46.8

Risk Grade

Good

Fastest-growing parish in Louisiana; South Baton Rouge suburban expansion reducing available flat land; petrochemical corridor (Geismar/Gonzales) creates grid complexity but also pro-industry culture; Entergy Louisiana MISO; evolving ordinance framework as growth pressure mounts; C-grade reflecting moderate regulatory friction and land competition

Assessment Snapshot

Population

125450

State Rank

#30

Compliance

46%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

200 ft from property lines; 500 ft from occupied residential structures; additional buffers near petrochemical facilities

Zoning Mechanism

Conditional Use Permit (CUP) — Ascension Parish Planning Commission / Parish Council

Acreage Caps

None formally established; density pressure increasing

Spacing Rules

None established

Size Restrictions

Generally <50 MW single project; no formal cap

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed — fast suburban growth creating land competition; petrochemical corridor landowners supportive; residential opposition emerging near growth corridors

Basis for Assessment

Ascension Parish Council; Gonzales Daily Digest; South Baton Rouge Metro Chamber

Political Risk Factors

Stable-Mixed

Board Members

Ascension Parish President + 12-member Parish Council — ascensionparish.net

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

MISO / Entergy Louisiana

Utilities

Entergy Louisiana, Ascension Electric Cooperative

State Permitting Process

Parish zoning authority; no state solar preemption; conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW); no mandatory decommissioning bond statewide (some parishes require it)

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; Louisiana sales tax exemption for solar equipment; Louisiana property tax exemption for solar; no state income tax credit for commercial solar

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Ascension Solar I (~30 MW, 2022); two additional approved projects in permitting (2023-2024)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Ascension Parish County, LA — Solar Development Risk Assessment