U.S. Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) made a stop in New Athens on Friday as part of several visits throughout his district on various matters. 

The purpose of Bost’s visit to New Athens Community Hall was to meet with farmers and rural residents on the impact of solar companies purchasing prime farmland for solar panel tracks and legislation he introduced such as the SOLAR Act and PANELS Act.

“I’m not against solar. I’ve got ‘em on my house,” Bost told the 60 or so attendees, which included  a contingent of New Athens FFA chapter members. “I’m really trying to help the farmers.”

The SOLAR (Securing Our Lands And Resources) Act would require funding recipients to have soil remediation plans in place and funding secured to remove solar panels upon project completion and establishes guidelines for solar panel projects on farmland designated as “prime” or “A1” – land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for food production.

The PANELS Act restricts access to federal tax credits for companies converting these properties into solar panel tracts. This act would not prevent a farmer from leasing their property for solar panels, Bost said, but it would reduce the economic incentive for companies to do so.

“I don’t blame the farmers. My gosh. You don’t have to produce a crop, you get a lease. You’re making more money,” Bost said. “It’s tempting to turn it over to solar panels.”

This proposed legislation comes after Illinois removed zoning authority from local governments and made it a state governed matter, Bost said.

Bost told attendees that due to the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, federal law cannot supercede the state authority on this matter.

“It’s no longer a local control issue, it’s a state control issue,” Bost said. “So, we’re trying to move along a way that at least we’re not using tax incentives to take farmland out of production.”

While the bulk of this one-hour discussion was focused on the topic of solar farms and agriculture, Bost did face criticism from a few attendees for his support of President Trump’s policies. 

A group of protestors gathered outside of New Athens Community Hall upon Bost’s arrival Friday afternoon. A few of them attended the event inside, leading to some heated discussions that veered off-topic.

One man stopped Bost’s discussion in the first minute, asking the congressman what he’s doing for veterans. 

“You are yellow,” the man shouted to Bost.

“You know what? This Marine ain’t yellow, buddy,” Bost replied.

The man went on to call Bost a “Trump rubber stamp,” to which the congressman responded he’s the elected person for this district.

“I stand up for my district and the majority of the people who make sure I represent them,” Bost said.

A few minutes later, another attendee challenged Bost’s claim that only alternative energy offerings – such as solar and wind – receive government subsidies.

“Money has been subsidized toward oil,” said the man, who told Bost he moved from New Mexico to this legislative district.

The man then criticized Bost and other politicians for being untruthful on matters such as the environment.

“You are distracting us with scary bogeymen like DEI, trans, woke,” he said. “You guys are supposed to work for us.” 

The last off-topic situation came a short time later when an attendee used sexual language that led to him immediately being thrown out of the gathering.