MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (WCMH) — A proposed solar project in Knox County has brought the area a lot of controversy as many have come out against it.
More than 3,000 public comments have been filed and on Wednesday, a third public hearing wrapped up.
It’s all about a project that would install solar panels on a maximum of 840 acres with enough energy to power about 14,000 homes. It would be a 40-year project and at the end of it the land would be returned back to farm land.
This has some people doubtful.
Many of the people speaking out aren’t saying no to solar power; they shared that it’s just a no to solar on Knox County farmland. Throughout three public hearings, more people laid out how this would impact them and why they are on the side they are on.
Two main groups have come out against the Open Road Renewables Fraiser Solar Project: Knox Smart Development and Preserve Knox County Ohio.
“There’s a lot of unknowns and a lot of promises that we’ve been asked to just kind of take on faith that they will come about, as the developer has promised,” Preserve Knox County Ohio member Ben Dean said.
Members from both groups were at Wednesday’s meeting to show their opposition to the project.
“Because we’re the people that live here, we’re not ready to gamble with our families and our livelihoods and our well-being on something that’s just not been proven,” Dean said.
Other Knox County residents who would live right where the projects would be were also at the meeting.
“Majority of the people in Knox County don’t want this. We don’t necessarily have all the local officials listening to it. They’re looking at the dollar signs and we’re looking at the quality of life,” Knox County resident Ron Butcher said.
Representatives from Open Road were at the meeting, talking about why Knox County was chosen for this project.
“Here there is capacity on the grid. It is very, very expensive to build new infrastructure. But when there’s opportunity for electrons to be added to the grid, we look at that as an opportunity for us,” Open Roads Renewables Community Relations Manager for Fraiser Solar Project Dan Cech said. “We then work with private landowners who decide whether they want to lease their land. And we almost always lease the land.”
Most of the land where the solar project will be built is leased from landowners. The plan is after 40 years for the land to be returned back to farmland.
In the Public Utilities Commission staff investigation into this project, it sites concerns about topsoil being disturbed. It says: “topsoil once disturbed and/or removed is unlikely to retain its original productivity.”
The report recommends, because of the loss of potential productivity, to limit the amount of grading of topsoil that can be done during construction.
Open Roads has an office in Mount Vernon and says they hope people come to them to learn more.
“We regularly will cite scientific studies that have been done by various organizations and are willing to answer any questions and concerns that are brought up,” Cech said.
For many at the hearing, they say they plan to keep pushing back on the project.
“The [global] warming is an issue and we need to work on that. But we need to find other places to put it not on prime farm ground,” Butcher said.
“Homes, top of homes. There’s colleges that are putting them on over their parking areas. You know, we have to think outside the box, but it shouldn’t be on prime farmland,” Knox County resident Rhonda Noble said.
Another issue raised was by the Knox County Airport Chairman Joe Ziegman. He says because of the proximity to the solar panels, he is worried about glare impacting safe landings.
“Our airport board, which is the airport authority unanimously passed a resolution against this industrial solar near the airport, the only reason being is the safety of air flight,” Ziegman said. “There are eight solar fields within a two-mile radius of the airport.”
Open Roads said this is a recent concern and is looking into this.
“We’re working with the FAA on their concerns right now to make sure that everything’s addressed and looking into other areas and airports that have similar setups to see if they’ve encountered any issues,” Cech said.
The next step comes in August when the evidentiary hearing takes place. Both sides present evidence and then the Ohio Power Siting Board, which has the say on whether this project moves forward will make a decision.