DOCUMENT LIBRARY
Powers Butte Energy Center (Industrial-Scale Solar Facility)-Idaho
Solar facility is located in the Nampa/Kuna/Melba communities of Idaho. Information in this guide is directly from the developer: POWERS BUTTE ENERGY CENTER
Ada County – Idaho
The next public hearing is July 10th at 6:00 pm, 1st floor of the courthouse in the Commissioners meeting room.
The Board of County Commissioners and Planning & Zoning Commission meet once a month to review development applications. The applications that require a public hearing are Conditional Use permits, Development Agreements, Planned Communities, Subdivisions, Vacations, Variances, Zoning Map or Text Amendments, and Comprehensive Plan Amendments. All other applications are processed internally by our staff.
Our hearings are broadcast via WebEx video conference. Members of the public have the option to submit written comments and/or watch the hearing via LiveStream instead of testifying or watching in person. Please note that all written testimony must be submitted by the close of business the Thursday prior to the hearing. To testify either in person or via WebEx, please fill out our public hearing testimony registration form. Please note that all people wanting to testify remotely via WebEx are required to register by the Monday prior to the hearing date. To see a list of the applications that will be heard at these hearings, please see the legal notices in the Idaho Statesman.
Canyon County – Idaho
Planning and Zoning meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 6:30 pm. These are held in the Public Meeting Room on the first floor of the Administrative Building.
Suggestions for Testifying at the Public Hearing
Be informed . . .
Review the proposal, the staff report, applicable provisions of the ordinance and comprehensive plan. Learn the criteria used to consider the proposal’s merits, or other pertinent material.
Be on time . . .
Although the item you are interested in may not be first on the agenda, you never know when it will be heard. The governing body has authority to adjust the schedule according to its discretion. Thus, anticipate attending from the beginning.
Speak to the point . . .
The governing body appreciates pertinent, well organized, and concise comments. Redundant testimony is discouraged and each individual is given 3 minutes to comment. Long stories, abstract complaints, or generalities may not be the best use of time. Neighborhood groups are encouraged to organize testimony and have one person speak on behalf of the group — “opposition representative,” like the applicant’s representative, receives 10 minutes to make comments. Applicant has 5 minutes to rebut or discuss issues raised by any opposition.
If you don’t wish to speak, write . . .
At most hearings, previously submitted written testimony has been reviewed by the governing body before the meeting. It is unreasonable to submit extensive written comments or information at the hearing and expect them to be reviewed prior to a decision. All documents or written comments should be submitted to the Development Services Department by the comment deadline.
If you require special accommodations, please contact us at 454-7458 at least two weeks prior to the hearing so that arrangements can be made.
Noise, Fire, Water, Health Concerns
Property Values
BESS – Battery Energy Storage System
Information in regards to sound, fires, contamination, smoke, etc….
Decommissioning Solar Panels after 40 years (Anticipated)
Idaho Power | Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Boards and Commission Financial Facts
Compile a list of financial costs to cities, towns and states for Boards and Commissions that only care about passing regulations for solar and wind projects that generate revenue for the county or state.
Examples of Financial Facts Needed For Commissions
Example #1: If anyone has an example of a lawsuit that was filed against a leaseholder, town or county, even if the leaseholder, town or county won the lawsuit, please post any details you can find, because every lawsuit will cost the defendant money for lawyer fees and can be used as examples of costs to the city, county or private leaseholder.
Example #2: Share any examples of money paid out by a county or state in higher utility rates for their offices, or money paid to repair roads damaged by the heavy equipment used to build a solar project, or special equipment or training for fire departments so they can handle solar panel fires.
Example #3: Share any example of businesses that have closed or laid off workers due to less farm productivity, such as truck/tractor repair shops, a farmers Co-Op that distributes chemicals and diesel, seed companies, or even local part-time seasonal drivers that will have less hours of work, etc.
Remember, for every dollar that is not paid to a local resident, that is less money paid in sales tax, less state and county tax coming out of wages, etc.
Legal Regulations for Zoning Boards
List of legal state and/or county regulations for zoning boards, especially anything that “should” prevent them from allowing industrial solar or wind projects near residential dwellings.
Property Owners Rights
List of exceptions to the rule that property owners have the right to do what they want with their own land, such as when it infringes on the rights of neighbors, wildlife, ground water, erosion, noise and health hazards.
Steps For Neighbors That Want to Stop a Solar Farm
- Video every town board meeting and presentation. Buy a mini-tripod for your phone.
- Make audio recordings.
- Build a website or set up a facebook page to post community informaiton.
Questions to Ask the Planning/Town Board When Reviewing a Solar Application:
- What is the street address of the project?
- What is the square footage or acreage of the solar site?
- What is the square footage or acreage of the leased site?
- What is the square footage or acreage of the parcel?
- What are the dimensions of the fence?
- What are GPS coordinates for the fence corners?
- Is the Power Purchase Agreement included with the application?
- Who is the electricity generated being sold to?
- How long is the contract?
- Has the solar facility been sold?
- To whom?
- How with the town board be notified of the facilities sale and changes of ownership?
- How long can the facility fail to generate electricity before it is terminated and removed?
- What locations are identified in the visual analysis?
- Is the visual analysis from within the site or from the neighboring properties?
- Is visual analysis provided in summer (leaf on) and in winter (leaf off)?
- Is there a presentation board depicting the interconnection point and the impact of the utility company power poles at the access road?
- What is the capacity of the battery storage?
- Are battery locations identified?
- What are dimensions of the battery energy storage solution?
- Is the electric storage system clearly explained?
- Are annual safety classes provided to the first responders?
- How often are there inspections?
- Are concerned citizens allowed to participate in the inspection?
- Does the access road comply with local fire code?
- Distance to nearest water source?
- What will happen if the solar power resource catches fire?
- Are specification sheets for all equipment included in the application?
- Will the contractor be allowed to substitute equipments and under what conditions?
- Where are the locations of the inverter and transformer?
- What are sound and noise disturbances for each piece of equipment?
- How is data from cameras and solar panels being transmitted to the internet?
- Does a cell tower have to be erected?
- Will herbicides and pesticides be used?
- Where does the contractor obtain water for site work and dust abatement?
- Where does the maintenance company obtain water to clean the panels?
- Do the drawings show all neighboring parcels, buildings and roads?
- Have the neighbors been notified?
- When were the neighbors notified?
- How were they notified?
- Has the developer provided all marketing material?
- Is the project site address included in the marketing material?
- Has the developer provided a resume?
- Have you googled the developer and learned all that you can?
- Is the parcel being divided so the laws and regulations can be circumnavigated?
- What is spacing and density of solar facilities in the community?
- What is the distance to the next solar or wind power plant?
Before the Ohio Power Sitting Board
In the Matter of the Application of Fountain Point Solar Energy LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to Construct a Solar-Powered Electric Generation Facility in Logan County, Ohio.
Some Facts
Additional bullet points that can be used in letters to neighbors of potential solar projects.
- Components used with these solar panels have shorted out and started fires.
- Fires from solar farms have burned over 1,000 acres of land at one time.
- The solar panels they want to install near your home, will contain toxic cancer causing chemicals that can be released into the air through a smoke plume if it catches on fire, or through the ground water if the frame gets damaged by a storm, animal or any other reason.
- There will be miles and miles of tall chain link and barb wire fence installed to block you from viewing what was once healthy open farm land that would change colors with the seasons and provide homes for a variety of wildlife.
- During the months of construction, there will be the daily noise of bulldozers, trackhoes and other heavy equipment as they try to change the terrain by removing top soil, trees, hills and valleys, thus causing erosion and possibly flooding.
- As a result of these solar projects, your electric bill WILL see an increase in the form of a solar tax or simply a rate hike, to help cover the cost of building these solar projects.
- As a result of solar and wind projects being built across our state as well as other states, we are now being informed we need to install NEW heavy duty transmission lines, thus adding additional fees onto our electric bills to help cover the cost of these new transmission lines.
- What else can we add at this point that would help educate individuals that have no knowledge of how a solar project next to their home will effect their life?
Corrupt Solar Farm Developers
List of Corrupt Solar Farm Developers, documenting their negatives.