Grundy County Board discusses potential solar project amidst resident concerns

RWE Clean Energy appeared before the Grundy County Board Tuesday evening requesting a special use permit to operate a solar farm in Norman Township, which is in between Seneca and Morris south of the Illinois River.

The special use permit was tabled at the July County Board meeting, when RWE were given 63 questions to address in order to provide more information and address resident concerns.

Development Director Joon Park said RWE submitted the answers to those questions to the county board last Thursday, and also brought subject-matter experts to the meeting to address additional concerns.

“We have worked hard to find the tangible ways to listen to our neighbors and try to alleviate their concerns,” Park said. “Throughout door knockings and group meetings last Thursday, we heard questions and comments and although we tried to address questions and comments, there may be some remaining questions and concerns.”

Park said this project could generate over $23 million in additional property tax revenue and $11 million for Mazon-Verona-Kinsman school, along with $5 million for Seneca High School. It would benefit over 700 students.

Development Manager Eli Varol said multiple design changes have been made since the July meeting, which includes creating an additional 50-foot setback to preserve views along DuPont Road to create a 100-foot setback. Varol said a substation and switchyard was also moved about 1,000 feet further away from the road. This also includes vegetation screening so it won’t be visible.

Attorney Jim Griffin said that this solar project is similar to the ones already approved by the board in Grundy County, and that this is a compatible and beneficial use as the other projects are.

Many residents spoke both in favor and against the project.

Dan Duffy, who owns the land that Good Farm Solar is currently being built on in Dwight, said he and his wife believe energy on a federal, state and local level should be diversified and that solar makes sense for this community.

“Just like we run our own household, we make sure our portfolio is diversified,” Duffy said. “When we bought this farm ground, it allowed us to diversify our farm portfolio when the solar farm came along and knocked at our door.”

Duffy said this is a company with a proven track record of finishing projects, and he has no objections.

Marty Steep, who lives across from where the Buffalo Solar Farm is proposed to be built, said he has serious concerns since three companies just located to the west of where the farm is to be built. One company is H.B. Fuller, who makes glue.

“One of the key toxic chemicals they use in manufacturing glue is ethylene,” Steep said. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with ethylene but it’s very flammable.”

Steep worries that an explosion would be a disaster, especially since the area surrounding the proposed solar farm is heavily wooded.

The board heard other concerns, many involving toxic chemicals nearby but also about concerns for wildlife. One resident pointed out that the area of the proposed solar farms is home to many deer who will be confused to have a fence built where they’re used to passing.

Todd Daggett, from Morris, said he’s concerned because a study should be done on the land to ensure it isn’t an archaeological site in regard to Native American history. Daggett is a member of the American Mountain Men and has a special interest in history, and he said years ago there was a site nearby that was slated to be turned into a gravel pit. The state required the company to have an archeological survey done before the company started mining.

County Board Chairman Chris Balkema, amidst the agreements and disagreements with the speaking residents, motioned to table approval of the special use permits until the September meeting to allow the board more time to go over the data shared with them.