An overflow crowd turned out to raise concerns about the region's newest solar project Monday, ultimately leading officials to table public hearing until it can be held at a larger venue.
Susquehanna Solar, a South Carolina company, proposes to build a 46-acre solar project on farmland in Lehman Township, Luzerne County.
About 170 people crammed into the municipal building, spilling out into the parking lot, to have their say on the proposal.
Following outcry from many in the crowd, Township Chairman David Sutton eventually agreed to table the hearing to a future date at Lake-Lehman High School.
Solar projects spreading
While this is Lehman Township’s first potential solar project, residents say the township needs to take action against overdevelopment before it’s too late, as similar projects have been proposed around Northeast Pennsylvania.
Last month, Monroe County’s Polk Township denied a 472-acre solar project. Susquehanna Solar also will present information about another project in Nanticoke on Wednesday, July 17.
And solar’s opposition is gaining political traction in the region. Republican state House candidate Jamie Walsh spoke alongside residents at Lehman’s hearing on Monday.
Walsh, who is currently leading in Luzerne County's unresolved 117th District GOP primary race, said Lehman has a responsibility to protect its agricultural district.
“This is going to be a widespread problem,” said Walsh. “These big solar companies, they’re after our farmland. And once you destroy that farmland, it takes decades to ever bring it back.”
Lehman resident David Jenkins owns a house on Lake Silkworth. He called the developer’s plans "backwards."
“I mean, solar’s supposed to be a sustainable energy. It doesn’t appear sustainable to be taking down trees and to be tiling over fertile farmland. Just doesn’t make sense to us,” said Jenkins.
Randall Culp owns neighboring farmland to the proposed development. He said he supports solar, but criticized the project’s location.
“Find an area that’s not going to displace natural farmland. And there’s so many places that can do it. We should’ve learned our lesson from the strip mines,” said Culp. “Matter of fact, that’s where they should put this.”
He suggested that the developer move their project to a parking lot, warehouse roofs and abandoned industrial properties.
Criticism over venue
Residents also criticized township supervisors for not holding the meeting at a larger location where all interested residents from Lehman and neighboring Hunlock Township could hear the proceedings.
Sutton refused at first.
“Not going to happen … we’ve had a lot more people in this room for meetings such as this,” said Sutton.
He questioned whether Monday’s attendees were residents from Lehman and surrounding affected communities. A crowd of attendees struggled to hear the meeting from the municipal building’s lobby and others stood outside of the building, unable to get in.
But, as noted, he did eventually agree to table the proceedings so they could be moved to a larger venue at Lake-Lehman. Sutton estimated it will take at least a month to reschedule the meeting and post meeting notices.
“We understand everyone needs the opportunity to at least listen, even if you’re not a resident … Only residents can testify and those few individuals from Hunlock,” said Sutton.
'It needs to be done right'
David Jenkins is relieved the township will take more time to consider the project. He explained he’s not against solar.
“I just think it needs to be done right,” said Jenkins. “I think this is being pushed down a rural community that might not have the means to defend themselves and speak for themselves.”
He added some residents have hired legal counsel and other ‘professionals’ to help them defend the township from Susquehanna Solar.
Residents are also signing a petition against the project. That petition has around 800 signatures, according to Lehman resident Linda Bevan.
State representative hopeful Walsh added that he’s experienced some backlash to speaking out against the project. He said the township is currently upset with him for coming to the meeting and for making a Facebook post encouraging Lehman and nearby residents to show up.
The township did not set a date for the conditional use hearing on Susquehanna Solar’s proposed solar farm. Township officials plan to hold the meeting at Lake Lehman High School.
Susquehanna Solar's lawyer, Nate Fox, explained that the project is in the early stages of review. The conditional use stage reviews whether the project follows the township's zoning code.
“Zoning tells us what we’re allowed to do and where. And then the site, if we get zoning approval, we have to go through the land development process, which is where it’s fully engineered and designed with the township and county ordinances, as well as outside agency permits for things like stormwater and the like," said Fox. "So, this is the very first step."
Greg Roti, Susquehanna Solar's managing partner and co-founder was at the meeting, but he declined to an interview.
