Council doubles solar well buffer, adopts bylaw
Amherst's Town Council adopted a clean energy bylaw and doubled its solar setback for private wells. The council voted 7-5 to raise the no-disturbance buffer between solar arrays and private wells from 100 feet to 200 feet, then adopted the full Article 18 bylaw 12-0, with Councilor Walker absent.
Select Board · Meeting of September 14, 2026
Amherst's Town Council adopted a clean energy bylaw and doubled its solar setback for private wells. The council voted 7-5 to raise the no-disturbance buffer between solar arrays and private wells from 100 feet to 200 feet, then adopted the full Article 18 bylaw 12-0, with Councilor Walker absent. Councilor Lynn Griesemer, who proposed the change, cited a Pecos, Texas solar farm failure that contaminated nearby wells, while Councilor Ryan said he struggled "to get a reason other than constituent fear" to support it.
Planning Board Chair Doug Marshall and architect Bruce Coldham had urged rejection, warning the wider buffer "quadruples the amount of land" removed from potential solar use. A second amendment extending firefighting-contamination protections to private wells passed 8-4. The bylaw takes effect in two weeks, ahead of an October 1 state deadline.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,469 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of September 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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