SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / OR / Harney

Harney County, OR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

46.5
Risk Grade
Good
Among best solar irradiance in Oregon (Class 6) but extreme remoteness and limited grid infrastructure create major development barriers; BLM land dominance requires federal approval adding timeline; tiny population (7,400) limits distributed solar market; long-term potential high but near-term barriers significant
Assessment Snapshot
Population
7393
State Rank
#16
Compliance
45%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft from property lines; 300 ft from residences; additional NWR buffer where applicable
Zoning Mechanism
EFU (Exclusive Farm Use), Grazing (G), Public Lands (BLM/USFS); Burns area commercial zones; Malheur NWR adjacency buffer zones
Acreage Caps
No county cap
Spacing Rules
None specified
Size Restrictions
ODOE >35 MW; BLM Lakeview/Burns District ROW; USFWS for NWR adjacency; county CUP; NEPA review for federal land components

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral-Pragmatic — ranching community open to solar lease income given declining cattle economy; Burns community pragmatic about energy development providing tax revenue; Harney County News coverage shows cautious openness
Basis for Assessment
Harney County planning records; Harney County News (Burns); BLM Burns District records; Harney County Commissioner meeting minutes 2021-2024
Political Risk Factors
Stable — pragmatic rural ranching community; Sagebrush Rebellion heritage but economic reality of declining ranching income opens door to solar lease revenue; Burns community neutral-pragmatic
Board Members
Pete Runnels (Chair), Patsy Ray, Dan Nichols

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp); BPA (very limited; Midpoint–Alvord corridor distant)
Utilities
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp), Harney Electric Cooperative
State Permitting Process
ORS 215 EFU CUP; BLM ROW Authorization; ODOE Energy Facility Siting >35 MW; NEPA for federal land; USFWS for NWR adjacency
State Incentives
Eligible — Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Riley Solar Farm (10 MW, 2020)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes