Lamar County, MS — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

No county solar setbacks. Municipal codes apply within city limits. Growing residential and commercial base creates demand for rooftop solar.

County Board of Supervisors governs unincorporated growth areas (most of county development); municipal codes for Purvis/Lumberton.

Favorable. Fastest-growing county in Mississippi; highest MHI in southeast MS; Hattiesburg suburb growth drives rooftop and C&I solar; supervisors focused on economic development and generally pro-business.

Highest growth rate in MS; strong MHI; Hattiesburg-area economy; pro-business supervisors; Mississippi Power territory but C&I economics are strong enough to proceed.

Stable

No statewide solar siting law. Utility-scale solar regulated at county level by Board of Supervisors via discretionary zoning or conditional use permits. Counties retain full authority to approve, condition, or deny projects with no state preemption. MPSC oversees electric utilities; no formal solar siting review below 300 MW. FERC/MISO or SERC interconnection governs projects >20 MW.

No state RPS or SREC market. Solar equipment property tax exemption (Miss. Code Ann. §27-31-101). Net metering under MPSC Rule 29 (capped at 150% of 12-month avg usage; interconnection fee may apply). Federal ITC (30% under IRA 2022) is primary incentive. No state solar grant or loan programs.

Several C&I rooftop installations in Hattiesburg-Lamar commercial corridor. Residential rooftop solar growing with new construction. No confirmed large utility-scale ground-mount projects yet.

No confirmed denials on record.