Sunfish Solar's latest propaganda

The front of the recent BayWa/Sunfish Solar mailer really irks me. For anyone who hasn't been to James Madison's Montpelier, this is the iconic and expansive view of the property and the Blue Ridge Mountains from the front portico. Montpelier's foundation and staff, in coordination with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, have worked hard to protect this landscape and replicate the look and feel of Madison's time.

How ironic that a company intent on putting hundreds of Orange County's beautiful rural acres into industrial use for a solar plant would choose this scene as the cover of their mailer. BayWa, you have some nerve.

Let's look at the heading: "Sunfish Solar wants to partner with Orange County". What exactly does that mean? According to Merriam Webster dictionary, "to partner" means "to join or associate with another." Thus far, it's an association based on the developer's promises:

• A promise of $13.6 million in revenue -- over the life of the 35-year contract ($388,500/year) - IF BayWa doesn't walk away, which they confirmed at the Planning Commission work session that they could indeed do.

• A promise of increased earnings for local businesses and workers. But no specifics. At the Panning Commission work session the developer confirmed that the majority of the jobs associated with the project would be consultants, contractors and vendors within Virginia (400+) but outside of Orange County. There could be 122 jobs available to Orange County during construction. The developer has said that there will be no onsite personnel for day to day operations because the facility will be monitored remotely.

• A promise to "carefully" preserve Orange County's rural character. This "preservation" involves creating wildlife corridors through the fenced panel areas and vegetative buffers to screen the project from adjacent landowners and passersby. The developer essentially is creating an artificial environment in their attempt to preserve the rural character. How about leaving the proposed project area as it is: rolling hlls, cultivated fields, pastures, trees, no solar panels.

The developer says they want to hear from residents of Orange County. Go to one of their informational meetings. Dig in deep with your questions. Ask them why they aren't building on industrial land. Ask them what their experience is with grazing sheep within a fenced panel area. Ask them how their native pollinator plantings will be maintained to prevent all the common invasives -- such as multiflora rose, autumn olive, and poison ivy, to name a few. Ask them why they were so stingy with their proposed setback for non-participating properties - 50 feet. Ask them why they didn't do a traffic study and were completely unaware of the public safety challenges of the Route 522/True Blue road intersection.

Better yet, send your questions to your district's planning commissioner or all the commissioners (find their emails here). They will be reviewing the project again on June 20. At that time, there may be the opportunity for public comment, potentially followed by a vote for or against the project. PLEASE SPEAK OUT.