Poland citizen initiative puts 6-month pause on solar farm project

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2026

A proposed solar electric generation facility in Poland will have to wait after residents voted to put a six-month moratorium on all commercial solar projects. The project proposes a .999-megawatt array covering about 6.5 acres across 21 abutting properties. It would be managed by PE Copernicus LLC of Yarmouth, a subsidiary of a North Carolina-based solar company. The project was given the green light Feb. 10 by the Poland Planning Board and sent to the Select Board for final approval. At a March 3 Select Board meeting, residents registered concerns, which included the speed of the project and environmental impact. The same day, the Select Board voted 3-2 against a moratorium on commercial solar projects. Residents began circulating a petition to put the moratorium up for a townwide vote under a citizen initiative. On Election Day, residents voted 761-611 in favor of the moratorium.