Residents clash over solar farm

ARCADIA — Over 100 area residents packed a hearing Wednesday while their neighbors spoke for and against a proposed solar farm north of Arcadia. The hearing was held by staff of the Ohio Power Siting Board, which could decide this summer whether to allow the South Branch solar farm in Washington Township. Opponents expressed fears that the solar farm would take farm land out of use and ruin it; cause drainage problems and flooding; harm wildlife; and reduce property values. Martha Williams, who said she has lived all but seven years of her life — 75 years — on County Road 109, said her house would be surrounded by the solar farm. "The solar fields are going to be in front of me, to the west and east and behind me," she testified to Power Siting Board officials. At one point, Williams turned around and looked into the crowd. "And all of these people from Findlay that keep talking about how great this is going to be, call me," she said. "I'll sell you my house because it's not going to worth ANYthing." Solar panels would be installed in an area north of the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and the village of Arcadia; east of Township Road 254; to about a mile north of Arcadia, although a strip will extend an additional half-mile farther north nearly to Township Road 218; and west of Township Road 256. More solar panels would be located west of Township Road 254; east of Township Road 243; and south of County Road 109. Richard Kirk, of Township Road 215, said he supports the proposed solar farm because it would bring needed revenue to Arcadia schools. "The Arcadia tax base for the school district is small because they don't have any development. A lot of other school districts locally do," Kirk said to the state power officials. "The school could very much use this tax base, this income from it." "I think (Arcadia) is a fantastic school, but we could do better," Kirk said. "I believe our kids and grandkids deserve this money for their school." Timothy Murphy, chair of the Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability Programs at the University of Findlay, urged approval of the solar farm proposal. "Businesses are going green," he said. "Green energy will attract more businesses to Hancock County." Solar energy is good for the university, he said. "My students will benefit from the project. Other university students will benefit from the project. Hands-on learning experience," Murphy said. "Some 80% of our students come from northwest Ohio." Solar power systems are safe, he said. "There are no known health risks to solar PV (photovoltaic) systems as stated by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and a state environmental health organization," Murphy said. "Solar PV energy is clean energy. Solar PV does not damage the land." He also said that if the location of existing drain tiles is known, the solar systems can be installed without damaging them, thus avoiding drainage and flooding problems.