Resolution does not block proposed Fountain Point Solar project
The Logan County Commissioners took action in a split 2-1 vote Thursday morning to pass a resolution affirming previous requests by seven townships in the county to designate those areas as restricted from the development of large-scale wind and solar facilities.
While the townships’ opposition to this type of development have sprung up recently with the proposed Fountain Point Solar Energy Center, the county commission’s resolution cannot put a halt to this particular project, which is proposed for 3,860 acres in Bokescreek, Perry and Rushcreek townships.
Invenergy made application for Fountain Point to the PJM Regional Transmission Organization prior to Oct. 11, the effective date of the new Senate Bill 52 passed by Ohio legislators last year. That bill now provides more local control over this type of large-scale wind and solar projects.
Commissioners Paul Benedetti and Joe Antram voted in favor of the resolution Thursday to a packed chamber at the commissioner’s office, with many individuals from the “No Solar in Logan County” group in attendance. Commissioner Mark Robinson cast the dissenting vote against the resolution.
Robinson noted that he is in favor of individual property rights, but related that individuals still “have to deal with the consequences of what occurs on their property.”
The commission’s resolution designates the townships of Perry, Rushcreek, Bokescreek, Jefferson, Monroe, Washington and Stokes as restricted from wind and solar projects generating more than 50 megawatts in some or all unincorporated parts of those townships, and also prohibits projects generating between 5 and 49 megawatts. Those particular townships each sent each letters or a resolution to the commission, asking for this particular restriction.
“Local governance starts at the township level,” Benedetti read in the prepared resolution during the session.
“Although that restricted designation does not apply to projects that have been grandfathered from S.B. 52, it is the intent that their requests send a consistent and clear message to the Ohio Power Siting Board of their opposition to large-scale utility solar projects.
“Township trustees and county commissioners believe in landowner rights. However, when there is a ground swell of area residents voicing their objections to large-scale utility solar projects in their backyard, we need to acknowledge their concerns.”
The full resolution is available for public view at: https://votebenedetti.com/.
Prior to the commissioners’ vote, Antram also commented on economic development in the county related to this project, stating “Logan County’s citizens insist on having a say in what development in Logan County looks like.
“Citizens elect township trustees to be their local government spokespersons and they have taken action to voice their concerns about further solar development. It appears that the trustees of the seven townships listed today are listening to their constituents and consequently, I believe that we as county commissioners should listen to the township trustees.”
Fountain Point Solar Energy Center would have a maximum total generating capacity of 280 megawatts. In the proposed area for solar energy center in the three townships, area farmers and land owners have signed lease agreements for the company to use the land designated for this purpose.
Just this week, Fountain Point Solar Energy LLC formally submitted its application for the project with the Ohio Power Siting Board. Like all projects over 50 megawatts, it must undergo the permitting process through the OPSB.
If it passes through those phases, construction could begin as early as the first quarter of 2023. Fountain Point Solar would generate electricity to inject into the local transmission grid, with commercial operation anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024.
It is among a growing number of large-scale solar projects proposed in the western half of the state. According to the OPSB’s website, while there are only three solar energy centers currently in operation in Ohio (in Hardin, Brown and Highland counties), there are 26 approved sites that are either under construction or in pre-construction stages, as of April 8.
In addition, there are 20 sites that are pending approval (like the Fountain Point project) or in the pre-application stage, also as of April 8.
Following the commissioners’ vote, several of the residents in attendance voiced their concerns about both the Fountain Point project and others that could come into play in Logan County.
Logan County Commissioner candidate Mike Yoder, who is running against Benedetti in the May 3 primary election, read a statement regarding his stance on the issue as well (his full statement is available on his website, https://www.beayodervoter.org/).
“I believe in personal property rights of individuals. I always have and I always will defend those rights. However, when an entity requests a community to share in the cost of a project being built on private property, it is no longer about personal property rights, it is now about the community as a whole. That is occurring on the east side of Logan County…
“After a thorough review of the facts surrounding the Fountain Point Solar Energy Project, I am not in favor of giving an abatement to this type of solar project. Without the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) the project is required to pay taxes based upon being declared a public utility, which would be much higher in the beginning years.”
Rushcreek Township resident Kathleen Kinney Davis also shared her concerns Thursday, noting that in past, she was “all about being green” and encouraging others to be environmentally-friendly. However, she questioned the methods and motivation driving the large-scale solar and wind companies. She said her family previously faced the high-pressure tactics of wind developers in the recently installed Hardin County/Logan County project.
“The motivation for these companies is the money. The squirrel is out of the cage, and it’s not the only one,” she said.
Farmer Nick Cronkleton, who lives along County Road 8, stated that he has asked Invenergy representatives on several occasions for their installation plans for the solar panels. He has concerns regarding drainage tiles being damaged in his fields when the posts are installed for the solar panels.
“I still have yet to receive any further information from them,” he said. “If they crush drainage tiles, I won’t know until after the fact and then will have a major problem in my fields when the water won’t drain.”
The OPSB will review the Fountain Point application and then will begin its investigation. Following the investigation, the next step s the OPSB’s public hearing, which will include two parts: written or oral testimony and an ajudicatory hearing.
The OPSB accepts written comments on the project from interested persons at any time, as well as written or oral testimony from any person at the public hearing.
All correspondence and petitions to intervene for this project must include reference to Case No. 21-1231-EL-BGN.