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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 683
C5, L1 6lr2633
By: Senators Gallion and Jennings
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Utilities – Solar Energy Generating Stations – Siting 2
(Solar Siting and Preservation Credit Act of 2026) 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing a county to credit certain solar energy generating stations 4
constructed on certain parcels toward the acreage limitation for solar energy 5
generating stations constructed in priority preservation areas; and generally 6
relating to solar energy generating stations. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Public Utilities 9
Section 7–218(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Public Utilities 14
Section 7–218(h) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Public Utilities 20
7–218. 21
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 22
(2) “Agrivoltaics” has the meaning stated in § 7–306.2 of this title. 23
2 SENATE BILL 683
(3) “Brownfields site” has the meaning stated in § 7–207 of this subtitle. 1
(4) “Local jurisdiction” includes counties, municipal corporations, and 2
other forms of local government. 3
(5) “Priority preservation area” means an area certified as a priority 4
preservation area under § 2–518 of the Agriculture Article. 5
(6) (i) “Project area” means an area within which construction, 6
materials and equipment storage, grading, landscaping, and related activities for a project 7
may occur. 8
(ii) “Project area” includes one or more contiguous parcels or 9
properties under the same ownership or lease agreement. 10
(h) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, a local 11
jurisdiction may not: 12
(i) adopt zoning laws or other laws or regulations that prohibit the 13
construction or operation of solar energy generating stations; or 14
(ii) deny site development plans for solar energy generating stations 15
that meet the requirements of subsection (f) of this section. 16
(2) A local jurisdiction shall: 17
(i) expedite the review and approval of site development plans for 18
solar energy generating stations if those plans meet the requirements of this section; and 19
(ii) for solar energy generating stations with a generating capacity 20
of not more than 5 megawatts, as measured by the alternating current rating of the solar 21
energy generating station’s inverter, process the site development plan application as a 22
permitted use subject to the review standards in § 4–205 of the Land Use Article. 23
(3) A ground mounted solar energy generating station with a generating 24
capacity of more than 5 megawatts, as measured by the alternating current rating of the 25
solar energy generating station’s inverter, may not be located on any lot, parcel, or tract of 26
land that, as of January 1, 2025, is located within: 27
(i) a Tier 1 or Tier 2 mapped locally designated growth area adopted 28
under § 1–506 of the Land Use Article; 29
(ii) a medium density residential area or high density residential 30
area, as defined in § 5–1601 of the Natural Resources Article; or 31
(iii) a mixed–use area with a residential component. 32
SENATE BILL 683 3
(4) (i) The total combined number of solar energy generating stations 1
that may be approved for construction in a priority preservation area that was established 2
before January 1, 2025, shall: 3
1. be limited in area to 5% of the total acreage of the priority 4
preservation area; 5
2. be located in the project ar ea within the priority 6
preservation area; and 7
3. meet all requirements under this section. 8
(ii) The prohibitions in paragraph (1) of this subsection do not apply 9
to the remaining 95% of a priority preservation area once the 5% limitation under 10
subparagraph (i) of this paragraph has been achieved for the priority preservation area. 11
(iii) A COUNTY MAY CREDIT SO LAR ENERGY GENERATIN G 12
STATIONS THAT ARE AP PROVED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2027, AND ARE LOCATED ON 13
BROWNFIELDS, SCHOOL ROOFTOPS OR F IELDS, OR OTHER UNDERUTILIZ ED LAND, 14
TOWARD THE 5% LIMITATION IN SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH. 15
(IV) A county shall report to the Commission when the 5% limitation 16
under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph has bee n achieved for a priority preservation 17
area. 18
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
October 1, 2026. 20