Butler Township zoners deny variances for proposed solar farm
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A sign is placed along Nater Street in protest to a proposed solar farm in Butler Township, which would be in the field opposite the tree line.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – After hours of testimony spread across three months, the Butler Township Zoning Hearing Board voted to deny variances necessary to build a solar farm on the former Ashland Metals site.
The board made their decision Wednesday night in the fourth and final part of a zoning hearing that first began in February.
U.S. Light Energy of Latham, NY, proposed the solar farm on the former site of Ashland Metals, which is now owned by the Wytovich family. That site, just off Germanville Road, was operated as a battery recycling facility decades ago and was heavily contaminated with lead.
In the 1990s, DEP undertook a $2 Million project to demolish the site, remove any hazardous materials aboveground, and cover the site with clay and vegetation, creating a cap. DEP still monitors the site for potential groundwater contamination. Contrary to erroneous reports, nothing remains on the site.
U.S. Light Energy sought permission to construct the farm, pursuant to the township’s zoning ordinance, and for a variance for the 200-foot setback requirement.
The solar farm would have produced 1.5 megawatts of energy for the local area.
Neighbors raised concerns regarding potential environmental impacts construction could cause if the clay cap were to be disturbed, as well as noise and aesthetic concerns, among others.
The board will issue a written decision in the near future outlining the decision and the facts of the case. U.S. Light Energy can appeal to the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas.
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