WEIMER SOLAR FARM MAY BE COMING TO OUR BACKYARDS TODAY, THAT SETS A PRECEDENCE FOR YOUR LANDS FOREVER!

Picture Derry Township five years from now—do you see a thriving, family-first community or a wall of industrial panels creeping up to our backyards, streams, and school bus routes? The Weimer Solar Farm isn’t a “green win”; it’s a rushed land-use gamble that sidesteps transparency, threatens property rights, and shifts long-term costs and risks onto neighbors while profits leave town. We deserve clean energy done right—sited responsibly, bonded for decommissioning, and shaped by residents, not corporations. Read our petition to see the specific reasons this project must be stopped, the safeguards we’re demanding, and how your signature today can change the outcome tomorrow.

Defend Derry Township: Defend Farmland, Property and Tax Payer Rights

For four generations, my family have called part of land on this road home. We have drawn crystal-clear water from our own well and transformed these fields into abundant garden harvests that nourish not only our family but also our neighbors, what one is not growing the others are to exchange. This land isn't just soil and crops; it's a tapestry woven with our heritage, a backbone of safety we call home, and a cornerstone of our community's resilience.

Derry Township's is considering to allow the installation of a large-scale solar farm acres of this invaluable farmland threatens to unravel that tapestry. The proposed solar farm jeopardizes not just our personal legacy, but also the delicate balance of our local ecosystem and the livelihoods of many around us.

Utility-scale solar farms, while aimed at sustainable energy, pose significant environmental challenges. The installation of such massive solar panels disrupts natural hydrology. Solar panels, which are impervious, increase stormwater runoff, triggering soil erosion and potential downstream flooding—issues that our community is not equipped to handle. Studies indicate up to a 19% rise in soil moisture under panel driplines, while moisture directly beneath these panels can plummet by 25%, fracturing natural water cycles critical to our agriculture and environment.

Defend Derry Township: Defend Farmland, Property and Tax Payer Rights

Beyond the environmental impact, consider the reduced crop yields, alterations to local ecology, and the diminished quality of life for neighboring homeowners who may face increased flooding and water table issues.

This decision should not be made without rigorous examination and community consultation. Our township must weigh the consequences of such a project on its people and the land that has supported us for generations. Together, we can advocate for responsible development that respects our community's roots and future.

Sign this petition to urge Derry Township officials to halt the solar farm project, prioritize transparent reviews, and protect the longstanding legacy and sustainability of our precious farmland. Your support can help shape a future where renewable energy solutions and agricultural heritage thrive side by side.

FACTS:

Key Environmental Impacts of Utility-Scale Solar Farms

Hydrology disruption: impervious solar panels amplify stormwater runoff, accelerating erosion and downstream flooding. Soil moisture under panel driplines can rise by 19%, while moisture directly beneath panels drops by 25%, fracturing natural water cycles.
Wildlife and habitat loss: vast arrays fragment migration corridors, displace ground-nesting species, and convert pollinator-rich fields into uniform panel deserts.
Toxicity and end-of-life waste: aging modules can leach heavy metals into soil, stray voltage and electromagnetic fields raise health concerns, and recycling protocols for decommissioned panels remain underdeveloped.
Residential and Agricultural Community Impacts
Property values and aesthetics: expansive installations often depress nearby home prices and obstruct the rural vistas residents treasure.
Noise and glare nuisance: inverter humming carries for miles, and reflected sunlight can create constant visual distraction for adjacent homes.
Disruption of farm operations: fencing restricts machinery movement, panels shade productive fields, and conversion of arable land reduces local food-growing capacity.
Local Farmland at Stake-it may be happening in our backyard today. It sets a precedent for your back yard forever!
Derry Township: dozens of agricultural parcels actively marketed through LandSearch highlight farmland as a cornerstone of our township’s identity and economy.
Blairsville: 21 current farmland listings emphasize that agriculture remains a vital land-use in the borough’s footprint.
Salem Township (Wayne County): agricultural land cover fell from 51.2% in 1959 to just 30.8% by 2002, underscoring a dramatic loss of local farmland over four decades.
New Alexandria: 28 farmland properties listed on LandSearch reflect the borough’s continued reliance on cultivated acres and pastureland.

📚 Penn State Research: Environmental Risks of Solar Farms

🌧️ Stormwater Runoff & Erosion

Solar panels are impervious surfaces, which can increase runoff and erosion—especially on sloped terrain.
Penn State researchers found that soil moisture under panel driplines was 19% higher, while moisture directly under panels was 25% lower, disrupting natural hydrology.
Without proper stormwater controls, solar farms can behave like paved surfaces, accelerating erosion and flooding risks.
⚠️ Toxicity & Long-Term Waste
Concerns include leaching of metals from panels, stray voltage, and electromagnetic fields, which may affect nearby residents and animals.
Disposal and recycling of panels at the end of their life cycle remains a challenge, with few clear protocols.
Demand a thorough, transparent environmental review for the Weimer Solar Farm proposal.
Advocate for alternative siting away from prime farmland, flood-prone tracts, and residential buffers.
Attend the community hearing on 9-2-2025 @5:00 p.m at Derry Township Municipal Building and

MAP FROM CVE DOCUMENTED BY THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Defend Derry Township: Defend Farmland, Property and Tax Payer Rights

Jim Prohaska

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