WILMINGTON — In a Wednesday press release, each Clinton County commissioner stated objections to a Chicago company’s proposal to build a 300-megawatt solar power generation facility in southern Clinton County.
The proposed utility-scale project is named the Yellow Wood Solar Energy Center. The land in question is in Jefferson and Clark Townships, as previously reported in News Journal articles starting in December 2020.
A representative of the Invenergy company did not reply to an email request for comment by News Journal deadline.
The press release contains individual statements from the three county commissioners.
Commissioners President Brenda K. Woods’ entire quotation is: “Our neighbors in other counties have seen firsthand the lack of accountability once thousands of these panels and related infrastructure are installed. There are issues with disruptive and continual noise during construction, ongoing drainage and erosion that affect neighboring properties, and reduction in neighboring property values.
“I remain concerned about the lack of oversight, maintenance and upkeep over a long, 30-plus-years installation as well as end-of-life removal and disposal of the equipment,” Woods continued. “Agreement has not been reached on essential terms for Clinton County, including substantial increases in all setbacks and authority to approve or deny stormwater mitigation plans. This [stipulation] agreement does not protect the county and its citizens who are directly affected. We do not want this for our Clinton County residents.”
Commissioner Kerry R. Steed’s full quotation is: “I am on the record as being 100 percent opposed to these types of industrial scale solar projects. I find it unacceptable that this industrial scale solar project takes thousands of acres of the most productive farmland in the state out of use and negatively affects the ag economy in Clinton County.”
Commissioner Mike McCarty’s quotation in full is: “From the beginning, I’ve been concerned about the lack of accountability. Based upon their own statements, the Ohio Power Siting Board does not proactively monitor or enforce compliance once the sites are built.
“When you look at projects in other counties, which I have, you can see firsthand the results of this lack of accountability,” McCarty added. “The project sites are poorly maintained and for a project that will require a commitment to ongoing maintenance for 30 or more years, that is a significant concern.”
The release also indicates the commissioners oppose an anticipated request by Invenergy to receive a tax abatement, “which would effectively reduce the anticipated full value of taxes on their project to all taxing authorities over a 30-year period.”
According to the website of the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB), which reviews applications for the construction of major utility facilities in the state, the current status of the proposed Yellow Wood Solar Energy Center project is labeled as “pending”. The website also shows the OPSB has not yet made a decision either to issue or deny a certificate in the matter.
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