We are a small rural community of neighbors with our homes interspersed among corn fields and pastures. Based on a published WHO recommended distance of 1.2 miles (2km), we ask that the Morgan County Planning Commission impose a 1.2 mile setback from any occupied residence near the Taelor Solar project. 

Our state has mandated a move to renewables which we acknowledge and support. Of course solar panels and wind mills have to go somewhere. Uninhabited land in opposite directions of family homes is abundant in this area. The fact is, this project could succeed with setback distances from our neighborhood/homes increased to 1.2 miles in an area where there are hundreds of square miles without homes near them. 

The Taelor Solar project spans into two separate counties. There are hundreds of square miles of vacant uninhabited land in directions opposite of neighbor residences. The near half of the proposed project in our county has homes that will be inundated by patches of solar field weaving in and out and around family homes. We have many neighbors who built their forever homes with their own two hands. One couple, in their nineties, built their home 23 years ago but are now faced with a drastically changing landscape right outside their window.

A elder gentleman spoke to me last night with watery eyes and said "I am too old to fight this fight. Please help us".

Many indications from the way that this project has been conducted thus far suggest that the company leading this charge has chosen our county as the weaker resistance. Obtaining permit in our county is the leverage Balanced Rock will use to obtain the other county's reluctant approval. The tangible and intangible losses in our neighborhood stand to be a calculated step in their greater plan.

Here is a small subset of the many flaws in this half baked application for Special Land Usage proposed by an undersized California company.

• Balanced Rock omits mention of half of the project when approaching residents and the county. They describe it as 5,152 acres in size when in reality it is 9,589 acres in size. They reference only the first phase in presentations so that the entirety of the project is not recognized. We view this as a strategic but material omission.
• All indications suggest that the other county, where half of this project is destined, has not even been preliminarily contacted while 6+ months of engagement has been underway in ours unbeknownst to our neighborhood until last minute notices were distributed several weeks ago.
• Balanced Rock has NOT yet obtained the necessary license rights, established a Land Rights Agent, negotiated necessary sharing of rights of way with the utilities to be able to connect into the proposed transmission lines. This was indicated in a letter from the public utility. Their application is premature.
• Balanced Rock's contracted environmental study omits species that we frequently see in the area such as protected bald eagle, prairie chicken and others
• Balanced Rock's contracted environmental study was admittedly cut short of assessing the presence of a protected prairie chicken out of the inconvenience that the survey needed to be conducted in April and they started too late.
• The neighbors collectively disagree with the environmental study contracted by Balanced Rock because it states only "moderate" or "marginal" impact on several listed bird species, deer, etc. when conventional knowledge of solar fields clearly illustrates that foliage removal, continuous weed management, heat and reflection will eliminate birds and indirectly related species from the area. They will be expelled from this natural habitat and a significant margin beyond the borders of the project.
• The project's environmental impact potentially upsets CSU studies in wildlife that have been ongoing in this area
• Neighbors who have wandered in the prospective area of this project have discovered artifacts of native American origin on many occasions from various accounts.
• Balanced Rock's contracted hydrologic and geologic surveys neglect consideration that large portions of construction proposed (thousands of acres) will be built on sand that is barely held by grasses and native plants. Even now, with these plants in tact, high winds that frequent the weather patterns kick up sand storms. Construction here will exacerbate this many miles outside of our neighborhood impacting the entire town of Wiggins
• With a location at the far edge of a fire protection district, The project's emergency response plan is just shy of a paragraph and is only backed up by a rural volunteer fire department to respond.
• Balanced Rock's layouts fail to consider simple things like fire truck turn arounds.
• Balanced Rock's road plan fails to ensure safe response and will not keep roads passable by fire trucks in a region where sand is prevalent and flooding frequently washes out roads. 

If you are a neighbor who's home will be impacted by this project please mention that in your reason for signing this petition.