Senator Drazkowski offers amendment to restore local control over solar project in Viola and Haverhill Townships

(ABC 6 News) — On Monday, Senator Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) offered an amendment to the Minnesota Senate’s energy budget proposal that would give local governments and residents a stronger voice in large scale projects.

This includes the 1800-acre solar development planned for Viola and Haverhill Townships.

That project, called the Lemon Hill Solar Project, has caused concerns with residents in the area.

Related: Residents of Olmsted County raise concerns over nearby solar panel project

“I attended a meeting in Viola Township about this last week. People are outraged – and for good reason,” Sen. Drazkowski said via a press release. “A Chicago-based solar developer is trying to blanket 1,800 acres of farmland with industrial solar panels. Land included in the development proposal has springs that feed the Whitewater River. This developer wants to rip out the terraces that have been in place for generations to protect the soil and water, and the folks who live there don’t even get a seat at the table. That is just wrong. People need to have a say in what happens in their own backyard.”

The new amendment would allow counties to adopt stricter land use standards for wind and solar developments.

The state’s Public Utilities Commission would be required to consider those local standards during the siting and permitting process.