The president of the Vanderburgh County Commission has announced he will not support a proposed Solar Farm in Northern Vanderburgh County.
On Monday July 28, Justin Elpers issued an official letter, stating that at this time, he does not believe a solar farm is a good fit for Scott Township.
Orion Renewables had proposed a 600-acre solar farm on 900-acres.
The 100-megawatt farm would power 20 thousand homes. The proposed economic improvement agreements, were tabled in June.
Elpers reached this latest decision after listening to the concerns of residents, reviewing long-term impacts and considering the priorities of the community.
Orion Renewables responded Monday afternoon and said in part that they are "disappointed and surprised" by Commissioner Elpers’ statement.
They go on to say that like Elpers, they’re interested in upholding the priorities and values of county residents — and look forward to continued engagement with the community and Stakeholders.
The proposal could still be un-tabled by commissioners Amy Canterbury and Mike Goebbel — though no public statements on the topic have been issued by either.
Elpers says the topic will be addressed at the Tuesday morning Commission meeting.
Elpers' full statement below:
'After careful consideration and with full respect for the time, effort, and investment that has gone into this proposal, I would like to express my appreciation to Orion for bringing forward their vision for a solar farm in Vanderburgh County.
However, after listening to the concerns of our residents, reviewing the potential long-term impacts, and considering the priorities of our community, I believe this particular project is not the right fit for Scott Township or for Vanderburgh County at this time.
I would like to thank Orion for their professionalism, and I recognize the importance of renewable energy development.
That said, the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County must ultimately act in alignment with the values and voices of the people we serve.'
Statement by Orion Renewable Energy Group regarding Bluegrass Creek Solar Farm
“For every project we embark upon, Orion Renewable Energy leads with the local community and their needs top of mind. In the six years since beginning our efforts to develop our Bluegrass Solar Farm Project, we have engaged deeply with members of the community and elected representatives to ensure that community needs and concerns shape our development of this project.
Not only will the Bluegrass Creek project bring needed low cost, reliable electricity to the region, our investment will also generate $35 million in tax revenue for the needs of the county and an additional $500,000 in economic development payments within the first five years. Through our Solar Neighbor Program, to ensure the benefits of the project are felt locally, the project will be providing annual payments to all residences within 1/3 of mile of a project solar panel.
Finally, given the recent passage of Indiana Senate Bill 1, counties across Indiana, including Vanderburgh, might soon face revenue deficits. Direct private investment in the county is the best means of replacing lost tax revenue without having to raise taxes on local residents and business owners. Bluegrass Creek Solar Farm is an investment in the county’s needs and infrastructure.
We chose this location based on a variety of factors including the USDA Web Soil survey and the Purdue’s Soil Productivity Index which ranks the proposed area as low in its production value. Of the 48,000 acres of available farmland acres across the county, the project proposes using only about 600 acres, which can power the equivalent of about 20,000 residences.
Furthermore, much of the 600 acres that will be used for Bluegrass Creek Solar Project are within or adjacent to the I-69 industrial corridor, which is slated by the county’s Comprehensive Plan for more intense development. Orion is deeply committed to long term farmland conservation and has committed that the land will return to agricultural use after the solar farm’s life span and that the project will be an active participant in ensuring proper disposal and care for the solar farm’s end of life. This pledge is backed by a removal bond to ensure we honor our
commitment.
Further, we have committed to planting over 4,200 trees around the perimeter of the solar farm as a natural and visual barrier between it and the surrounding area and will install pollinator friendly vegetation throughout the project.
While we are disappointed and surprised by Commissioner Elpers’ statement against our project, we appreciate that he, like us, is interested in upholding the priorities and values of county residents.
We look forward to continued engagement with the community and stakeholders including the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Board of Zoning Appeals to ensure the Bluegrass Creek Solar Farm aligns with Vanderburgh County's values and priorities as we move toward making this project a valuable resource and reality for all.”
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