Latest news with #Soltage
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Will County Board rejects solar facilities in near New Lenox, Wilmington
The Will County Board voted 16-5 vote Thursday to reject plans for a solar facility in New Lenox Township that was opposed by New Lenox village officials and nearby homeowners. Soltage proposed two 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facilities on about 75 acres southeast of Haven Avenue and Gougar Road. The village of New Lenox abuts the property to the west and north and objected to the plan. More than 80 residents of the nearby Fieldstone Subdivision signed a petition stating the commercial solar energy facility would negatively impact their property values. They also said the height of the vegetation and the minimal times it would be mowed would be an eyesore and create problems with mosquitoes and rodents. 'This proposed solar farm will be extraordinarily close to our homes,' Sandy Wheeler said. 'I was involved in preparing the signatures in opposition to this proposed solar farm. Not one resident that I asked to sign the petition denied it.' Ray Stanford said residents in the Fieldstone Subdivision believed it would depreciate their property values, saying he researched the impact of property values next to solar farms in states that have had such facilities long before they became popular in Illinois. He said he learned the value of homes about a half mile from the solar farms go down in value. That claim was denied by Soltage representatives. New Lenox is recommending a medium density, single-family residential development as part of its comprehensive plan for that land, said Robin Ellis, the assistant village administrator and community development director. The village has been very deliberate in its planning and has intentionally kept industrial development west of Gougar Road, Ellis said. The county could generate more in property taxes from a future residential development than a solar plant, Ellis said in a letter to the county, noting the developer estimated the solar facility would generate about $73,000 annually in property taxes whereas a modest residential development could generate $1.6 million annually. The land owner last talked to the village about building a residential development in 2008, Ellis said. Since then, the village has taken steps to encourage residential development east of Gougar Road by investing nearly $4.5 million in road improvements. The village is also investing in a new wastewater treatment facility to prep the area for residential development, she said. Board member Frankie Pretzel, the chair of the County Board's Land Use and Development Committee, said this is the wrong location for a solar project. 'I drive by this property regularly,' Pretzel, a New Lenox Republican, said. 'It's just a matter of time that we see homes.' He said the site is in a highly desired area in the heart of town. New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann said homes are located to the west and north with Lincoln Way West High School to the south. If a solar facility is built, nearby vacant land would not be developed for homes, and an industrial use would likely be proposed. 'It doesn't fit the area,' Baldermann said. 'We are not anti-solar, it just doesn't make sense on this piece of property.' Baldermann said he believed the solar project would be a tremendous loss of revenue for the area taxing bodies. Union School District 81 would receive $660,000 a year in property tax revenue if the land were developed as homes as the village wants, said Baldermann, who is also the district's superintendent. As a solar facility, the district would receive $22,000 a year, he said. The district is also highly sought after and would welcome more students, Baldermann said. James Brown, fire marshal for the New Lenox Fire District, said he had concerns due to its proximity to schools and Silver Cross Hospital. Stephanie Sienkowski, director of development at Soltage, said the project would bring about 60 to 75 union contractor jobs during construction, and the solar facility could provide solar energy to about 2,000 homes, helping meet a growing demand for electricity. She said the company also planned to offer college scholarships to students and gift the New Lenox Fire District with an ATV. She tried to assuage concerns about fire hazards and said the company has an emergency response plan in place. Andrew Lines, a real estate appraiser for Soltage, said data shows solar energy facilities don't have issues on property values throughout the country including in coveted and scenic areas of Hawaii, California or Colorado. Soltage attorney Maria Bries said the property is located in unincorporated Will County, which should supersede New Lenox's planning authority. New Lenox's comprehensive plan is only advisory, she said. Commercial solar facilities are allowed to be located on agricultural land, and the Soltage project meets the requirements for a special use permit, she said. The company has invested $1.6 million in the project thus far, she said. Bries said the Will County Board cannot be more restrictive than state law in denying an application. 'Decisions by counties based on local resistance rather than objective standards … are yielding arbitrary outcomes detrimental to ComEd's future power supply and the state of Illinois' pressing energy needs,' she said. State laws governing solar projects have frustrated many county lawmakers, who feel the state is taking the control over local projects out of their hands. 'I strongly believe that the state legislature got this wrong and shame on them for putting us in this position month after month after month,' Pretzel said, adding he would like to put a halt on solar cases. 'The only reason they are called solar farms is because we are putting them on farm land,' said Republican Leader Jim Richmond, of Mokena. 'Really, they are solar utility plants, and we are putting them in close proximity to houses not because this board wants them there but because Springfield has pushed this upon us.' Democrat Sherry Newquist of Steger, who voted against the project, said she was on the fence. She said on one hand it was a textbook case of a municipality using its future planning area to decide how it wants to grow. But she conceded denying the project would ultimately lead to a lawsuit. 'And how well is that serving the taxpayers,' she said. The County Board also voted 16-5 to reject a commercial solar energy facility proposed by Nexamp Solar LLC that would have been located on about 34 acres on Wilmington-Peotone Road in Wilmington. County Board Speaker Joe VanDuyne, a Democrat from Wilmington, said the planned location is next to the community's welcome sign and would be a bad location for a solar farm. The city of Wilmington objected to the request because it was too close to existing residents and could be annexed to the city for a future residential use. City officials said the solar energy facility would be an eyesore and potentially create glare or contamination concerns, county documents said.
Chicago Tribune
21-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Will County Board advances solar projects near Manhattan, New Lenox
The Will County Board voted Thursday to advance solar energy projects near Manhattan and New Lenox. Soltage, a renewable energy provider, plans to build two 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facilities on 69 vacant acres at the southeast corner of West Manhattan Road and South Cherry Hill Road in Manhattan. The company is planning to lease the land, which is the remains of a farmstead, for up to 40 years, according to the county. One business that neighbors the proposed solar project, Green Glen Nursery, wrote county officials a letter of support, but the Manhattan Village Board unanimously voted to object to the plan. The proposal is within 1.5 miles from Manhattan's boundaries. Mayor Mike Adrieansen said in a letter the village doesn't oppose solar energy facilities, but the village wants this particular area to be used for commercial development. 'The proposed solar energy facility will disrupt the natural flow of our development,' Adrieansen wrote. Manhattan Township did not object to the solar facilities but made several requests, such as planting a buffer of evergreen trees and shrubs along the north and west property lines and adding at least a 6-foot tall chain-link fence for security. The developer agreed to comply with the township's requests, county documents said. Township officials also requested that Soltage establish a line of credit that could be used if landscaping or fencing falls into disrepair or if the grass becomes overgrown. The projects would generate enough electricity to provide power to about 2,000 homes, according to company documents. It would also bring about 75 jobs to the area throughout construction. Native and pollinator grasses approved by the Will County Forest Preserve District will be planted under and around the solar panels to increase biodiversity, reduce erosion and support wildlife populations, company documents state. The project, which was approved by a 15-6, vote, is expected to begin construction in mid-2025. The county board also approved a project by ECA Solar and New Lenox Community Energy Initiative to build a commercial solar facility on just under 35 acres south of the Canadian National Railroad Tracks, west of South Spencer Road and north of Brogan Drive near New Lenox. The New Lenox Village Board did not object to the solar facility, but requested fencing and rows of evergreen trees and shrubs. The project was approved by an 18-4 vote. No one from the public spoke in opposition to the two energy projects, and the board approved them without discussion. Board member Judy Ogalla, a Monee Republican, voted against both solar projects saying later legislators in Springfield should not have control over local cases. Illinois law sets statewide standards for wind and solar farm siting and says local ordinances cannot be more restrictive than the state standards. Ogalla said there is no other industry in the state that abides by these rules, which takes control out of local officials' hands who best know the area and residents' wants. 'That is bothersome to me,' she said. She said she is glad that the county can put conditions on the projects before granting a special-use permit and many solar energy developers have agreed to those conditions, include such requests as the number of mowings per year or types of plantings. Ogalla also said solar energy projects are not compatible with farming. 'Because I am a farmer, I don't support building solar, which is an industrial use on agricultural farmland,' she said.
CBS News
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Brooklyn residents continue battle against lithium-ion battery energy storage systems
Tensions are sparking in southern Brooklyn as residents learn of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems moving into vacant storefronts and lots along industrial corridors, many just steps from residential homes. Opponents point to a massive lithium-ion battery fire at a facility in California in January that smoldered for days and led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents as an example of what they fear. News reports say the blaze released toxic gases and scattered heavy metals over the area, leading homeowners to file a lawsuit against multiple energy companies. The facilities coming to New York City are different – they're mostly outdoors, much smaller and need to meet strict regulations – but that's not much consolation for many residents. A new facility of 6 Tesla Megapacks is powering up at 2481 McDonald Ave., where an old auto body shop once stood. The site is being developed by a company called Soltage to store electricity in batteries for later use. The goal is to reinforce the power grid during surge times. Janet Guerra, who lives near the site, says she is angered. "Our insurance companies are going to be dropping our homeowner policies as soon as they're aware that these facilities are coming to Gravesend," she said. Theresa Scavo from Community Board 15 recently found out through word of mouth. Immediately, concerns of battery fires, constant noise and dropping property values sprang up. "It's something called thermal runaway. If there is even a spark, it starts a chain reaction. The chain reaction could end up with gas fumes through our community," she told CBS News New York reporter Hannah Kliger. Assemblymember Michael Novakhov also learned of the plan while speaking to Kliger, calling it a red flag. "Everything is done very, very quietly without the community knowing about it. And that brings more concerns. Why is it done so quietly? What's wrong with that? Why not share this with the public?" he said. That stretch along McDonald Avenue near Avenue W is within the 44th City Council District. That City Council seat has been vacant since the start of the year, after Councilman Kalman Yager won his State Assembly race. Activists say that's been one of the challenges because even though City Council members do not directly approve facilities, they do often play an important role in informing the community and advocating for their concerns. That's why Councilwoman Inna Vernikov got involved, even though she represents a neighboring district. "Who is to say that tomorrow they're not going to try to do this in my district?" she said. "I think if people knew what they're trying to do here, there would be a protest of thousands of people." Last month, CBS News New York reported on two similar facilities coming to Flatbush Avenue in Marine Park, developed by a different company called NineDot. It's a plan neighbors there oppose for the same reasons. "In the end, it might very well make our own properties behind us unsellable," said Claudia Greco, a homeowner whose property would be steps away from one of the NineDot locations. Soltage says the system is designed with rigorous safety standards developed by the FDNY. Construction will begin in the coming months and it should be operational by mid 2026. Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by CLICKING HERE .
