Santa Fe County Hearing Officer Recommends Denial of Solar Project
A Santa Fe County hearing officer suggests rejecting the Rancho Viejo Solar project due to safety concerns raised by local residents
Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rancho Viejo Solar, AES Corp, Lithium-Ion Batteries, Fire Risks
Santa Fe: Recently, a hearing officer recommended that the Santa Fe County Planning Commission deny a proposal for a large solar and battery storage project. This project, called Rancho Viejo Solar, raised a lot of eyebrows due to safety concerns.
Residents from nearby communities, like Eldorado and San Marcos, have been vocal against the project. They worry about the potential fire hazards and how close the solar panels and battery storage would be to their homes.
The hearing officer, Marilyn Hebert, pointed out that the project would have over 200,000 solar panels and 570,000 lithium-ion batteries. She mentioned that having such a facility so close to residential areas poses an unreasonable risk to safety.
Hebert’s order came after a hearing earlier this month, and the Planning Commission is set to discuss the proposal on February 3. The local communities are still very much against it, mainly because of the fire risks associated with the battery storage.
Hebert also noted that the distance from fire stations could make it harder to respond to any emergencies. Residents are worried that this project could hurt their property values and make it tough to get home insurance.
Supporters of the project argue that it could help combat climate change and boost the local economy. They claim that fires from lithium-ion batteries are rare, but many locals aren’t convinced and have shown up in large numbers to voice their opposition.
If the Planning Commission gives the green light, opponents can still appeal the decision, which would then go to county commissioners. Even that decision could be challenged in court.
For those against the project, Hebert’s recommendation felt like a win. Lee Zlotoff, president of the Clean Energy Coalition of Santa Fe County, expressed relief that their concerns were finally acknowledged.
Zlotoff emphasized that it just makes sense not to place a potentially dangerous facility near residential communities. The project aims to generate 96 megawatts of power and would cover a significant area, including a solar facility and a battery storage system.