38.6

Risk Grade

Good

I-70 corridor; Rifle/Silt area has flat land; Garfield historically oil-and-gas dominant; energy-pragmatic culture means solar not ideologically opposed; Holy Cross/Xcel grid; valley-floor sites viable

Assessment Snapshot

Population

60061

State Rank

#24

Compliance

44%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

None codified

Zoning Mechanism

County Zoning / Special Use Permit

Acreage Caps

No cap

Density Caps

Size Restrictions

No restrictions

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral — Rifle/Glenwood corridor; oil and gas county; energy-pragmatic community; some flat valley land

Basis for Assessment

Garfield County planning; Glenwood Springs Post Independent

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

Tom Jankovsky (R, 2026) | John Martin (R, 2027) | Mike Samson (R, 2026)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Xcel Energy (PSCO) / Holy Cross Energy / WECC

Utilities

Xcel Energy (PSCO), Holy Cross Energy

State Permitting Process

County SUP; HB 23-1232 CEO review >50 MW; decommissioning bond

State Incentives

Federal ITC; Colorado Clean Energy Fund

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Two ground-mount projects (~20 MW combined, 2020–23)

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Garfield County, CO — Solar Development Risk Assessment