Fayette County
Fayette County, Pennsylvania: solar permitting grade F (score 73/100, Very High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | F · Very High Risk · Score 73/100 |
| Population | 127,923 |
| 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
Fayette County is very high risk for utility-scale solar permitting. Significant regulatory barriers are on record, and approval is not likely without substantial process investment.
Local intel
On file: named opposition groups
Cities, towns & townships
In Pennsylvania, townships hold their own zoning and land-use authority, so the rules for a site in Fayette County often depend on which of these governments it falls in.
- Connellsville city
- Uniontown city
- Belle Vernon borough
- Brownsville borough
- Dawson borough
- Dunbar borough
- Everson borough
- Fairchance borough
- Fayette City borough
- Markleysburg borough
- Masontown borough
- Newell borough
- Ohiopyle borough
- Perryopolis borough
- Point Marion borough
- Seven Springs borough
- Smithfield borough
- South Connellsville borough
- Vanderbilt borough
- Brownsville township
- Bullskin township
- Connellsville township
- Dunbar township
- Franklin township
Show all
- Georges township
- German township
- Henry Clay township
- Jefferson township
- Lower Tyrone township
- Luzerne township
- Menallen township
- Nicholson township
- North Union township
- Perry township
- Redstone township
- Saltlick township
- South Union township
- Springfield township
- Springhill township
- Stewart township
- Upper Tyrone township
- Washington township
- Wharton township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Westmoreland County · ≈29 miC51—
- Monongalia County, WV · ≈29 miC49—
- Preston County, WV · ≈31 miD59—
- Greene County · ≈31 miC46—
- Somerset County · ≈33 miD58—
- Garrett County, MD · ≈33 miC45—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Fayette County ranks #67 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.