Lemon Hill Solar Project faces backlash from Olmsted County community
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(ABC 6 News) – Frustrations boiled over from the community members of Viola and Haverhill Townships as plans to put up a solar energy facility are one step closer to completion.
A public meeting hosted by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Wednesday, Nov. 19 gave members of the community a chance to address folks overseeing the Lemon Hill Solar Project.
RELATED: Residents of Olmsted County raise concerns over nearby solar panel project
Mike Keefe, one Dover resident, made sure to let staff from Ranger Power, the Chicago-based company overseeing the project in Olmsted County, know how he felt.
“You people are coming up here to destroy our community,” Keefe said. “You’re coming up because we’re an easy target.”
Sergio Trevino was one of the folks representing Ranger Power at Wednesday’s meeting. He said the whole premise behind the project is to bring affordable energy to Minnesota.
“Solar energy is the cheapest form of new electricity to go on the grid and it’s also a stable price that we’re able to provide,” Trevino said.
But that response wasn’t enough to appease the community. Jason Shea, an Eyota dairy farmer, said the land that would be taken up by the solar project would take away his most valuable resource.
“Any acres dedicated to solar erase our acres removed from feed operations, feed production, grazing and future expansion,” Shea said.
Clint Mulholland was another who spoke to project officials, saying his property could feel a little less spacious.
“The proposal shows that my five acres, with all four sides around it, are being leased out by a solar company,” Mulholland said.
The comments from Wednesday’s public meeting would be taken into consideration for when the state’s public utilities commission conducts an environmental assessment. Once that occurs, another set of public meetings will occur before the PUC makes a final decision.
If you would like to make a public comment to be taken into consideration for the state’s environmental assessment, you may click here. or email lauren.agnew@state.mn.us
All comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 for it to be considered.