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To the Editor:

Buckingham County has a second chance to listen to their citizens and vote no to Riverstone Solar Project.

Industrial scale plants do not belong in rural communities. Deterioration to the roads, traffic of over 450 (mostly out of state) employees at the height of construction, and danger to school children and citizens driving in the area will be a consequence.

The eminent soil erosion and harm to the streams, the Little George Creek and the James River will happen if this is approved. Apex’s only other solar project in Virginia, Campbell County, has been a nightmare for the county and the residents.

Yet the Board of Supervisors (BOS) does not feel the need to talk to Campbell County.

Numerous other large utility scale solar projects have experienced multiple detrimental issues.

Heavy equipment working seven days a week, noise pollution, and pile driving from sun up to sun down is disturbing to residents and farm animals. Other counties are living with the negative impacts. As a consequence, they are improving and strengthening their solar policies and ordinances to help protect their citizens, environment, and their counties for the future.

Learn from the experience and hardships of others. Investigate and vote as if this was happening in your own backyard. Supervisors and Commissioners, you owe it to your citizens to do your due diligence! What’s the rush? If you love Buckingham you cannot approve this project. The only winner will be the corporations. Think about the future of the county. Utility scale solar should not be placed near creeks, rivers and in our communities. The public hearing is Feb. 28. Email comments to: publiccomments@buckinghamcountyvirginia.gov or call (434) 969-5039 and leave a voicemail three minutes or less by noon Feb. 28. Or you may speak at the meeting. Let your voice be heard.

Shelley Flood

Virginia Beach

(family property in Buckingham County for five generations)