Harney County
Harney County, Oregon: solar permitting grade D (score 63/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 63/100 |
| Population | 7,393 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Harney County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Oregon's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Lake County (≈74 mi) · Crook County (≈103 mi) · Canyon County (≈121 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Harney County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Burns city
- Hines city
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Malheur County · ≈70 miD52—
- Lake County · ≈74 miD53—
- Grant County · ≈99 miC46—
- Crook County · ≈103 miD57—
- Canyon County, ID · ≈121 miD56—
- Humboldt County, NV · ≈123 miB38—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Harney County ranks #36 of 36 ranked Oregon counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Oregon: Columbia County (B · 33), Deschutes County (B · 36), Lincoln County (B · 36). See all Oregon county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.