Feds demand answers from Gov. Hochul over solar development on “prime” farmland

OAKFIELD, N.Y. — Country music star John Rich is leading a federal challenge against New York’s approval process for large-scale solar projects, claiming the state is bypassing U.S. Department of Agriculture standards to fast-track development on prime farmland.

Rich is working with the Trump administration in what’s shaping up as a showdown with Gov. Kathy Hochul over solar expansion in upstate New York. Some of the largest solar projects in the state are in Genesee County, where the Cider Solar Project spans 4,600 acres leased from more than 30 landowners in Oakfield and Elba.

Federal officials are questioning whether the state violated USDA standards by allowing projects on prime farmland. A letter to Hochul demanding answers was signed by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Rich, who serves as special envoy for American landowners.

“Upstate New York is virtually all prime farmland. It’s some of the best farmland in the United States,” Rich said.

News10NBC spoke with Rich from his home in Nashville. He said the state has 30 days to explain its approval process.

“There’s a 30 day window to answer a lot of questions about why they think they can do what they’re doing and just bypass standard law that’s been in place since the late 1970’s,” Rich said.

Instead of using the USDA’s standard for prime farmland, Rich said the state created its own calculation to downgrade soil classifications. He says this allowed New York to fast-track solar projects that would otherwise face stricter review.

“When you start knocking out 100’s of square miles, I want to get that point across — not hundreds of acres, 100’s of square miles of farmland, you start to infringe upon national security with that. Food security is national security,” Rich said.

The governor’s office fired back, claiming it hasn’t changed prime farmland definitions. In an emailed statement, Ken Lovett, Hochul’s senior communications advisor on energy and environment, saying it hasn’t changed prime farmland definitions.

“This is yet another case of the Trump hypocrites trying to deflect attention from their own abysmal record on both energy and protecting our farmers. Under Governor Hochul, who has worked to preserve 134,000 acres of prime farmland, New York energy development is occurring only on land that is willingly leased by landowners,” Lovett said.

Rich said they’re prepared to take the fight to court if needed.

“The consequences are too big, the situation is too big, and the nature of it is so egregious that I don’t believe it can be allowed to stand,” Rich said.

The letter stops short of threatening enforcement action. Right now the agencies are looking for explanations and documentation.

Rich said he plans to visit western New York next month to tour the solar developments and interview farmers and community leaders.