In spite of almost-unanimous objections by a nearly-full room at the Dakota County Courthouse, the County Board of Commissioners voted in favor of a solar project that will be built on more than 2,400 acres of land in rural Dakota County.
Monday’s 4-1 vote came after most of the reporter-estimate 70 in attendance expressed objection to the property, with concerns over environmental issues, future valuation and uncertain tax revenue estimates among the prime objections that were made during the nearly two-hour meeting that was moved from the commissioners’ usual office to the Dakota County Courtroom to allow for the expected audience that attended.
Outside of representatives from Mission Clean Energy, which was seeking the conditional use permit to build the facility, only two individuals spoke in favor of the project.
One was South Sioux City economic development director Oscar Gomez, who explained that incoming industrial development that will be built inside the city’s Inland Port Authority designation will bring in millions of tax dollars in revenue for the county.
He empathized with those who have concerns about the potential negatives and pointed to the city’s use of conditional use permits similar to the one Mission Clean Energy will have to adhere to in order to get their project built.
“We use conditional use permits a lot in South Sioux City, and if they don’t follow it then project stops, and the city can do that at any time they see fit,” Gomez told those in attendance.
Dustin Marvel, representing Omaha Public Power District, said that OPPD had addressed similar concerns when an 81-megawatt facility was built in Saunders County years ago and said those concerns were addressed and the facility is now running.
“Nebraska needs electrons and they need it today,” he said in encouraging approval. “That’s where solar and wind projects step in and help fill those needs, and these projects (that are coming in) need them today.”
Many of those who expressed opposition to the project talked about the potential eyesore they would have with seeing a solar farm while looking out the windows of their homes.
Still others felt the project is taking top-quality farmland out of traditional agricultural use and creating potential issues with county roads and the amount of dust that will come during construction of the project and future upkeep.
Read more in this week’s edition of the Dakota County Star, available on newsstands Wednesday afternoon and via mail Thursday.
