Here are quick reasons why Industrial Solar Panel Farms should NOT be put next to residential homes and consume agricultural land.
- One of the biggest issues is water runoff. Instead of having 3,000 acres of soil that holds onto the rainfall, we would have 3,000 acres of property that the water would not be able to infiltrate and would runoff. There are already problems, when we get large rains, with the ditches and creeks being able to manage all of the water overflows. The extra water runoff would flood and wash out farm fields, roads, and houses especially if the houses have basements.
- There are also problems with chemical leaching. Cadmium, which is extremely toxic, is in the solar panels. If they suffer damage from hail or anything else, the cadmium would be released into the groundwater, and then into the well water of all of the houses in Marrs Township.
- The panels are also cooled with antifreeze, which would create the same problems as the cadmium.
- Children are more at risk due to their small stature and a higher likelihood to be in closer contact with soil (playing outside). These panels will only be 100 feet from our homes
- The fact that these panels will take Prime Production farmland for 35 years we know it will be very expensive and nearly impossible to restore the land for farming ever again.
- There are more studies being done on decreased property values but it’s common sense a property like that will not sell easily. But the Solar Panel Companies just state: “Your home value won’t decrease”. Would YOU want to buy a piece of property surrounded on three sides of panels, 100′ from your property line?
- We are unsure of how fire insurance for dwellings will either increase or be difficult to purchase, especially if you sell your home and someone new is coming in. This is still being looked into.
- Many local farmers rent land from landowners. If landowners decide to rent (because they’re being offered a very high price) they will be out of money and a job. There are many who will be forced to find new employment if this goes through.
- Solar farm fires, although not super frequent, they do happen. And it can be as simple as a bird landing on them and acting as a conductor. Our small volunteer fire department does not have the capacity to handle these fires
- The energy may not benefit us in this area. We will continue to have the same high prices with Vectren and get our energy from the coal-fired power plants. Many other plants send their energy to other areas, it is unknown if that will be the case here. If and when we have to come up with another energy source, we are going to be out of the land because these companies are selling power to other areas, and where will we get our energy at that point?