Metro East Sun

Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois' 12th Congressional District said that the SOLAR Act is designed to prevent taxpayer-funded solar projects from overwhelming local communities and threatening Southern Illinois farmland. He made this statement in a Facebook post on February 27.

"For too long, rural communities have stood powerless as corporations – and even foreign countries – have gobbled up precious farmland," said Bost, U.S. Representative, according to Facebook. "We're seeing it in rural Southern Illinois, where solar panel companies are buying up tracts of prime farmland for their business operations. That's why I reintroduced the SOLAR Act, which stops taxpayer-funded solar projects from steamrolling local communities by requiring their approval and ensuring there's a plan in place to restore the land when these projects are done. Farmers still have the right to do what they wish with their property, but these corporations won't be incentivized with taxpayer dollars to take prime farmland out of production."

Bost introduced House Resolution 7923 in the 2023-2024 Congress on April 10, 2024. The bill seeks to limit U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding for ground-mounted solar energy systems. According to the bill’s webpage, the USDA Secretary would be prohibited from providing financial assistance for projects that convert covered farmland into land for energy production unless the project has received approval or support from each county and municipality where it is located. The bill also requires mitigation and remediation plans to ensure soil health, as well as sufficient funds for decommissioning solar systems and restoring farmland.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's Feb. 27 Facebook post | U.S. Rep Mike Bost's Facebook page

In April 2024, Bost said that solar panel projects are causing Illinois to lose precious, productive farmland, which impacts the country’s agricultural supply chain, food security, and local economies. He noted that many communities haven't had a say in where these projects are located or how land is designated for them. The legislation aims to give local communities the power to decide what is best for their areas.

The SOLAR Act isn’t the only legislation Bost has introduced to protect Illinois farmland from solar panel projects. This month, he introduced the PANELS Act, which seeks to restrict access to federal tax credits for companies converting farmland into solar panel tracts. The Act reduces the economic incentive for companies but does not affect farmers' ability to lease their property.

Mike Bost has been serving as the representative for Illinois’ 12th District since January 6, 2015. He has two decades of experience in the Illinois State House of Representatives where he served as House Republican Caucus Chair. A lifelong resident of Murphysboro and former U.S. Marine Corps member from 1979-1982, Bost worked for 24 years at Bost Trucking Service as a driver and truck manager before joining the Murphysboro Fire Department after graduating from the University of Illinois’ Certified Firefighter II Academy in 1993.