By WILL PERKINS
Glasgow News 1
Over 50 people packed into the Barren County Fiscal Courtroom — with even more standing in the adjacent hallway — on Tuesday, July 15, for a public comment hearing regarding the Wood Duck Solar project, a proposed solar farm to be located on 2,300 acres of land in western Barren County.
Seventeen people made public comments, with 14 opposed to the project and three in favor of it.
Many of those who spoke against the solar farm voiced their concerns about the environmental impacts the project could potentially have on the land and surrounding areas, citing previous examples of problems caused by solar farming in other parts of the country. They also brought up a letter that Mammoth Cave National Park had sent expressing their concern about how the project might negatively affect the local ecosystem.
Lonnie Calvert, of Louisville, said he was in favor of the project and he was speaking on behalf of two labor unions. He said there is “a lot of misinformation out there” regarding solar farming and its impacts.
“I would urge the folks in this community to keep an open mind,” he said. “Educate yourself and don’t believe everything you’re told.”
Calvert added that this project would not only put more energy on the grid, but it would also bring in tax revenue and jobs to the area.
Tiffany Thompson, of Park City, said she owns two properties adjacent to the proposed land, and that the project “has a direct negative effect on mine and others’ property and livelihood.”
“Those of us adjacent to this project, we’ve taken the time to research and educate ourselves,” Thompson said, adding that solar farms have the potential to “destroy our valuable farmland for generation after generation to come, if this land is ever able to be farmed again.”
Darrell Burks, of Lawrenceburg, said he was born and raised in Barren County and that he supports this project. He said coal energy eventually needs to be replaced with something more sustainable like solar power.
Margie Dawsey, of Glasgow, said she is opposed to solar farming in Barren County and read two letters that she said were written by members of the local Amish community, who are concerned about how this project would negatively affect the land and their lives.
While there was lots of applause after the speakers who opposed the project, there were still several in attendance wearing attire and buttons that displayed their support for the solar farms.
The meeting, which was filmed and entered into public record, lasted over two hours, with each speaker getting up to seven minutes to speak at a lone microphone in the middle of the room.
The next hearing is set for Oct. 2.
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