Friends of the Land is grateful for all the support and encouragement you have given us since we posted this petition last month. In addition to sharing our concerns at both the Elgin ISD School Board and the Bastrop Commissioners Court, we received a long write-up in the Elgin Courier this week.

In our meeting with outgoing Superintendent Dr. Judi Duron, she reiterated that "this isn't about money as much as about what is best for the community." We needed to hear those words, as so many development decisions are based on short-term economic gains without weighing long-term environmental costs. Your comments help drive home that message -- one that resonates even louder in a summer taking its toll on this brittle, sun-burned landscape.

We are now awaiting the Texas Comptroller's decision whether to certify the solar farm's Chapter 313 application. If it is approved, the school board could take a final vote as early as its next board meeting in mid August. We hope to have a 1000 signatures by then -- proof positive that the potential harms of this ill-conceived project far outweigh the benefits to our community. So please, keep passing this petition forward and hopefully we can declare victory before too long. You can read the Elgin article at: friendsoftheland.com.