Montezuma County residents have created a website to express their concern and position against the proposed Canyonland Solar Project, which continues to move forward despite a recent six-month moratorium put on solar by the Montezuma County Commissioners on April 9.
The next phase of the project will be the Planning and Zoning commission hearing, which is set to take place on May 15 at 6 p.m. in the commissioner’s chambers in the county administration building (Room 250), 109 W. Main St.
“Though I cannot speak on behalf of the Board, my guess would be that since JUWI has been operating our development plan for five years now under the premise of the existing Montezuma County land use code, coupled with that we submitted our high impact permit-special use permit application into the county prior to the board announcing the concept of a moratorium, the best practice would be to exclude Canyonland Solar from the moratorium, which occurred,” David Kimmett, JUWI manager and planning, told The Journal on Tuesday.
After the announcement of the moratorium, and JUWI’s exemption from it, the website created by citizens was launched. Eleanor McFarlane, one of the Goodman Point residents who helped create the website, explained the purpose behind it.
“We deliberately stayed away from any kind of corporate look. We aim to educate; no rant or mudslinging,” McFarlane said.
The website clearly shows the position of those who are staunchly against the project.
“We are a core group of concerned Montezuma County residents who love the rural, agricultural aspect of the county and the values represented by the lifestyle that goes with it,” the website said. “Say NO to Canyonland Solar. Farms grow food, not solar.”
On the website, creators share their view on the project, saying it could likely cause more issues than benefits for local landowners.
“No guaranteed energy benefit for the county, no reduction to your energy bill, no long-term permanent job creation,” the website’s homepage reads. “Yes interrupted wildlife corridors and migratory flyways, yes drainage/runoff issues, yes high risk wildfire potential, yes panels, inverters, racking equipment, substations, access roads, underground and overhead electrical transmission and communication lines, metering, measurement devices and other equipment and facilities for the operation of a solar project.”
McFarlane added that she wanted people to know that Goodman Point is more than “just” dryland.
“Goodman Point is not just some place away from Cortez that could have a solar facility built on it. People have lived here for generations,” McFarlane said. “Neighbors may live next door or 5 miles away. Neighbors wave at neighbors as they drive by, and they wave at strangers too. Neighbors mean it when they ask if they can help. It's home.”
The website also dives into property rights and questions residents have about issues like drainage, runoff and wildfire risk.
“We understand individual property rights. Those rights work both ways for the protection of the neighbors too, per the Montezuma County Land Use Code and legal descriptions,” the website reads. “Consider the collective agreements with JUWI, Inc. and how the contiguous properties will look with a utility-scale solar facility in place. Scraping the land, building retention ponds, glass, metal, rare earth elements and more will affect the neighboring properties and the whole county through light pollution/glare, runoff, interference with wildlife, fire hazards, toxicity and more. Surely, the neighboring landowners and county residents should have a say in the way they are affected by a utility facility of this scope.”
On Wednesday evening, Vicki Shaffer, Montezuma County public information officer, provided a statement to The Journal on behalf of the commissioners.
“The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners is tasked with making decisions ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the county and must preside over a process of land-use decisions that is fair and ensures due process,” Shaffer said. “The Board has asked the planning department to look at our land use code and master plans as they relate to energy development, including utility-scale solar development, and propose changes to guide and inform this type of land use in the future.”
Shaffer shared that JUWI’s application was “informed by the requirements” of the current land use code and has been in development for a few years.
“The currently pending application has been in development for a number of years and is informed by the requirements in our current land use code. Our code does not have criteria specific to large solar facilities, but it does have a process for evaluating proposals for ‘major facilities of a public or private utility.’ The Board decided the current land use code is adequate to review this application,” Shaffer said.
Canyonland Solar is a 140-megawatt solar project that would be on 960 acres of private dry land near Canyon of the Ancients National Monument and Goodman Point, if it receives approval. The proposed construction would take place on “a rectangle of land” boarded by Road P (north of Road T) and Road 16 to Road 18.
JUWI Inc. is a German-based company that “specializes in utility-scale solar energy projects.” The North American headquarters is in Boulder.
The website “Say No to Canyonland Solar Facility” can be found online at www.saynotocanyonlandsolarfacility.org.
This article was updated Wednesday evening to include a statement from Montezuma County’s public information officer regarding JUWI’s exemption from the solar moratorium.
