Residents in White County petition against solar farms

WHITE COUNTY, Ind. — White County residents are petitioning against solar farms in their community.

The White County Citizens Group presented a petition to the White County Commissioners this week calling for a solar moratorium.

White County currently has limited ordinances regarding industrial solar plants.

White County Commissioner Nominee, Kaleb Pass, says as a result potentially 17,000 acres of prime farmland could be taken up by solar panels.

"My question in the back of my mind is whether the application of putting thousands of acres of industrial solar farms is that right application," said Pass.

Many concerned residents have the same question.

The White County Citizens Group presented a petition signed by over 630 people to the White County Commissioners at their meeting this week.

The petition requests to put a solar moratorium in place to create more specific solar ordinances in the county.

Concerned resident Becky Chitty says they took it under advisement, but wishes they would've done more in the meeting.

"There was no attempt at opening it up for discussion, or to ask further questions for clarification, or for further consideration," said Chitty.

One resident who did not want to be on camera says the current solar ordinance allows for industrial solar panels to be places as close as 50 feet from someone's property line.

She says a company is planning to do this on all four sides of her property.

Pass believes solar energy is a good thing, but says it should be handled in a different way.

"Some ways it might be better to step back and see if the applications that are being applied currently are working, and productive and viable like we're told they are," said Pass. 

Chitty says the next steps are to learn what impacts solar plants could have on the county long term.

"The main goal is protection for our citizens, protection for our environment, protection for the vision of what we say we want in White County," said Chitty. "Our comprehensive plan is not being followed."

News 18 reached out to the White County Commissioners Office for comment, but did not hear back.