Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Adirondack) joined Special Envoy for American Landowners John Rich, local farmer and advocate Alex Fasulo, elected officials from across upstate and other community members at Fasulo’s Farm in Schuylerville for a discussion on protecting agricultural land and rural property rights.

The gathering focused on the challenges facing New York farmland owners, including state-level decisions that can override local input on large renewable energy projects via the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES).

“Albany’s process is pushing industrial solar onto productive farmland and sidelining local communities,” said Simpson. “We are not opposed to clean energy, but lofty goals shouldn’t come at the expense of home rule and the greenery we are trying to protect.”

Simpson is currently carrying proposed legislation that would require ORES to align with the state’s conservation goals and protect sensitive open spaces from industrial renewable projects by establishing clear land-use tiers and requiring real compensatory protections.