Efforts to revive the proposed LightsourceBP Birch Solar Farm in Shawnee Township fell short Thursday, as the Ohio Power Siting Board denied an appeal by Birch Solar for a re-hearing on the project.
The proposed 300-megawatt solar farm in Shawnee Township in Allen County and Logan Township in Auglaize County that was set to occupy 1,400 acres of farmland was initially rejected by the board in October in a unanimous decision. The project had been met with opposition from Shawnee Township trustees as well as commissioners in Auglaize and Allen counties.
In the 16-page decision published on the board’s website, the board answered objections from Birch Solar, including a contention that the board “violated public policy with respect to large scale energy generation by denying the certificate,” since the point of the board is to consider large energy products like this. Other objections included a complaint of overreliance on public sentiment, delegating its authority to the local level without conducting its own analysis, a move Birch Solar maintained was a violation of Ohio law, which “confers authority only on the Board to determine the permissibility of large-scale solar projects.”
“The Board made its decision based upon the evidence presented and exercised its authority and obligations,” the decision read. “The Board weighed the numerous benefits of the project to the public with the large public opposition to the project and determined that the project would not serve the public interest, convenience and necessity.”
A request for comment from LightsourceBP was not answered.
In a statement, the Allen Auglaize Coalition for Reasonable Energy expressed its disapproval with the decision, saying the board did not keep its promise of holding a fair hearing on the project.
“In practice, a decision was handed down that hinged not on the merits of the project but on an unvarnished political calculation with factors stretching back to the Statehouse,” according to the statement. “The ruling is unfair and illegal.”
Shawnee Township Trustee Clark Spieles was gratified to hear the board upheld its initial decision, as public opposition to the project, including the loss of valuable farmland, was significant, he said.
“The opposition to solar has gotten stronger as time has gone on,” he said. “It’s all about the people. These are the people we serve, and we listen to the people.”
With the project now rejected by the Ohio Power Siting Board, Birch Solar must now appeal the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court to get the project approved. Any appeal to the court must be made within 60 days of the Power Siting Board’s decision.
