The Mahoning County Commissioners could decide Thursday if it will prohibit large wind and solar farms in ten townships.

An item on the board’s weekly meeting includes a resolution that would declare the unincorporated areas of Austintown, Beaver, Berlin, Canfield, Coitsville, Goshen, Jackson, Milton, Poland, and Springfield Townships to be restricted areas and prohibit construction of what is described as “any economically significant wind farm, large wind farm, and large solar facility.” Commissioners acted earlier to ban such facilities in Green Township.

Under an Ohio law that went into effect in 2021, the board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution designating all or part of the unincorporated area of a county as a restricted area, prohibiting the construction of an economically significant wind farm, a large wind farm, and a large solar facility.

The Columbiana County Board of Commissioners has already banned big solar and wind farms in all 18 townships.

In Trumbull County, Lordstown council has banned the issuance of new permits from such facilities.

At a public hearing on the Mahoning County ban, some people spoke up in favor of cleaner energy alternatives like wind and solar, while others expressed concerns about the loss of agricultural land.

The Mahoning County Commissioners are scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2024.