East Windsor Opposes Farmland Use for Energy Generation

The East Windsor Township Council passed a resolution Tuesdady that favors preserving farm land and open space in the community over developing renewable energy sources.

The township supports efforts to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, but the provision of alternate energy sources should not be at the expense of other community goals, like preserving the agricultural industry, Mayor Janice S. Mironov said.

“We’ve had many projects in the past with renewable energy in the community, but it can’t be used to destroy farms,” Mironov said of the resolution.

In East Windsor, there are 15 farms with 960 acres of land that are preserved under state and county farmland preservation programs. The town has received more than $16.6 million in state, county and local funding for preservation efforts.

Councilman Perry Shapiro was happy to see such a resolution come up in the meeting.

“I fully support [the resolution], it makes a lot of sense,” Shapiro said. “Nobody has spent all that money [on farms] to turn [them] into acres of solar paneling.”

Although the preservation of farmland in East Windsor has become a priority, renewable energy will still be considered in all areas of the township to complement residential, commercial and industrial energy uses.

The council will submit a copy of the resolution to the township Zoning Board of Adjustment, Gov. Chris Christie’s office and the township Environmental Commission.