Key facts
- Alexandra Fasulo, an influencer with over 2 million followers, has become a prominent critic of solar energy projects on farmland.
- Fasulo's anti-solar advocacy has drawn attention from Trump administration officials, including U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
- A letter mirroring Fasulo's concerns was sent to New York Governor Kathy Hochul by Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and John Rich.
- Fasulo has been featured in a campaign ad with Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor, who opposes solar on farmland.
- New York's Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) is a primary target of Fasulo's criticism.
- The state of New York has struggled to counter Fasulo's claims, despite stating that only 0.13% of prime farmland is impacted by permitted projects.
Alexandra Fasulo, an influencer with a significant online presence, has become a key figure in the debate over solar energy development on farmland in New York. Despite lacking formal training in farming or energy policy, her widespread criticism of solar projects has gained national attention and influenced political campaigns.
Fasulo's advocacy has resonated with Republican officials, including U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who met with the influencer and later co-signed a letter with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and country singer John Rich to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, raising concerns about solar development on agricultural land. Rich himself cited Fasulo's online posts as the catalyst for his attention to New York's solar buildout.
Fasulo's anti-solar stance has been adopted by Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for New York governor, who has appeared in campaign ads with her and vowed to halt solar projects on farmland if elected. She has also criticized New York's Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES), advocating for its dissolution.
The New York state administration has defended its energy policies, noting that only a small fraction of prime farmland is affected by permitted solar projects. However, officials acknowledge struggling to counter the online and media furor surrounding the issue. The renewable energy industry, represented by groups like the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, is working to amplify pro-solar voices and emphasize the economic benefits of renewable energy to counter Fasulo's narrative.