The Caroline County Board of Supervisors recently voted to defer voting on four solar facility projects until next month.
Supervisors expressed concerns about the effects of solar projects in other, similar localities before voting unanimously to take up the CC Solar farm project that covers 1,600 acres in Woodford at the June 14 meeting.
The Racehorse Solar and Whalebone Solar projects in Woodford were also deferred until June 14.
The Frog Solar project, covering more than 900 acres in the southern end of the county, was deferred until Aug. 9.
The county was hit with a slew of solar projects to consider once it created the Solar Energy Overlay District one year ago.
County officials are also tasked with examining a revised solar stormwater management policy from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The policy was revised in late March.
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Staff met with the DEQ earlier this week to learn more about the revisions in preparation for the June 14 meeting.
“We’re not specialists,” Supervisor Nancy Long said. “So we’re going to be very cautious about whatever decision we make.”
Bowling Green District Supervisor Jeff Sili displayed a video at the board meeting showing severe stormwater runoff that impacted the property of a neighbor to a large solar facility in Louisa County.
Sili noted major issues with projects in Essex and Surry counties, and was informed during the meeting of a project gone awry in Campbell County.
“Every county that’s got a big site seems to have their fair share of problems at some point in time,” Sili said.
Rob Propes and others were on hand to convince board members the CC Solar project is a good one for the county. Propes is the project developer with Urban Grid Solar of Glen Allen, which represents CC Solar.
Propes told board members that their solar ordinance is so robust that it would prevent any issues with developers. But Sili responded that any mitigation the county has to take on in observing runoff and other issues would still be taxing to the staff.
“The mitigation becomes something we have to force you all to do,” Sili said.
Propes said Caroline’s ordinance provides officials the “hammer to come after us.”
He said it’s one of the most detailed ordinances he’s come across in Virginia in that it is protective during and after construction.
He said he’s confident developers can install stormwater and erosion control features in coordination with the planning staff.
He added that if supervisors are concerned about meeting future DEQ standards, developers are willing to put forth additional funding that could be set aside for those costs. The funds would stay with the county if no additional regulatory costs come about.
Propes said although projects in other counties have had documented issues, that shouldn’t deter Caroline from pushing forward with solar facilities.
“I think it’s unfair to say just because some projects have issues, all are going to have issues,” Propes said. “What I’m saying is we’re committed to working closely with the county to make sure we’re not a poster child.”
Madison District Supervisor Clay Forehand said the CC Solar project is one of the more promising ones that have been proposed in the past year, but he still has major concerns. Forehand said he initially believed the county ordinance was “overkill” but has since learned that solar facilities are a major undertaking that has created a “deep fear” within him.
“I’m having a hard time getting past the fear, just to be frank,” Forehand said.
Board Chair Reginald Underwood said potential new DEQ requirements give him pause. He said the DEQ presents “a moving target.”
The Frog Solar project is in Underwood’s district and is proposed for part of an area that was designated as the Dawn Village Growth Area in the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
“I think there are still a lot of unanswered questions for me,” Underwood said.