California is reshaping how renewable energy and agriculture intersect, with Assembly Bill (AB) 1156 at the center of the debate. Introduced by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-CA-14), the legislation would make it easier for farmers to convert land protected under the Williamson Act into solar-use easements—removing many of the penalties and bureaucratic barriers that currently discourage such transitions.
Supporters say the measure could expand solar generation and provide struggling farmers with new sources of income, especially in areas where water scarcity has made farming increasingly challenging. Agricultural groups oppose the measure, arguing that it risks undermining the Williamson Act’s core mission of preserving farmland.
Key provisions of AB 1156
Under existing law, a farmer and a county can mutually agree to rescind a Williamson Act contract and simultaneously enter into a solar-use easement, provided the easement is approved by the Department of Conservation. AB 1156 proposes to replace the current rescission process with a conversion mechanism: the Williamson Act contract would be converted into a solar-use easement for the duration of the project.
The bill also broadens the scope of what a solar-use easement can include. Currently, such easements apply mainly to photovoltaic solar facilities. AB 1156 expands the definition to cover solar energy storage and appurtenant renewable energy facilities, reflecting the growing importance of grid storage.
The most notable change is procedural. At present, the Department of Conservation makes eligibility determinations only upon requests from counties or cities. AB 1156 shifts this power, requiring the department to make determinations at the request of the landowner and in consultation with local groundwater sustainability agencies. The department would have 120 days to issue a decision; if it fails to act, the application would be deemed approved.
Eligibility standards for conversion would also change under AB 1156. Current law prohibits solar-use easements on prime farmland, unique farmland or farmland of statewide importance unless exceptional circumstances limit agricultural use. The bill would clarify that insufficient water supplies may constitute such circumstances.
Additionally, AB 1156 authorizes conversions on land with insufficient groundwater or surface water to support commercially viable irrigated agriculture. The bill also adds requirements related to the land’s historical use and whether it is subject to other conservation easements or programs.
The bill also alters mitigation requirements. Existing law authorizes counties to require on-site or off-site mitigation for solar projects and obliges landowners to post performance bonds to restore land once projects expire. AB 1156 would remove the bond requirement and limit mitigation to impacts with a clear nexus to the project.
Agricultural opposition
Prominent agricultural organizations—including the California Farm Bureau Federation, the California Cattlemen’s Association, American Farmland Trust and others—have voiced opposition to AB 1156. These groups argue that the proposal risks undermining the Williamson Act’s core mission of farmland preservation.
Specifically, they have called for amendments that would protect prime soils and lands of statewide importance from solar conversions. They also want to maintain the cancelation payment obligation that applies when a Williamson Act contract is terminated early. That penalty, they argue, discourages premature farmland conversions and ensures the state recoups some of the tax benefits landowners received under the program.
Peter Ansel, a policy advocate with the California Farm Bureau, told Politico that carving out an exemption for solar could lead to a “Wild West of solar speculation.”
“It allows them to go after the best lands in the state without meeting any of those time or cost obligations and without being trued up on the cost of that development compared to other developments in the community,” Ansel said.
The Williamson Act
Also known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, the Williamson Act was created to slow the rapid urbanization of farmland. The program allows landowners to voluntarily enter into contracts with counties or cities, restricting land use to agriculture or open space in exchange for reduced property tax assessments.
For decades, the act has been one of California’s most important farmland preservation tools, covering millions of acres and giving landowners a financial incentive to keep their land in agricultural use. The tradeoff is that removing land from Williamson Act contracts typically carries steep penalties and requires long notice periods, making conversions cumbersome.
AB 1156 has already cleared the Assembly and is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee, where it has been placed in the suspense file. The legislature must act on the bill by Sept. 12, when the session ends. If passed, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) would have until Oct.12 to either sign or veto the measure. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
