With the influx of solar development interest in Manhattan Township and surrounding areas — and the most recent proposal by Earthrise Energy for a 5,000-acre 600MW solar project — Manhattan Township recently passed a resolution in hopes it can help mitigate potential negative impacts of solar developments.
Current state legislation gives the green light to solar developments — as long as they meet the minimum state requirements, the county is required to approve the projects. The 2021 Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which aimed to phase out fossil fuels, initiated the process, and this was further codified in the 2023 Public Act 102-1123. It established uniform standards for wind and solar developments, allowing counties to enact their own restrictions, but these restrictions could not be more restrictive than those set forth in state legislation. It also set a timeline for approval to prevent unnecessary delays.
Despite legislation, Will County recently denied a handful of solar projects, which subsequently ended up in litigation, according to officials.
Townships, villages, and the county can make requests during the application process, but the solar developers are not required to accept them.
Manhattan Township’s resolution, passed on September 23, makes specific requests for specific requirements concerning aesthetics, abandonment and decommission, property line setbacks, environmental impact, lighting, any changes in ownership, reporting, financial assurance, and a prohibition of battery storage it hopes the county will help it enforce.
“All we’re trying to do is to protect the township,” Manhattan Township Clerk Kelly Baltas explained.
With regard to aesthetics, the township made requests for native pollinators, a four-foot berm with a minimum of three-foot-high trees, and a maximum eight-foot spacing between trees. They also requested underground on-site power and utility connections. There are additional aesthetic requests.
A major concern for the township and residents alike is whether mowing will be kept up, or if the property will be left to grow unkempt. The township’s resolution requests a reasonable letter of credit at the First Bank of Manhattan, in an amount acceptable to Manhattan Township, to draw against if landscaping or fencing falls into disrepair, or if grass becomes overgrown.
Recently, in Manhattan Township, three solar farms were approved by Will County – one on Smith Road, with a 50-acre parcel, one at the intersection of Cherry Hill and Manhattan Roads, and one on Gougar Road, south of Hoff. The Gougar Road project has been largely completed.
The township made several requests of the developer for the Smith Road project, one of which was widening Smith Road between Cedar and Kankakee Roads.
According to Jim Baltas, Manhattan Township Road Commissioner, the project will be let out to bid soon. They received half of the funds up front, with the other half in a surety bond. The township will handle all of the engineering, bidding and construction management. An exact date was not yet determined.
Baltas explained it will all be done to their specifications.
Kelly Baltas explained the developers for both the Smith Road and Cherry Hill Road projects have been easy to work with and have been amenable to their requests.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure it’s not costing our residents money to fix roads or look aesthetically pleasing,” Baltas said.
However, township officials said they haven’t heard much from Earthrise about their major project, nor have they seen any maps, though Earthrise is required to make a presentation to the township board before any permits can be filed with Will County.
Baltas said Earthrise did reach out in September but had no maps or information to offer at that time. Township officials said if Earthrise and the township were to meet, they wanted to get information about it.
“There’s not a whole lot of public information about this solar farm. To our knowledge, it’ll be down near the peaker plant, and they plan on connecting to it,” Baltas said. She added the project would span over three townships: Manhattan, Green Garden, and Wilton.
Earthrise currently owns the Lincoln Generating Facility at Pauling and Kankakee Roads and has already made several community donations by way of grants, including for the new dog park and to the Manhattan Fire Protection District for brush and structural fire gear.
The Vedette reported at the end of July that the Manhattan Fire Protection District had discussed a letter of intent with Earthrise for an upcoming project. However, no further details were available at that time.
Currently, Earthrise has planned an open public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, at the Hansen Community Center, 397 S. State Street, in Manhattan, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., for the public to learn more about the project.
The next Manhattan Township meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., on October 14, at the Manhattan Township Building — township officials say they welcome and sincerely encourage the public to attend and provide them with their input.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.