Petition Against the Expansion of Gravel Pit Solar (Docket 492a) & Any Additional Large Scale Industrial Solar Projects In East Windsor - We Demand A Moratorium Now!

To: Governor Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz & The Connecticut Siting Council,

We, the undersigned residents, property owners, and concerned citizens of East Windsor, Connecticut, strongly oppose the expansion of the grid-scale solar project submitted by Gravel Pit Solar, LLC, under Docket 492a. While we support responsible renewable energy initiatives, this particular project—both in its current form and in any expanded version—poses serious and lasting harm to our environment, farmland, and community character. 

The original approval of Docket 492 came with specific conditions. Any attempt to expand the footprint or alter the scope denies stakeholders the opportunity for full participation in the process and disregards the clear and consistent opposition from local residents. We did not support reopening this docket though you approved it. We do not support expansion of Gravel Pit Solar through any future docket or petition. 

Our reasons include, but are not limited to: 

Environmental Damage: 

The expansion threatens wetlands, forests, and critical wildlife habitat. This land provides natural flood control, pollinator support, and clean water filtration. Solar infrastructure does not belong in ecologically sensitive areas. 

Farmland Destruction: 

The project targets productive farmland—some of the last remaining in East Windsor. These lands should be preserved for agriculture and future generations, not converted to energy infrastructure. 

Loss of Community Character: 

Our town’s rural identity, scenic views, and peaceful neighborhoods are incompatible with large-scale solar development. The proposed expansion would industrialize beloved green space and diminish property values. 

Lack of Public Process: 

Pushing these changes through a motion to reopen, rather than submitting a new application for each location, denies stakeholders the opportunity for full participation in the process. This approach undermines transparency, weakens public trust, and sets a troubling precedent for future developments. We’ve Already Sacrificed Enough. 

Additional Proposed Solar Projects:

In addition to the Gravel Pit Solar expansion, residents are increasingly concerned about additional large-scale solar projects being proposed in and around East Windsor, including the proposed Saltbox Solar facility spanning East Windsor and Ellington. 

Saltbox Solar is proposed as a large utility-scale solar facility connected directly to the regional power grid. While developers often promote projects like this by saying they could power thousands of homes, electricity from grid-scale facilities does not necessarily serve the host community or even remain within Connecticut. Once generated, the electricity flows into the regional ISO-New England grid and is distributed wherever demand exists. In other words, East Windsor could permanently lose farmland and open space while receiving little or no direct benefit from the electricity produced here. Residents are making it clear: East Windsor should not continue to absorb additional industrial solar development. 

We do not support the Saltbox Solar proposal or any additional large-scale solar projects on our farmland and open space. East Windsor has already absorbed more than its fair share of industrial solar. East Windsor already hosts nearly 25% of Connecticut’s large-scale solar generation, making it the most heavily burdened town in the state and home to the largest concentration of utility-scale solar in New England. Despite this, residents and surrounding communities continue to be ignored as additional projects are proposed. Enough is enough.

We respectfully urge the Connecticut Siting Council to reject any future attempt to expand this project under any docket or petition. We do not want modified plans, altered maps, or expanded arrays. We want Gravel Pit Solar stopped—permanently. We've done our part. 

This situation has also highlighted the urgent need for reform of the Connecticut Siting Council process, which currently allows large-scale utility projects to override local zoning and proceed without adequate consideration of cumulative impacts on individual communities. Sign the petition and help protect our farmland, our environment, and the future of East Windsor.   

Urgent Need for Solar Siting Reform:

This situation also highlights the urgent need for statewide reform of how large-scale solar facilities are sited in Connecticut. A state solar siting guidance draft addressing solar development on farmland has remained under review since 2024, recognizing the need to protect prime agricultural soils from permanent conversion to industrial energy infrastructure. Yet while this guidance remains stalled in draft form, projects continue to move forward and farmland continues to be targeted. If Connecticut recognizes that farmland deserves protection, those protections must be finalized and implemented immediately. Until clear farmland protections are adopted, we call for an immediate moratorium on new large-scale solar projects proposed on agricultural land. Connecticut must protect its remaining farmland before it is permanently lost. 

Sign the petition and stand with residents of East Windsor, Ellington, and communities across Connecticut who believe farmland and open space should not be sacrificed for poorly sited industrial solar projects. Renewable energy must be developed responsibly and equitably—not concentrated in a handful of rural communities while others are asked to bear none of the burden. Until meaningful siting reform and farmland protections are adopted, we call for an immediate moratorium on large-scale solar development on agricultural land in Connecticut.