MEEKER | “We’ve always believed that good land management meant resilience, and my father always preached the highest and best use,” said lifelong Meeker resident, high school teacher and landowner Kathleen Kelley in response to a recent surge of public interest about a proposed solar farm on her family property. The “White River Valley Solar Project,” would utilize a total of 1,400 acres south of the White River and Powell Park nestled in an area called Josephine Basin. Of the 1,400 acres, approximately 500 would contain independently fenced-in solar panel “pods,” assuming the project makes its way through public hearings and other legal/financial hurdles to come.
Recently the power generation project received unanimous approval by Rio Blanco County’s seven-member planning commission following an active public hearing in which some residents, including neighbors, voiced their concerns.
OPPOSITION AND CONCERNS
Opponents of the development argue that the number of solar panels, which would represent one of the largest installations of its kind in Northwest Colorado, would ruin their view. Shawn Shults, who owns property to the northwest of the theorized facility, told the HT the panels would ruin the aesthetic of the county, stating, “I don’t want to look at a solar panel. I don’t know anybody that ever wants to look at a solar panel.”
Shults’ concerns over the potential for what he called “a gigantic eyesore” extends past looks, though. He also worries about issues which were reflected in other statements made to the planning commission last week, some of which are:
– a decline in surrounding property values as a result of visible solar panels
– impediments or detriments to migrating wildlife (particularly deer and elk)
– environmental concerns like dust/air quality, land reclamation
– economic concerns like how much revenue the project will generate for the county in the long term
PROPERTY RIGHTS VS. IMPACT
“My husband’s a biologist, and he has a master’s degree in environmental management. My brother is a wildlife artist,” said Kelley. “We all care very deeply about the impact on the land itself,” Kelley said.
While she and others had been keeping quiet about the project until now, she said she wants to address the concerns that have come up in recent weeks. “I try to keep myself in an empathetic position here because this is a large project, it will have a large impact. And it’s going to affect those neighbors out there,” said Kelley.
That said, she still took a strong position in favor of the project, noting that she would view the commissioners’ denial as a violation of her family’s long-term vision to use their land in a way that aligns with their values and economic interests. “My father really believed in innovation and he believed very much in the necessity of moving towards solar energy production,” she said, adding, “In a sense, we’re kind of carrying on his legacy.”
Legacy aside, Kelley frames her viewpoint around practicality, sustainability and necessity. “One of the things that has happened in the last 20 years is that we have lost all surface water in Josephine Basin in our area,” said Kelley, recounting how sustained declines in surface runoff and precipitation led them to give up their cattle and other traditional agricultural operations years ago.
She explained that the trend of shifting agricultural lands to either recreational or other use was part of a trend that has persisted in the valley as water resources become more strained due to drought.
Even on their own property, Kelley described spots that would normally serve as runoff ponds simply stopped filling up, even in years with higher than average snowpack.
“This is a private land operation. It’s not public. And we do believe in private property rights,” she said. “We’ve always believed that good management meant resilience, and my father always preached the highest and best use,” stated Kelley. Her interpretation of those words equates to “good stewardship,” which she hopes to put into practice by negotiating with Nextera Energy to prioritize economic and environmental sustainability on the land moving forward.
THE PROJECT
According to a fact sheet from Nextera Energy (see below), the company has operations in 49 states including a number of Colorado specific wind and solar projects. The fact sheet also goes into detail about concerns some neighbors raised during the latest planning commission hearing. Discussing wildlife it notes, “The project has been designed, with input and recommendations from CPW, to allow for big game use and migration by keeping the footprint to the minimum amount necessary and incorporating movement corridors within the site.” The fact sheet also lists benefits of the development for Rio Blanco County including:
– estimated $30 million of tax revenue generated over the lifespan (30 years) of the project
– 200 construction job opportunities over the course of two years
– One or two long-term job roles for the life of the project
Nextera also emphasizes their history of community interaction/support, “from providing trainings with local firefighters to sponsoring local rodeos.” Other examples are:
– teaching STEM classes to local schools with a focus on renewable energy to highlight possible careers
– sponsoring field trips, 4-H clubs, sports tournaments, proms, etc.
NextEra-White-River-Valley-Solar-Project-FAQ25304367.8-002Kelley said her family’s historic connection to and love of the land influenced both the selection and negotiation process with Nextera Energy. They chose the company after extensive vetting due to “an excellent reputation when it comes to dealing with communities and to dealing with environmental management.” To that effect she noted that as it stands, the negotiated proposal goes to great lengths to address many concerns outlined by opponents of the project.
Other items listed in Nextera’s fact sheet are:
– Construction timeline
– Property safety risks and mitigation measures
– Land management and reclamation practices
– Drainage and runoff
– Road, traffic and other construction related impacts
You can view the fact sheet in its entirety at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LSq_-qoSC7PMlJHmrdpXzMz0eSk1-1Qs/view?usp=share_link
FUTURE
The Board of County Commissioners will vote to approve or deny the project on Tuesday, May 9. If they approve the project, Kelley said the next step will be finding someone to purchase the energy that will eventually be generated by the panels. Nextera describes their company as “a wholesaler of energy” meaning they would seek contracts with larger utilities/companies like Xcel or Tri-State. While that still leaves the final completion of the project up in the air, Kelley expressed optimism about its future given that its location would put it right next to the Josephine substation, which is a major switching point for electrical utilities throughout the region.
“One of the things that I have an understanding of now is just how important the diversity and development of the western slope grid is,” Kelley said, while highlighting that as an already energy-producing area, Rio Blanco County just “makes sense” for solar, which she said could help to fill gaps created by closing coal mines and decreases to other more traditional forms of generating electricity.
BY LUCAS TURNER | [email protected]
