County Executive Bob Cassilly is preparing for potential legal action against proposals that would cover dozens of acres of farmland with solar panels and require battery energy storage units on prime agricultural land in Harford County. SB 931, passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2025, usurped local zoning authority and allowed such projects to move forward.
“We must protect our farmland and our communities from the potential dangers of these so-called green energy projects that can cause lasting harm to public health,” County Executive Cassilly said. “Fire officials have warned that battery energy storage fires must either burn out, which can take weeks, or be extinguished with chemical-laden fire suppressants. Such contaminants seep into the ground and smoke from the fires can contaminate area wells. We also know very little about how solar panel arrays are decommissioned and recycled. With so much unknown, we must be ready to take every regulatory and legal step to safeguard our quality of life.”
Citing public safety and environmental concerns, the county executive received approval Tuesday from the county council to hire expert, outside counsel and has launched a work group and a web page to keep the public informed. Legal services will be provided by G. Macy Nelson of Towson, Maryland.
The Cassilly administration’s work group held its first meeting last week. Members include the county departments of law; planning & zoning; inspections, licenses & permits, and public works, along with representatives from the volunteer fire companies, health department, county council, and community organizations, and individual community members.
The dedicated webpage on the county government website contains documents and resources to help keep residents informed about community solar and battery energy storage projects under consideration by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) for development in Harford County. harfordcountymd.gov/4018/Community-SolarBattery-Energy-Storage-Wo
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