Speakers at a Patrick County meeting detailed the many problems with utility-scale solar projects in Virginia. These include visual pollution (thousands of panels surrounded by barbed wire fences) and rainwater runoff that pollutes streams with excess sediment.
Other speakers pointed to the difficulty of learning more about the solar developers themselves, since many use post office box addresses, and the difficulty in filing Freedom of Information Act requests.
In Patrick County, solar developer Energix “has yet to divulge its private contract for decommissioning solar panels and proposes the subtraction of resale value to defray a realistic decommission bond,” according to Jim Best, a member of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR).
Read the full article in The Enterprise here:
Board approves revenue sharing for solar projects, hears stark warning if allowing projects (by Taylor Boyd, 18 Jan 2023, The Enterprise)
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance for revenue sharing of solar energy projects and energy storage systems, after several speakers, including one from Pittsylvania County, spoke against solar projects and encouraged caution in allowing the creation of so-called solar ‘farms’ in the county.
Mary Beth Clement traveled from Pittsylvania County to address the board at its January 9 meeting.
“I come to you this evening with words of great caution concerning the much-hyped solar farms and solar facilities,” Clement said, noting that Patrick County is the most beautiful rural county she’s ever seen with its mountains, valleys, creeks, ponds, and acres of pastures and wide-open spaces.
Over the last few years, Pittsylvania County has become a hub of solar facility activity with about 20 solar projects approved that, when complete, will occupy more than 10,000 acres.
“I, like many voting residents, didn’t pay too much attention when the first project came up (…) (continue reading here)