BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 21, 2022
The number of large solar farms in Maine is increasing quickly, prompting some residents and conservation groups, such as the Nature Conservancy, to worry about the development cutting deeper into forests. The groups emphasized that they support solar energy but don’t want it to disrupt vital habitats already threatened by climate change. Last year, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved 37 permit applications for commercial-scale solar farms, a 12-fold increase from 2018. This year, the state has approved 34 applications, while another 13 are being processed. Some developers have chosen to minimize environmental changes at their solar sites, showing creative ways others might accommodate vegetation and animals on solar farms.