Please help us request that proposed plans for industrial solar facilities be moved from our Pinesville / St. Peter residential neighborhoods of Archer, FL!

We are a small historically Black rural agricultural community.  Since 2020, the siting of two (2) industrial solar facilities have been proposed in our Pinesville / St. Peter area of Archer, FL located in unincorporated Alachua County.  These industrial facilities are ranging approximately 600-860 acres total in size. 

A Special Area Study for the Hickory Sink located in between Parker Road and 170th Street in unincorporated Archer includes plans for utility solar near a previously denied location in our community. 

We would like to preserve our historically Black neighborhood which is one of the few remaining rural communities of color in North Central Florida that has been in existence since prior to slavery ending.  Survivors of the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 settled here, community leaders and two (2) historic African American cemeteries are here, and World Class Athletes have roots here.  

Our property values, heritage, culture, generational wealth, and rural quality of life is at stake. Hickory Sink is located close to our Pinesville and St. Peter community of Archer neighborhood’s properties. As we transition to renewable energy, we ask acknowledgement of Environmental Racism which includes Environmental Justice and Energy Equity principles to pay special care and attention to guide decisions in marginalized Black, brown, rural, and low-income communities which will impact generations to come. This includes adopting best practices of protecting neighborhoods near locations where utility-solar has previously been denied like our Pinesville / St. Peter neighborhoods of Archer in 2020 (i.e., No build zone of at least two (2) miles from a previously denied power plant location).

Since 2020 this is the second (2nd) time there has been plans for a proposed siting in our community. Data shows a historical practice of disproportionately siting of industrial facilities in marginalized Black and underserved communities.

We are requesting that proposed plans for industrial solar facilities be moved from the Pinesville / St. Peter neighborhoods of rural Archer, FL!