An official with the state Environmental Protection Division says runoff from a growing number of giant solar farms is becoming a major source of pollution for Georgia’s rivers and streams.
Huge solar farms of up to 1,000 acres are being built on south Georgia’s sandy soil which is vulnerable to erosion of sediment. Currently there are about 35,000 acres of solar farms spread over 54 miles representing 0.9% of the land in Georgia with landowners receiving about $2.9 billion a year leasing their land to Georgia Power alone.