Santa Fe County commissioners grant nearby resident standing, deny pre‑hearing discovery in Rancho Viejo Solar appeal

Santa Fe County commissioners on Oct. 11 granted standing to a nearby resident who asked to participate as an interested party in the appeal of the Rancho Viejo Solar conditional‑use permit and declined a request for formal pre‑hearing discovery, while approving an order that sets the pre‑hearing procedures and scheduling for the full merits hearing.

The ruling came at a pre‑hearing conference before the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners, chaired by Commissioner Camilla Bustamante. "My name is Camilla Braum, and I'm requesting status as an interested party for the upcoming BCC hearing," Braum told the commission, saying she is an adjacent property owner and that "I rely on groundwater from a well situated approximately a half a mile southwest of the proposed facility." Braum said her concern centers on groundwater flow and potential contamination tied to the project's planned use of lithium‑ion batteries.

Why it matters: the board's decision determines who may present evidence at the full hearing and what information opponents may compel from the applicant in advance. Commissioners said the ruling balances due‑process notice and the practical limits of a lengthy…