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To the Editor:

I believe in responsible solar energy that does not encroach on our waterways and animal habitats. Solar facilities should be built on commercial or residential rooftops, along highways, overtop of parking lots and on already contaminated land (brown fields). I do not believe that large scale solar utility plants, which will mainly benefit urban communities and big tech companies, should change our rural landscape and be detrimental to the environment.

Currently there is a proposed project involving several thousand wooded acres in Buckingham County just one-half mile from the James River. To build this facility, the majority of the trees and their root structures will have to be removed which will result in tremendous soil erosion into the creeks which run through the property. This erosion will affect the quality of the water and endanger aquatic life and these waterways run through adjacent property owners’ land and then into the picturesque Seven Island section of the James River.

Building this Solar Plant will also destroy the habitat of already diminishing populations of songbirds and kill or in the very least displace many other woodland animals. Also of concern is the “lake effect” of thousands of solar panels. Waterfowl will attempt to land and are either killed on impact or die because they are unable to take flight without water. Buckingham County needs to reconsider the use of this land for an industrial power plant. This is not responsible solar.

Ashley Cooper

Farmville