In his report to the Snowflake councilors at their Sept. 22 meeting, Town Manager Paul Watson brought that issue to their attention.

"I'd like to talk about economic development, most especially wind and solar farms," he said. "As you know, one wind farm is already up and at least three or four other companies are looking at this area. Some of the projects are larger than others.

"Gary Gumbel, a local resident, is concerned about the issue and is trying to get a letter out to people in the area. I have similar concerns about some of the sentiments he relayed. I'm not saying no, but we need to be made aware of what is proposed as well as the economic advantages and disadvantages."

Watson said NZ Legacy CEO Bob Worsley submitted five different applications for special use permits for projects that would cover more than 38,000 acres with wind and solar farms. That could mean as many as 775 wind turbines and, based on the applications, 1,430 solar towers. He stated the solar towers would concentrate solar power which would heat water to make steam which would then make electricity.

"Imagine the number of solar panels needed to feed that many towers," he said.

Mayor Kelly Willis said his biggest concern was the project's estimated water usage.

"They are talking about using as much water as Cholla (power plant) uses," he said. "That's my biggest concern. I want the county to know that it's something that has to be looked at in a very careful way.

"It would take from our resources and give us nothing. Talk about water - if we deplete it, we know what will happen." "I don't want to play Chicken Little and say the sky is falling," Watson said. "But we have a stewardship and whatever comes, it must be sustainable and environmentally sound."

Someone else wants to lease state land, he said, and Arizona Land and Cattle Company shows a preliminary land use plan that might look at similar projects. He said he believed that company's owner tried to do things that will be of the best interest for the future.

A lot of the alternative energy projects are in a time crunch, councilors were told. The developers have to start the project in less than a year to be able to receive funding from stimulus money from the federal government.

"Once built, the actual farms will have only a few jobs with the potential use of a significant amount of land and water," Watson said. "There would be very little economic development. The flip side is if the industry comes, we could get spin-off industry such as making solar panels."

The largest concern is over water usage, Watson said, adding that there are generating systems that use very little or no water.

"This isn't the time to say the sky is falling and we're in dire straits, but we need to keep informed," he said.

Willis agreed, adding, "I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but we'd better be dang sure we know what is going on. We could see the end of our community. I want you people to know we need to sit on top of this."

Pam Sutter, who lives east of Snowflake, commented that with the towers and the resultant lights for aircraft warning, the area would lose its dark skies which could bring in a lot of tourism from stargazers.

"You have been the voice of warning," Councilor Jason Whiting said to Watson. "Now what can we do?"

"Most of these projects require a zone change and we can deny that (in the incorporated city)," Watson said. "The county has asked and continues to ask our comment on these projects." Town Attorney Robert Hall said that when it comes to water issues, it's not only the county but the state that has to approve projects that would use water from the aquifer.

Councilor Chris Brimhall said they should look at the other ways to create solar energy without using water before the application is accepted.

Watson said, "Bob Worsley said in the worse-case scenario, they will get Iberdrola to develop the projects. NZ Legacy is only the landowner.

"This issue has created more stir than needed. If we had had more details, that might not have happened."