I am actively opposing the Birch Solar Project proposed by Lightsource bp. They have been in secret negotiations with area farmers for over a year promising multiyear multimillion contracts to lease productive farmland for industrial solar production of electricity. The public has just become aware in the last few weeks.
BP is lobbying hard for reduced payments under a county pilot program in lieu of taxes and have put quite the spin on how it is better for the county. If approved the entire county, not just Shawnee and parts of Auglaize County, can be invaded for industrial solar projects. Astoundingly, the final and ultimate decision to begin the project rests not with our local government but with the Ohio Power Siting Board in Columbus!
Declining property values, loss of agricultural acres, destruction of drain tiles by heavy equipment that many homes tie into ( Shawnee is the most densely populated area in Ohio under consideration), 10-foot high fences, miles of fields covered by metal and glass made in China ( yea we can trust them), wildlife habitat destruction, unknown health consequences ( how many times have we seen this situation?), history of broken promises by Lightsource bp, very little if any local consumption of the electricity produced and all for eight to ten permanent jobs! The temporary construction jobs will be filled not by local workers but by workers ” domiciled in the area,” that is, who rent here temporarily. Where are you Bob Cupp and Matt Huffman? We voters need you. Join the fight, contribute, research “Against Birch Solar”.
Dr. Michael Terveer,
Shawnee Township
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