OPINION — This is a follow-up to the letter published Nov. 12, 2022, regarding the proposed Red Butte Solar Project in the Pine Mountain foothills.
As Ms. Hokana’s letter points out the project has been submitted to the St. George office of the Bureau of Land Management for consideration, and if approved would be located on up to 7,000 acres of public land.
The land requested by the developer, BrightNight, for this enormous 11 square miles utility complex is visible from several communities, and when completed would be visible from thousands of square miles of rural and recreational lands, creating visual blight. The impact would be substantial, not just in terms of visual impact, but in other ways:
1. Environmental impacts include large-scale destruction of habitat, changes to local weather patterns due to ground and air heating, damage to watershed, widespread loss of vegetation and groundwater contamination.
2. Increased risk of fire due to hi-voltage panels, large lithium-ion battery storage facilities, transformers, cables and component failures.
3. Loss of recreational use. No hunting, hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding and ATVs.
4. Long-term loss of the land. This development would eliminate any alternative use of the land for many decades.
The Bureau of Land Management oversees 22.8 million acres of public land in Utah, approximately 42% of the state’s land mass. Red Butte’s proposed location violates BLM’s current classification of the area as a Solar Farm Exclusion Zone, based upon both slope (in excess of 5%) and visual resource management standards.
As Ms. Hokana mentioned in her letter, power generated by this project will be sold to grid operators for use in other states.
The natural diversity and beauty of Utah generate over $7 billion per year in visitor dollars, and $1.2 billion in state tax revenues. Locating the proposed Red Butte project in a scenic area close to St. George is counterintuitive and counterproductive to Utah’s visitor campaigns, as well as Washington County’s successful Greater Zion tourism campaign.
Put simply, Red Butte offers nothing to the residents and visitors of Washington County. It does threaten to destroy the natural beauty, character, and value of the area, quite possibly forever.
Please voice your concerns and comments now.
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee https://senate.utah.gov/
State Sen. Don Ipson https://senate.utah.gov/
U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart https://stewart.house.gov/
State Rep. Walt Brooks https://www.waltbrooks.com/
Submitted by CURT SHELLEY, Dammeron Valley
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