Anti-solar group sounds off
By Sam Shriver - sshriver@limanews.com
Jim Thompson, with Against Birch Solar, led a discussion about green energy, Saturday at Apollo Career Center. Seated were Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman and Ohio House Speaker, Bob Cupp.
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman of Lima told those at Apollo Career Center Saturday that is “is my goal to make sure the (Birch Soldar) project doesn’t go forward”.
Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp of Lima listened to concerns about the Birch Solar project at a meeting Saturday at Apollo Career Center.
Preble County Commissioner Rachael Vonderhaar discusses the problems they’ve had with green energy in that county, while Julie Johnson of Champaign County looks on. Vonderhaar said, “It is actually harder to build a house in Preble County than it apparently is a solar generating facility with OPSB (Ohio Power Siting Board), stepping on the plans we’ve written for our community,”
Proposed solar farm scales back footprint
By J Swygart - jswygart@limanews.com
A combined map shows acreage that was originally intended to be part of the Birch Solar project in pink, vs. the revised proposed acreage in orange. The solar field generating 300 megawatts and covering 1,410 acres is proposed for southern Allen County and northern Auglaize County.
Map courtesy of Lightsource bp
Video:
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See past coverage about Birch Solar at LimaOhio.com/tag/birchsolar.
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP Lightsource bp has made several revisions to its plan to build a 300-megawatt solar farm in parts of southern Allen and northern Auglaize counties, according to information released Friday by the company.
Anti-solar group discusses projects
By Sam Shriver - sshriver@limanews.com
Jim Thompson, with Against Birch Solar LLC, organized a meeting to discuss the group’s latest efforts to thwart a solar farm planned for the area.
Screengrab of meeting
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP A large crowd packed Shawnee Alliance Church Tuesday night, Jan. 26, for updates on the latest efforts to fight Lightsource bp’s plans to build a 300-megawatt solar farm in parts of southern Allen and northern Auglaize counties.
The group, Against Birch Solar LLC, has been actively fighting the project.
Those against the project are concerned about the loss of property value, potential pollution if the glass solar panels leach lead and cadmium, and the overall loss of wildlife habitat.
Ohio schools get some relief from cuts: Capitol Letter
Updated Jan 25, 2021;
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Rotunda Rumblings
Director’s cut: Gov. Mike DeWine is restoring some of the state education money that he previously said would be cut, Andrew Tobias reports. Last year, DeWine cut about $776 million from the state’s general operating budget for 2020, including $300 million in cuts to K-12 school funding and $110 million in cuts to higher education funding. But under the new order, DeWine is restoring $160 million in funding to schools this year, and $100 million to higher education. The DeWine administration is working on finalizing its budget proposal and plans to unveil it on Feb. 1.