Balancing Solar Development and Environmental Protection

Jul 1, 2026

As communities across Southern New England work to expand renewable energy, an increasingly important question is emerging: how can states and municipalities encourage solar development while protecting forests, wildlife habitats, and other natural resources?

A recent report from the Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program and Marine Affairs Institute at Roger Williams University School of Law, Solar Siting Laws in Southern New England, as well as the coinciding document, Tables: Solar Siting Laws in Southern New England, both authored by Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellows Adeyinka Adeyoye and Erin King, examine the state laws and municipal ordinances governing solar infrastructure development in portions of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut located in the Narragansett Bay region. 

Rows of solar panels in a field surrounded by trees

IStock image by tigerstrawberry

The report notes that solar energy development continues to expand throughout the Narragansett Bay region and that it is important to figure out how to expand solar energy while protecting forests, wildlife habitat, farmland, and other natural resources.

The report explores how each state’s governance structure shapes solar regulation. Massachusetts grants municipalities considerable authority to enact their own solar ordinances and bylaws, while Connecticut relies more heavily on state-level governance. Rhode Island falls somewhere in between, providing municipalities with local authority while reserving certain powers for the General Assembly.

Reported by The Boston Globe’s Amanda Milkovits, several proposed solar developments in Rhode Island have generated significant debate over the loss of forests and open space. In Cranston, residents spent years opposing a commercial-scale solar project, arguing that clearing forested land for solar development would harm the surrounding ecosystem. The dispute illustrates the challenges communities face as they work to balance renewable energy goals with concerns about land use and conservation.

Across the three states, municipalities have adopted a variety of approaches to solar development. Some communities have implemented requirements that limit vegetation clearing, protect habitats, and address soil erosion, while others require site restoration and revegetation following decommissioning. For example, Burrillville’s ordinance limits the clearing of natural vegetation for solar development, while Foster requires developers to minimize clearing and assess the impacts of large-scale forest loss. In Connecticut, state agencies provide guidance on siting solar projects in agricultural areas and offer recommendations on permitting and project design.

As the report concludes, “striking a balance between conserving the environment and developing infrastructure is imperative.” By examining the varying legal frameworks across Southern New England, the report provides stakeholders, policymakers, and solar developers with a better understanding of the complex regulatory landscape governing solar development in the region.

Interested in reading more about this?

Click the link below to read more about Solar Siting Laws in Southern New England written by Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellows Adeyinka Adeyoye and Erin Kin

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Interested in seeing the tables behind this?

Click the link below to see the tables about Solar Siting Laws in Southern New England created by Rhode Island Sea Grant Law Fellows Adeyinka Adeyoye and Erin Kin
Click Here

– Isabella Carmichael, Rhode Island Sea Grant

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