Approximately 200 people attended a public forum Wednesday night, April 14, at the Adams Street Community Center. The forum, put on by Brown County Commissioners, was designed to hear the pros and cons of a proposed solar power farm in southwest Brown County, near Brookesmith. Arguments were made, for and against, the proposed project and the abatement being requested by the developer, IP Radian of San Francisco, California.
Christian Fiene of IP Radian, (shown in photo at podium) spoke first, describing the project and the benefits that will accrue from it. He said the tax abatement, initially requested at 85% for 10 years, has been reduced to a request of 55% for 10 years. He said over the 35 year life of the project, $9.2 million in taxes would be paid to Brown County and $16.2 million would be paid to the Brookesmith Independent School District.
Solar farm discussion held at public forum
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Brown County citizens speak against solar farm tax abatement
Brownwood Bulletin
Six members of TLOW Texas Landowners Opposing Wind urged Brown County Commissioners Court members Monday to refuse a tax abatement for a proposed solar farm project near Brookesmith.
While there were no agenda items at Monday’s meeting that pertained to the proposed solar project, the six spoke during the citizens comments section of the agenda.
TLOW was initially formed by a group of landowners who opposed tax abatements for wind energy.
On Feb. 8, commissioners approved in a 4-1 vote with Brown County Judge Paul Lilly voting “no” guidelines and criteria for any future tax abatements the court might grant.
Brown County Commissioners approved the adoption of guidelines and criteria for the purpose of potential future tax abatements during Monday’s meeting at the Brown County Courthouse.
All four commissioners – Precinct 1’s Gary Worley, Precinct 2’s Joel Kelton, Precinct 3’s Wayne Shaw and Precinct 4’s Larry Traweek – voted in favor, while County Judge Paul Lilly stated his opposition.
Worley stated, “Establishing guidelines and criteria does not mean we will automatically grant a tax abatement to Radiant Solar or anyone else. What it does mean is that 3M, Kohler, Superior Essex or any other industry in the county that wishes to expand and would like to have a tax abatement, the criteria is already set. It’s not just for one industry, it’s for every industry that might come in. The second thing is just because we set these guidelines and criteria doesn’t mean that anyone that fills out an application is automatically going to get it. In these guidelines and crite
A large solar power plant has been proposed for southwestern Brown County, near Brookesmith. The company that would construct and operate the plant is Intersect Power of San Francisco, California. The project would be constructed on approximately 3,000 acres within the Brookesmith Independent School District and would produce 300-megawatts of power, 830-gigawatts annually, enough to power nearly 60,000 homes, according to Intersect.
Brown County Commissioners thus far have taken no action on a request for a tax abatement for a solar power farm project.
The following two pieces were submitted to BrownwoodNews.com by Intersect Power and TLOW, the Brown County group opposing the construction of a solar farm, stating their respective cases:
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