Solar farm foe takes fight to high court

ARCADIA — An Arcadia area resident is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to overturn a state board's decision allowing construction of a solar-powered electric generating plant north of Arcadia. Travis Bohn, of 3260 Township Road 254, Arcadia, filed the appeal this week with the high court. The Ohio Power Siting Board approved the solar farm plan in February. In June, the board denied a request by opponents to reconsider its decision. Opponents of the project have expressed fears it would take farmland out of use and ruin it; cause drainage problems and flooding; disturb gas and oil wells, contaminate water wells and reduce property values. Residents favoring the project have cited the additional tax revenue it would bring, particularly for Arcadia School District. In the South Branch project, 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. South Branch Solar would occupy 610 acres within a 712-acre area. It would be a 129.6-megawatt facility. Plans for a second solar facility, that one west of Arcadia, also was approved in February by the power siting board. Opponents also have asked the board to reconsider that decision. A formal board vote on whether to reconsider the proposed Border Basin project has not yet been scheduled. The Ohio Power Siting Board in February voted to issue a certificate of "environmental compatibility and public need" for both the South Branch and Border Basin projects. The two projects together are anticipated to generate over 1,000 construction jobs and 25 long-term positions with the plants, Jenifer French, chair of the Power Siting Board, has said.