In Iberia Parish, Louisiana, opposition fueled largely by a 1,200-member Facebook group killed a proposed utility-scale solar project after the parish council passed an ordinance requiring solar installations to sit at least half a mile from residential property lines. Opponents cited fears of cancer-causing chemicals, poisoned soil, falling property values and even solar-induced tornadoes, claims experts say are almost entirely unfounded.
The Acadiana Solar project would have leased land from farmer Andree McAnally's family and brought millions in local tax revenue to the parish; McAnally, who once shared the fears herself before researching the issue, told the council she was disappointed they hadn't consulted their own experts. Researchers estimate the highest projected solar buildout over the next decade would affect only about 1% of Louisiana's total farmland.
Energy policy outreach coordinator Matthew Holland said such opposition often spreads 'like wildfire' through misinformation, and posts in the Facebook group — cross-posted from a larger anti-renewables group — claimed solar would wipe out sugarcane farming and destabilize weather patterns, despite no evidence supporting the claims.
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