‘I have a trust issue’: Size of proposed Jackson County solar farm meets skepticism among local leaders

JACKSON COUNTY (KSNT) – Jackson County leaders are expressing their skepticism about the size of a proposed new solar facility in the local area.

Jackson County’s Board of County Commissioners met on Monday, Oct. 20 to discuss plans for a new 500-megawatt renewable energy facility called Jeffrey Solar. The solar farm would be installed west of Holton and take up around 6,600 football fields of space.

NextEra Energy Resources is the driving force behind the project, which promises to deliver a big investment into the county along with new jobs. However, NextEra’s plans are getting some pushback from county commissioners.

“I have a trust issue,” said Jackson County Commissioner Keith Kelly. “You are talking about a large company, you’re talking about a small community, we don’t have a bank of attorneys, or funds, I don’t think any of us are in favor of anything larger than 2,000 acres.”

Jeffrey Solar is expected to bring in an additional $136 million in tax revenue for local communities over the course of 30 years, according to a NextEra economic impact study. It is also estimated to add local construction jobs over the three-year building period of the facility.

“The whole state benefits, we need the electricity generation,” said Alan Anderson, chair of the energy practice group with the Polsinelli law firm’s Kansas City office. “The community itself has a number of different things that benefit it. One is the participation in the project, obviously they’ll be compensated for that. But the community as a whole would receive millions of dollars in annual compensation from that.”

Local residents have raised concerns in the past regarding the environmental impact that Jeffrey Solar will have on the county. Criticisms levelled at the facility also resulted in a lawsuit that was dismissed earlier this year.

We reached out to NextEra earlier in the month regarding whether it has conducted an environmental impact study for the project. NextEra spokeswoman Laura Gies said Jeffrey Solar is working with independent consultants to conduct multiple environmental studies for nearby wetlands and streams, along with local protected species and their habitats.

“Jeffrey Solar is committed to ensuring that the growing demand for power is met in the most environmentally responsible manner,” Gies said. “It is our priority to incorporate environmental stewardship into the design, construction, operation and maintenance of our facilities.

“We strive to select sites where impacts to aquatic, biological and cultural resources can be avoided, minimized or mitigated,” Gies continued. “We do so through coordination and collaboration with local, state and federal environmental authorities where appropriate, such as the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.”

The Board of County Commissioners are set to discuss regulations for Jeffrey Solar again on Thursday, Oct. 23. You can learn more about the proposed plans for the solar project by visiting the county’s website.

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