Solar foes take fight to high court

ARCADIA — Several Arcadia area residents asked the Ohio Supreme Court on Monday to overturn a state board's decision allowing construction of a solar-powered electric generating plant west of Arcadia. Opponents of the Border Basin project have expressed fears it would cause a variety of problems. They allege 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. Another proposed solar farm, which would be built north of Arcadia, also is being challenged before the high court. Other Arcadia area residents asked the high court to overturn the Ohio Power Siting Board's approval of plans for South Branch Solar. The Power Siting Board in February voted to issue a certificate of "environmental compatibility and public need" for both Border Basin and South Branch Solar. 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, said. Border Basin would be a 120-megawatt solar-powered facility in Cass Township. It would occupy 966 acres within a 1,378-acre area. In the Border Basin project, the solar array's northernmost point would occupy a 1,250-foot-wide swath at the southeast corner of township roads 109 and 238; and its southernmost point would extend to the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks from Township Road 238 to Township Road 215. The western boundary generally would be along the east side of Township Road 238, but between township roads 213 and 215 it would extend as far west as County Road 236. Its eastern boundary would be more irregular: for about a half-mile north of County Road 216 it would be about a half-mile west of Township Road 247 before receding farther west. South of County Road 216, the eastern boundary would basically be west of Rocky Ford. South Branch Solar would occupy 610 acres within a 712-acre area in Washington Township. It would be a 129.6-megawatt facility. 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 would 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.