Letter to the Editor: Solar project utility complex would ‘destroy the natural beauty’ of the area

Solar panels at Well #3 in the North Ridge Well Field in Dammeron Valley, Utah, Aug. 10, 2020 | Photo by Alexa Morgan, St. George News

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.

Stock image | Photo by lovelyday12 /iStock /Getty Images Plus, St. George News

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.

A view of the typical landscape contained within the Red Butte study area, with the community of Dammeron Valley visible in the distance on the right, Washington County, Utah, March 16, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News

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/contact/
State Sen. Don Ipson https://senate.utah.gov/contact/
U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart https://stewart.house.gov/contact/
State Rep. Walt Brooks https://www.waltbrooks.com/home

Submitted by CURT SHELLEY, Dammeron Valley

Letters to the Editor are not the product of St. George News, its editors, staff or news contributors. The matters stated and opinions given are the responsibility of the person submitting them. They do not reflect the product or opinion of St. George News and are given only light edit for technical style and formatting.

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