Tempers flare at solar forum
By Tim Colliver - tcolliver@aimmediamidwest.com
State Rep. Shane Wilkin (left) listens to one of the concerned citizens who packed the Lynchburg fire station Tuesday night to express both concern and anger regarding a trio of solar panel farms proposed to be built near the village. At center, back to camera, is David Gingerich, who was the moderator and a member of Clinton County/Highland County Citizens Concerned About Solar Farms.
Tim Colliver | The Times-Gazette
It was standing room only at the Lynchburg fire station for Tuesday’s solar farm discussion. Organizers of the event estimated nearly 200 people were in attendance.
Tempers flare at solar forum
By Tim Colliver - tcolliver@aimmediamidwest.com
It was standing room only at the Lynchburg fire station for Tuesday’s solar farm discussion. Organizers of the event estimated nearly 200 people were in attendance.
Tim Colliver | The Times-Gazette
LYNCHBURG One concerned citizen called the area “the wild west of solar panels,” and it was a frustrated, exasperated and at times hostile crowd that greeted State Rep. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) in the Lynchburg fire station Tuesday evening.
The standing room only event was called to allow private citizens whose property either bordered on or was adjacent to any of the three proposed solar panel farms in the Lynchburg area to air their grievances about perceived devaluation of property values, loss of productive farm land, wildlife and health concerns, and fears of pollution of ground water.
Talking solar in Lynchburg
By Tim Colliver - tcolliver@aimmediamidwest.com
Wilkin
A grass roots organization calling itself Clinton County/Highland County Citizens Concerned About Solar Farms is having an informational meeting Tuesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at the Lynchburg Fire Department, located at 8123 S.R. 135 in Lynchburg.
On its Facebook page, the group states that it has 611 members.
State Rep. and Lynchburg native Shane Wilkin (R-Dist. 91) told The Times-Gazette that he will be in attendance at the meeting “with open eyes and an open mind” as to what concerns some of his constituents may have concerning the proliferation of solar panel farms around his home town.
Another of the players in the checkerboard of solar energy promoted the benefits of locating another solar panel farm in Highland County, and answered some