By Karen Haave
Will County Board Chair Judy Ogalla and her newly formed Wind/Solar Task Force are looking for changes in Illinois legislation that has made it almost impossible to block construction of solar facilities.
Solar farms, she said, “are all the rage, all over. Every month we have so many coming forward.”
Will County residents, unhappy with the surge in the power plants, say they are opposed for myriad reasons, among them they will cause a drop in property values in residential areas.
At the same time, they contend the solar panels will contaminate prime farmland and lead to loss of farms, and that they have potential to create health issues.
Some residents note the panels are not quiet, with significant noise generated by tracking motors, gears, and battery storage systems. And others fear the panels can be used for “malicious manipulation of the weather.”
Ogalla spoke recently to the Monee Village Board, seeking support for the amendment changes.
“Thank you for asking me to come and speak tonight,” she said. “I think it’s an important issue for everyone to understand what’s been going on since last year, when during the lame duck session, the…legislature passed (Senate Bill 4412) taking away authority from the county board (to reject solar farms).
“So with that, they have a…mitigation agreement with the State of Illinois they can apply for a special use permit in agricultural, industrial lands, and we can’t say yes or no.
“We said no to one solar farm, and there’s a possibility the county could get sued for that. We’re looking to test the waters. So far, that hasn’t been challenged.
“The county is part of an organization called the Illinois State Association of County Organizations, and last summer I said, “Can’t we get a task force, because we’re all dealing with this, all the counties in Illinois.”
“So we formed a task force. Our first meeting was in November…and through that, we’ve come together and learned all of the counties involved with this all had ordinances allowing solar farms or wind farms. They were all very good, robust, and we were able to approve the solar facilities in the area.
“So what happens now is we’re putting together a list of amendments (for sections in the legislation) that we might like to get changed. We know we can’t repeal the bill, but we’re hoping to get some amendments so we can have some authority back in it, because we’ve had situations – one was in Shorewood, which is the one that was denied. It was too close to a residential area, and that is not a suitable place, in my mind, to do that.
“Recently, we’ve had some we have not passed to the Land Use Committee in Green Garden, a rural residential area where the people were very opposed to it, and they’ve come forward.
“So the good news is we’ve been working together. We expect to have some amendments going forward, sometime during this year, and one new bill by Senator Sue Rezin (R-38th District), Senate Bill 2595. “That bill has a stipulation that, if the county is going to approve a solar facility in an unincorporated area – which is the only place we can – and it’s within three miles of a municipality, the municipality must also approve it. So, I think that’s something you guys should be supporting.
“I’m putting on our state legislative agenda we’re going to support that because at least we can protect the people in the municipality and beyond (the existing provision for) one and a half miles, all the way to three miles.
“So, for instance, if you didn’t want the two facilities on Will-Center Road and Pauling Road, that three miles would have come in and you could have denied them.
“So, that’s what we’re doing. We’re looking to get some provisions made with that, and as soon as we know more, I’ll let the mayor know, and I’ll come back and give you an update.”
Ogalla said she is contacting area mayors to tell them about the task force and its objectives.
“There’s a lot of solar facilities coming forward,” she added. “One thing we have been asking (of solar companies) is that they provide something to the municipalities. You know the one here in Monee provided a $220,000* donation to the Provision Lab, Inc. That same company provided $10,000* to Angels on Assignment in Crete. That’s something you can tell the residents, ‘Hey, you may not like solar farms popping up, but at least they’re doing something for our community’.”
Ogalla said she also has asked the solar companies to support amendments to Senate Bill 4412. She said Turning Point Energy has agreed to partner with the task force. She said she also has talked with Trajectory Solar Energy and received a tentative positive response, but it needs to be approved by their board of directors.
Ogalla also noted that nationally, farmers are voicing concern so many solar farms are being built on prime farmland.
“So there is a movement there, and I think we’ll be seeing some things coming this year and next year.”
*Correction/update: The correct donation amounts from TurningPoint Energy for the Monee community solar project include $20,000 committed to Provision Lab and $15,000 committed to Angels on Assignment.