Yakima County Lifts Solar Moratorium, Opening Door to Clean Energy Development

What This Means for Climate and Health in Washington

By Alee Perkins, MD

In 2022, Yakima County initiated a freeze on the development of new solar facilities in the area.  In the years since, the Yakima community has been debating whether to lift the moratorium as a part of a long running debate over land use, energy development, and the direction of the county’s agriculture.  The moratorium was initially supposed to last 6 months, but was finally lifted just this past week.  After months of deliberation, the Board of County Commissioners has adopted a new solar ordinance, effectively reopening the door to utility-scale solar projects while attempting to balance competing priorities.

Yakima County’s moratorium on new solar development had stalled projects and created uncertainty for landowners, developers, and policymakers alike. With its repeal, the county replaced a blanket restriction with a framework intended to guide where and how solar can move forward. According to the Yakima Herald-Republic, the newly approved ordinance introduces a structured approach to siting solar facilities, with an emphasis on agricultural preservation and long-term land stewardship.

At the heart of the discussion was the tension between protecting high-value agricultural land while expanding renewable energy infrastructure.  Out of three county commissioners, two voted in support of lifting the moratorium.  Commissioners Curtis and Linde were in support, largely because of the economic flexibility installation of solar energy would provide to farmers in the region.  Commissioner McKinney voted against, citing legal interpretations of Washington’s Growth Management Act and concern that the proposal could violate the GMA.  

Local level advocacy was pivotal in bringing this vote forward.  Yakima residents, members of the Yakima County 350 Advocacy group, local physicians, and local landowners, as well as leaders from the group Greenlight America, worked together to provide testimony, attend commissioner hearings, write petitions, and engage volunteers in helping lift the moratorium.  With the ordinance now in place, project proposals will be put forward starting in 9 weeks.  

By lifting the moratorium and adopting a detailed ordinance, Yakima County has positioned itself to take advantage of the benefits solar energy can bring when placed on agricultural land.  This may prove a lucrative move for farmers as climatic conditions become more unstable and the demand for clean energy increases.  This is undeniably a great step forward in our state’s ability to transition away from carbon intensive energy sources and towards clean electricity.