Published 9:35 am Thursday, August 20, 2026
By Pamela Sleezer
Louisiana State Rep. Brett Geymann (R-Lake Charles) says the residents of a Moss Bluff community identified as the site for a proposed 4,700-acre solar farm don’t want to see the development in their neighborhood, and that he is opposing the site from the state level.
The industrial solar farm proposed by California-based Orion Renewable Energy Group would include up to 2.5 million solar panels in a space that would be kept 300 feet from residential property lines, with a greenspace buffer that includes trees and shrubs.
Geymann said that’s not enough for nearby residents.
“It’s really about location; that is what is at the heart of this opposition,” he said. “Community members in that area are not against industry development or expansion, but they don’t want to see it in their backyard. The people who live in that area chose to do so to get away from industry; it’s the character of the community.”
In addition to having industry creep into their home community, Geymann said residents are also concerned about the potential threat to their property values. According to a 2024 study by LSU’s Center for Energy Studies, solar farms have the potential to reduce property values up to 6.9 percent for the homes located within one mile of the site. The study did not find a negative effect on property values of homes located beyond a one-mile radius.
“Purchasing a home is the single most expensive investment a person makes; they have every right to be concerned with protecting its value,” Geymann said.
According to Orion officials, the solar farm would directly impact about 20 property owners. Those that live closest would receive a $5,000 annual stipend, while property owners living one-third of a mile away would receive $2,500 annually.
Still, Geymann said that’s not enough for residents to drop their concerns.
“This project will have a footprint on the community and even the wildlife surrounding the area,” he said. “We have to be careful about where we place these projects.”
For that reason, Geymann said he is willing to revise the state’s ordinance that he himself helped to draft in order to better protect residents. The current ordinance, adopted in January, requires utility-scale solar projects with a footprint of 75 acres or more to include a minimum 300-foot setback from residential property lines and a minimum 50-foot setback from public roadways with a 35-foot vegetative buffer. Additionally, operational noise is prohibited from exceeding 10 decibels above pre-construction levels at property lines.
Geymann said he is currently drafting a moratorium that, if passed, would temporarily pause the development of solar farm projects in the state while legislators review and enhance the state’s existing ordinance. He said he hopes to see the state adopt a stricter ordinance similar to Iberia Parish’s ordinance that was adopted last year, which requires a half-mile buffer between solar projects and residential property lines, as well as other restrictions.
“I believe we did a good job with the state’s current ordinance, but I believe we could do better,” Geymann said. “We don’t want to prevent industry from expanding in our state, but we have to be mindful of the impact these projects will have in the long-term.”

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