Resolution text:

"WHEREAS, Georgia Conservancy's Georgia Now and Forever initiative determined that Georgia lost approximately 2.6 million acres of crop, hay, and pasture land from 1974 to 2016, and such losses continue today; and

WHEREAS, there is a critical need for an enhanced energy production capacity in Georgia given the current and expected increase in demand across the state; and

WHEREAS, the implications and effects of solar facilities on farmland are largely unknown and there exists an increasing amount of hesitancy among Georgia's farmers and producers to allow further development of these facilities in their communities without this knowledge; and

WHEREAS, preservation of our state's farmland by mitigating the placement of solar facilities on productive farmland and encouraging siting of solar facilities on marginal farmland or timberland is essential; and 

WHEREAS, additional legislative measures may be necessary to provide local communities with the ability to protect Georgia's farmland as a critically important state resource and to fully evaluate existing and new solar technology; and 

WHEREAS, a study of existing measures in other states would be beneficial to evaluate the development and siting of solar facilities, to inform all stakeholders of the benefits and consequences of increased solar facility development, and to identify any short-term or long-term implications that could impact the value of Georgia's vitally important farmland, as well as potential solutions.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:  

Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee on Solar Facility Development."