This bill benefits birds, bees and farmers, and it’s 2 votes from becoming SC law

When you find common ground between conservationists and agriculturists, you know you’re onto something. A bill in the S.C. Senate does just that: aligning the interests of birdwatchers, bee lovers and farmers alike.

The Solar Habitat Act (H.4875) would establish a completely voluntary standard by which companies can market their commercial solar facilities as “pollinator and bird friendly.” The standard, set by state agencies, would require the planting of native perennials and foraging habitats in and around solar sites.

Most solar developers use turf grasses or gravel as beds for their platforms, neither of which is cost-efficient or wildlife-friendly. Native plants, on the other hand, provide valuable benefits and reduce costs for the entire community.

South Carolina’s 400,000 birdwatchers will cheer the additional habitat that the use of indigenous plants would provide. For instance, wildflowers, forbs and grasses serve as habitat, forage and migratory way-stations for 160 S.C. bird species, including both game and song birds.

These plants also attract wild pollinators such as bees, bats and butterflies, all of which play a critical role in producing the crops that feed our state and fuel our economy. Research has shown that planting native plants increases both the productive yield and gross revenue of surrounding croplands. As farmers struggle with the harmful impacts of hive collapse, the importance of supporting pollinators cannot be overstated.

Native plants are adapted to our climate and soil conditions and can withstand periods of drought and other severe weather, and they don’t require the constant mowing, watering or fertilizing that turf grasses do. Their deep roots support healthy soils and filter stormwater directly into the aquifer, preventing damaging runoff and surface erosion during intense downpours.

Given the wide-ranging benefits of native plants, it is easy to see why the Solar Habitat Act enjoys the support of environmental groups, the S.C. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Similar bills have been enacted or are pending in Minnesota, Maryland, Vermont, New York, Illinois and Georgia. Solar developers themselves are already poised for action, with one developer in South Carolina ready to plant 1,000 acres of bird-friendly, pollinator-friendly habitat.

South Carolina has a strong and proud tradition of agriculture, as well as rich biological heritage. Both would benefit from any restoration of native plants and pollinators, especially as our state’s birds, bees and butterflies are in decline. H.4875 is a viable, no-cost opportunity to promote the benefits of native plants and support smart growth in the expanding solar-energy market, while giving back to farmers, improving storm water management and supporting wildlife. Before this legislative session ends on Thursday, please encourage your state senator to support the Solar Habitat Act.

This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 9:55 AM with the headline "This bill benefits birds, bees and farmers, and it’s 2 votes from becoming SC law."