, Virginia, about the proposed project. Plus, why there are crickets from environmentalists over the methods – including deforestation- that need to be employed to achieve net-zero goals to get solar energy powering more than 2.8% of U.S. electricity generation. Tune in!
