Columbia County
Columbia County, Pennsylvania: solar permitting grade C (score 46/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 46/100 |
| Population | 64,964 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Columbia County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement.
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: Montour County (≈14 mi) · Northumberland County (≈21 mi) · Luzerne County (≈24 mi)
Cities, towns & townships
In Pennsylvania, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Columbia County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Bloomsburg town
- Ashland borough
- Benton borough
- Berwick borough
- Briar Creek borough
- Catawissa borough
- Centralia borough
- Millville borough
- Orangeville borough
- Stillwater borough
- Beaver township
- Benton township
- Briar Creek township
- Catawissa township
- Cleveland township
- Conyngham township
- Fishing Creek township
- Franklin township
- Greenwood township
- Hemlock township
- Jackson township
- Locust township
- Madison township
- Main township
Show all
- Mifflin township
- Montour township
- Mount Pleasant township
- North Centre township
- Orange township
- Pine township
- Roaring Creek township
- Scott township
- South Centre township
- Sugarloaf township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Montour County · ≈14 miD59—
- Northumberland County · ≈21 miB37—
- Luzerne County · ≈24 miC51—
- Schuylkill County · ≈26 miD61—
- Sullivan County · ≈28 miC45—
- Union County · ≈34 miC47—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Columbia County ranks #23 of 67 ranked Pennsylvania counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Pennsylvania: Montgomery County (B · 33), Monroe County (B · 35), Perry County (B · 36). See all Pennsylvania 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.