FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2026
Media Contact: Keely McNeme, keely@renewcomm.com
RICHMOND, VA: MAREC Action applauds the Virginia General Assembly and Gov. Spanberger for enacting SB 347 and HB 711 into law today. The legislation modernizes how local governments review utility-scale solar projects across the commonwealth, which will unlock more affordable energy to Virginians.
The new law creates clear statewide standards for solar ordinances and zoning while preserving strong local oversight. Local officials retain final decision-making authority over individual projects. The legislation received bipartisan support from the General Assembly, with leadership from Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and House Majority Leader Charniele Herring.
At the Virginia General Assembly’s Veto Session, the House and Senate approved technical amendments proposed by Governor Spanberger to SB 347 and HB 711. With the approval of those amendments, the legislation will now become law on July 1, 2026.
Legislative leaders and regional/national solar industry experts weighed in on the law’s enactment:
“This is a win for Virginia families, our communities, and our energy future,” said Leader Herring. “We are delivering more affordable, reliable, homegrown energy while protecting local authority and property rights. I’m grateful to Gov. Spanberger for her partnership in getting this commonsense legislation across the finish line.”
“I am immensely grateful to Gov. Spanberger for her support for our solar siting legislation,” said Virginia State Senator Van Valkenburg. “Her support reflects her strong commitment to tackling energy affordability and advancing our clean energy goals. This new law brings us one step closer to easing energy demand and lowering costs for consumers by setting reasonable solar siting standards and requiring localities to consider these projects before making final decisions. This milestone has been years in the making and is the product of close collaboration among bill patrons, solar developers, and environmental advocates.”
“We applaud Gov. Spanberger and the General Assembly’s efforts to prioritize affordable energy for Virginia ratepayers through approval of HB 347 and HB 711,” said Evan Vaughan, Executive Director of MAREC Action. “Growth of utility-scale solar — a key tool to stabilize electricity rates as the least expensive form of new electricity generation — has been stymied by a patchwork of blanket local bans and overly restrictive ordinances. This new law strikes a practical balance to protect landowner rights and promote affordable energy production while preserving final local decision-making authority over individual solar projects. Ultimately, solar developers will need to continue working hard to engage directly with local governments, make an affirmative case to communities, and tailor projects to local conditions.”
“Virginia’s electricity demand is rising, and the commonwealth needs to deploy more low-cost generation to keep rates affordable and the grid reliable,” said Evie Hobbs, Deputy Director of Eastern Region State Affairs, American Clean Power Association. “Solar is one of the lowest-cost sources of new electricity, but inconsistent local siting rules have made it increasingly difficult to build projects, even when landowners and utilities support them.”
Under SB 347 and HB711, ground-mounted solar projects in commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, and mixed-use zones qualify as a permitted use under newly defined statewide standards. These ordinance standards include environmental safeguards, setbacks, decommissioning requirements, labor protections, and land management practices.
As part of the new legislation solar projects must receive a Siting Agreement or Special Use Permit from local governments. This preserves local authority to approve or deny a project on a case-by-case basis, even if the project meets the statewide ordinance standards. Local governments may also negotiate a variance from the standards as a condition for approval of the Siting Agreement or Special Use Permit.
Local governments must document any project denials, increasing transparency and fairness for community members and landowners alike. Before this legislation, solar projects would not have been proposed in a community with a solar ban or de facto ban, preventing residents from ever weighing the costs and benefits.
“At a time of rising demand and regional grid reliability challenges, Virginia cannot afford to sideline affordable, homegrown energy,” Vaughan said, “Solar projects bring private capital into rural communities and generate new tax revenue for schools and first responders. They also provide stable, long-term lease payments for farmers and landowners, offering a new ‘cash crop’ that can help families keep their land for another generation. And solar diversifies our energy mix and shields families and businesses from rising fuel prices. SB 347 and HB711 provide a clearer, more workable framework for project development, while reinforcing that collaboration between developers and localities remains essential to successful outcomes.”
Before this new law, local ordinances often imposed restrictive acreage caps, excessive setbacks, or outright bans, regardless of whether projects had community support. These inconsistent requirements discouraged investment, delayed project timelines, and ultimately increased electricity costs. The new framework provides communities, landowners, and developers with clearer standards and ultimately a more predictable process.
For more information on SB 347 and HB 711, please visit: https://marec.us/
About MAREC Action
MAREC Action (MAREC informally stands for “Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition”) is a 501.c4 non-profit dedicated to the growth of renewable energy technologies that improve our environment, diversify our electricity generation portfolio, and boost economic development in the PJM grid region. Our mission is to improve and enhance the opportunities for renewable energy development in ten jurisdictions in the PJM region in and around the Mid-Atlantic, specifically: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. We provide education and expertise on the economic benefits and environmental sustainability of wind and solar energy; offer technical expertise and advice on operating and integrating wind and solar into the electrical power system; and promote fair policies, rules and regulations to expand the region’s electric transmission system to accommodate the growth of renewable energy usage.