Solar companies are moving into Grant County, IN wanting to install large scale industrial solar sites in rural agricultural areas.  Their goal is to take advantage of tax breaks and abatements in order to make money, not by generating electricity. They want to fleece our community and then move on leaving destruction in their wake.  Productive farmland in rural/agricultural communities is their target even though brownfield sites like old factories, landfills, parking lots or dumps make more sense for the environment. They do not care about our community, our culture or our future.  Our Grant County commissioners have supported these companies and have rejected the Area Plan Commission (APC) ordinance which was developed with community input.

Despite the objections by the majority of the community during public hearings, the commissioners of Grant County have approved a pro solar company ordinance which does nothing to protect productive farmland, the environment, wildlife, woodlands, or the rights of property owners affected by the installations.  It’s important to understand that they are proposing square miles of solar panels that will surround towns, neighborhoods and homes.  The County commissioners are trying to cash in at the expense of those who put them into office.

The commissioner's ordinance promotes large scale solar industrial sites on rural farmland which for decades has supplied food, provided jobs and is the heartland of American agriculture.  Solar companies will be allowed to install panels within 50' of your property line and 300 feet of your home along with razor wire fences in between. Their ordinance does nothing to protect the value of affected homeowners or guarantee the proper decommissioning once the solar field is obsolete. The commissioners also arrogantly removed the zoning approval process by the zoning board (which the rest of us must follow) and gave all the authority to themselves, so they can decide everything. 

As a result of the commissioner's action, the APC and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) have challenged the commissioners ordinance stating that it violates Indiana state law. They are asking for a proper legal review by a zoning authority.  However some Grant County council members have obstructed the APC and BZA from proceeding, stating during their meeting that one commissioner had instructed them to vote against the review.  At this same meeting another Commissioner insulted our residents and said the community would not listen and came with "pitch forks" when they were peacefully voicing their concerns about the solar developments.  Why would our elected county officials ignore the pleas of the community and treat us with so much contempt?   It's not totally understood what their motive is for the betrayal, but they have yet to identify any financial benefit for Grant County.  In fact property taxes and energy costs will likely increase if this is not stopped.  The commissioner's ordinance, if it stands, threatens our personal liberties, our culture and the very fabric of our community.

Please reach out to your county officials and demand a rejection of the commissioner's solar ordinance and request a restart of the solar ordinance process in Grant County before it's too late.  Our future depends on us.

Grant County Commissioner contact information below

·         Mark Bardsley – mbardsley@grantcounty.net ; 765-668-4776 ext 3511 

·         Steve Wright – swright@grantcounty.net ;  765-668-4776 ext 3512

·         Ron Stewart  – rstewart@grantcounty.net ; 765-668-4776 ext 3510

Also please visit additional information:

Grant County Citizens for Responsible Solar

Nationwide Citizens for responsible solar

Posey County IN Solar Resistance