As residents of Graves County, KY, we are witnessing the rapid growth of solar energy in our area. A nearly 1,000-acre solar farm is set to be built near the intersection of highways 564 and 339. While this development provides economic benefits to a small number of local farmers willing to assume the risks these farms create, it also raises significant concerns for homeowners in our county. 

The state of Kentucky currently requires these panels to be set a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from adjacent property lines. However, solar companies such as GreenGo Energy are seeking exceptions to this rule. They plan on placing these panels merely 300 feet from our front doors.

This proximity leads to several potential issues, including temperature increases due to heat absorption by the panels (https://phys.org/news/2016-11-solar-island-effect-large-scale-power.amp as well as potential groundwater contamination from chemical leakage during panel production or disposal (https://www.epa.gov/hw/end-life-solar-panels-regulations-and-management#:~:text=Heavy%20metals%20like%20lead%20and,if%20materials%20are%20hazardous%20waste Moreover, studies have shown that proximity to large-scale renewable energy installations can negatively impact property values (source: Appraisal Institute).

We believe in the importance of landowner’s rights, but not at the expense of local homeowners' safety and property values. We urge you to uphold Kentucky's current setback requirements for all solar farms in Graves County without exception.

Please sign this petition if you agree that our homes should not bear the brunt of poorly planned renewable energy infrastructure.