Community members lead call for responsible siting of solar power projects [Video]

JEFFERSON COUNTY, W.Va. (DC News Now) — There is a trend going around in the Mountain State’s eastern panhandle where farmers have been selling their land to backers of solar power projects.

The new energy source is a welcome in the region, but with some conditions as some activists insist it has to be done responsibly.

Street murals beautifying Shepherdstown

Acres of solar panels are replacing farmland. Suzanne Marman lives in Charles Town and said the current market’s conditions are challenging farmers.

“These farms, this agricultural land,” Marman said. “I really believe it’s being given up because it’s just so hard to do these days.”

At a community forum in Shepherdstown to close out the week, Lucia Valentine embraced the switch from fossil fuels but said solar siting must be done responsibly.

“Some of the projects that we’re seeing here in the eastern panhandle,” Valentine said. “That energy is being sold out of state. So that energy is not …