Community Assessment
Name
Timeline
Project Type
Size
Location
Landowners
Land Use
County Profile
Located in a rural area of Pennsylvania about an hour northeast of Pittsburgh, Indiana and Armstrong counties are home to a combined 150,000 residents. Primarily agricultural in character, the area also has a strong history of fossil fuel production and coal generation that is phasing out, including in the project area itself where there is a large electric plant.
Permitting
In Armstrong County, permitting is done at the municipal level, and the entire process is handled by a third-party. Indiana County has a Planning Commission, but presently there is no solar ordinance. However the county comprehensive plan supports renewable energy development. The county is considering adoption of a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) that would include solar as a land use and require review and approval from the Planning Commission.
Strategy
A well-connected anchor landowner, a favorable permitting regime and existing electric infrastructure bode well for the project’s prospects of success, despite the sizable Republican majority and fossil fuel legacy. We need to get in front of any emerging opposition coalition and shifting county processes by building support early with key stakeholders, working actively with county planners, and gathering the low hanging fruit of support.
