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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Hi, massplanners:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Of late, my colleague, Michael DeChiara and I have been working on a paper that makes recommendations to the state DOER as to the “standards” they will soon be developing for the local regulation of small ground-mounted solar installations (under 25MW) after March 1, 2026. As you’ll recall the Clean Energy bill says that towns that accept the DOER standards will be released from 40A:3 solar exemption for Solar Installations of 25MW or less (just about all of them so far).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>We are trying to be helpful, putting together these recommendations based on our decade+ of experience with regulating these projects. Hoping to build a constituency behind standards informed by municipal experience and get out in front on this.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>The DOER outcome will affect many of the towns professional planners work in, so we are submitting it to you for any comments you might have ahead of any wider distribution. We’re inviting comment from any planners with solar bylaw or regulatory experience, but will only send the draft to those asking to review it. It’s 8 pages and a manageable read.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Thanks so much, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Jeff Lacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Rural Planning Associates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>896 Graves Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Conway, MA 01341<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="mailto:ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com">ruralplanningassociates@crocker.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>(413) 230-9693 <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>