Rural Resistance to Renewable Energy: A Case Study of Cumberland Valley Township, PA

Degree type
Environmental Studies
Graduate group
Discipline
Environmental Studies
Subject
Renewable Energy
Funder
Grant number
Copyright date
2025
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Elijah Cook
Contributor
Abstract

The United States’ energy transition is dependent on Rural America to shoulder the infrastructure of renewable development, but residents feel this threatens their identity, leading to opposition to renewable energy projects. This thesis employs a case study of the community's perspectives on a 7MW solar development in Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania. Renewable energy is critical for addressing the climate crisis, yet place-based, historical, and procedural factors influence rural communities to view these developments with opposition and skepticism. This study includes original survey data and interviews with key residents, finding that opposition stems from concerns about land use, aesthetics, lack of transparency, and community engagement. Residents' place attachments and historical relationships to the land play a crucial role in shaping their perceptions. These findings illustrate the need for inclusive, transparent planning when putting renewable infrastructure in rural communities. Rural America needs to be a partner, not an obstacle, in the country’s energy transition. For renewable developments to be successful, they must observe local values, history, and priorities in the communities they are situated in.

Advisor
Lisa, Joseph
Date of degree
2025-05-18
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation