County hears input on exclusion map plan
Auglaize County commissioners heard a range of opinions during a hearing Tuesday before they unanimously approved a map excluding unincorporated areas from solar and wind projects greater than 50 megawatts in size.
Commissioners had sought resolutions from each township with their stance on exclusion before moving forward.
Michael Wildermuth of Cridersville asked why they are shutting Auglaize County off from large scale renewable energy when there is much to gain.
“We don’t advocate using the whole county for renewable energy,” Wildermuth said. However he would like to see as many as 10 of the 300 megawatt solar projects like Birch Solar explaining that they could bring $30 million in potential payments in lieu of taxes to local governments and schools.
Wildermuth said more than one million acres of corn would be needed to produce the ethanol energy equivalent of 15,000 acres needed for solar panels.
“Where is the wisdom in smothering such an efficient industry in the cradle?” Wildermuth asked. “Where is the wisdom in denying land owners the chance to double or triple their income on their land? Who believes in usurping landowners’ rights, socializing them, and placing them in the hands of political officials is good for our state?”
He pointed out China is installing solar panels at twice the rate of the United States.
“They expect to have four times our renewable capacity by 2026,” Wildermuth said. “They don’t get U.S. tax incentives. They do it because it is a cheaper way to make electricity than coal or gas.”
Auglaize Farm Service Area Director Anita Green explained millions of acres of agricultural land have already been lost to development.
“We need to reserve this for future generations,” Green said.
Agriculture remains Ohio’s number one industry, contributing $93 billion to the state economy.
She said half of the land in Ohio is considered prime farm land.
“We were meant to grow food,” Green said, adding land does not grow solar and wind, further explaining that calling them farms was a technique to make projects palatable.
She explained land owners are familiar with zoning restrictions for things that affect their neighbors. She said alternatives to farmland could require solar panels with new construction projects and developments and non-prime farmland.
St. Marys Mayor Patrick McGowan said while he isn’t excited by wind generation, city officials there are looking into solar power to offset peak energy use. He said their project would be much smaller than 50
megawatts and would not be impacted by Senate Bill 52.
McGowan does feel that the legislation infringes on home rule.
“We actually don’t care for the state telling us how to run our city,” McGowan said. “I am sorry it pushes it down on you guys, but we would like to make our own decisions if we could.”
Greg Shobe, a land owner in Waynesfield, is in favor of renewable energy for energy independence.
He said although there may be 50 years’ worth of oil reserves, his grandchildren will outlive that timespan.
Shobe believe opposition to renewable energy like wind and solar comes from personal opinions and not wanting to look at wind turbines or acres of solar panels.
“When we attempt to improve something, there is always opposition in certain people’s eyes,” Shobe said.
He sees the projects as easy to look past and encouraged people to look at renewable energy as a “thing of the future.”
Karl Marshall, of Waynesfield, felt similarly.
“Our family feels it’s the right of the landowners to make this decision,” Marshall said.
Adrian Whetstone felt Senate Bill 52 gives power back to the local residents for large scale renewable energy projects. She said the massive projects need to be in industrial areas or incorporated areas.
Whetstone, who lives in Union Township, reminded commissioners in the past few months that four projects have been proposed, affecting eight of the 14 county townships.
Auglaize Townships United, a group expressing concerns for the projects, have attended monthly township trustee meetings. Whetstone said trustees have been receptive to their concerns and thanked government officials for being proactive.
Shelly Bendele of Wapakoneta explained her family is full of generational farmers and were raised to love and respect the land. While she is not against green energy, she is against its commercialization.
Bendele expected a property value decrease of 20 to 25 percent to accompany a renewable energy project, as many people don’t want to move to a community with large scale projects. She explained that while school districts might want PILOT money, there also might be an impact from decreased property taxes.
“The price we pay will be the loss of prime farmland, the peace and calm of our country homes,” Bendele said.
Richard Miller, a Union Township trustee, said they have heard from concerned residents about renewable energy projects and reiterated his support for the exclusion zone.
Marcus of Union Township agreed.
“When I drive by the windmills that are in operation, I get a sick feeling inside,” he said. “I strongly oppose the construction of wind and solar projects in Union Township as well as Auglaize County.”
He discussed property values as well as reliability of the energy.
Leslie Kubinski of Wapakoneta spoke about the renewable energy effect on property values, the flicker effect from wind mills and the heat reflected back into the atmosphere from solar panels, which he feels contributes to global warming. He is also concerned about windmills killing thousands of birds and bats.
He explained that due to the way projects are funded through tax incentives, it is really the tax payers who are footing the bill for payments in lieu of taxes to schools and local governments due to equity.