Two proposed local solar projects appear to be dead as of Wednesday.
The Ohio Power Siting Board denied a request to construct the Sloopy Solar project in Harmony Township in Clark County at its meeting on June 24.
The board pointed to what it called “overwhelming public opposition” as the reason behind the denial.
“The OPSB found that the unanimous opposition of local governments in the project area, as well as the overwhelming public opposition to the project, outweighed the positive attributes of the project,” an OPSB spokesperson wrote in an email.
The 180 megawatt, 1,900-acre solar project could’ve been the first utility-scale solar generation facility in Clark County.
Sloopy’s developer Invenergy said in a statement the company is disappointed by the decision and will evaluate next steps.
“Sloopy Solar represents an opportunity to deliver reliable, Ohio-generated energy to support increasing electricity demand, strengthen regional economic and workforce development, and provide long-term local economic benefits to Clark County and surrounding communities,” Invenergy’s development manager Gaby Rubio wrote in a statement.
“We appreciate the time and input provided by local stakeholders throughout this process and remain proud of the work our team has done to develop the project responsibly and transparently.”
A group of Harmony Township residents joined together to form the Harmony Farmland Preservation Coalition.
Harmony Township resident and founding member of the group Joshua Trapp said they are elated with the recent decision.
"We will remain focused on our mission and be watching to see if Invenergy decides to appeal the case to the Ohio Supreme Court," Trapp said. "This is a large positive step in the right direction for our community, protecting the rural characteristic of Harmony Township and its prime farmland."
Three unions were selected to work on the project: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 683, the Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1410, and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18.
In a statement, the union coalition said the decision “represents a loss of hundreds of local construction jobs for the community.”
“When projects like this get turned away, workers lose an opportunity for steady paychecks, apprentices lose a path forward, and our community loses the kind of long-term economic benefit that helps everyone,” said Pat Hook, business manager for IBEW Local 683 in a statement.
“That’s the part that really concerns me. These are the jobs and the future we should be fighting to keep here at home.”
Staff from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio recommended the board deny Sloopy’s application in March.
Hillclimber project called off
At the same meeting, the Power Siting Board approved a request from the developer of the Champaign County project called Hillclimber Solar to withdraw its application.
RWE’s Hillclimber project is a 116 megawatt solar and 40 megawatt battery storage project. The 900-acre project was proposed for construction in Urbana Township.
In its filing to the board on May 19, Hillclimber’s developer says it reserves the right to file another application at a later date.
That project also faced staunch local opposition.
