CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WRIC) – Chesterfield will soon get a dose of green energy following the approval of a 5-megawatt solar project in the rural western end of the county.
The Board of Supervisors voted to approve the project permit on April 27, revoking an earlier decision by the county Planning Commission, which recommended that the project be rejected.
The project will occupy approximately 45 of the 135-acre plot next to Mt. Hermon Road, potentially providing power directly to 1,250 surrounding homes.
Runoff Ramifications
The planning committee voted to recommend dismissing the project at its February meeting, citing concerns about the potential runoff from solar panels, which are now considered “harsh landscape” under Virginia’s environmental regulations.
Greg Werner, a representative of Nexamp, the company developing the project, said several changes were made to address concerns and protect the local Swift Creek watershed. This may interest you : Singapore inaugurates new floating solar farm to meet energy needs.
“We are no longer building or disturbing any of the 20% sloping areas,” he said.
Werner also said they no longer planned to build overhead power lines, “now it’s an underground conduit along the roadway coming in from the road.”
Although the planning committee had split on the project, voting to recommend the denial with a 3-2 vote, County Planning Officer Harold Ellis said the community was enthusiastic about the project and did not share the project. concerns of the commission.
“These things didn’t come out at the meeting, there really weren’t any environmental issues that nearby residents raised,” he said.
A Family Affair
Several residents have approached the board of directors to rule in favor of the project, praising its positive environmental impact and the preservation of a wooded plot. See the article : San diego ibew solar.
Peter and Emily Martin, owners of the land where the solar project will be built, said the project would help them keep the land in the family by generating additional income, while maintaining their commitment to a healthy environment.
“Clean water, soil and air are very important to me,” Emily Martin said.
Peter Martin added that the land has been in his wife’s family for over 150 years. Until recently, they earned some income by selectively harvesting timber from the wooded plot, but fluctuating prices have made this business less secure than it was in the past.
He told the board that the new project would benefit both his family and Chesterfield residents.
“Having these green spaces improves the quality of life for the whole community,” Martin said.
Jerry Turner, another local resident, also spoke in support of the project, but asked the board not to require fences around the panels to protect them from public view.
“You don’t have to hide that kind of technology. Don’t hide it behind a fence,” he said. “County citizens need to know that we are moving away from fossil fuels.”
The board voted unanimously in favor of the permit, including the fence, to allow the start of construction of the green energy project.
