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County creates utility-scale alternative-energy task force and names members
Summary
Pennington County commissioners approved staff recommendations and additions on March 4 to form a task force that will study utility-scale solar and wind projects and recommend ordinance and policy updates.
The Pennington County Board of Commissioners approved formation of a Utility-Scale Alternative Energy Systems Task Force on March 4 and appointed local stakeholders to study policy, siting and community impacts of large solar, wind and related projects.
Appointments and structure: Planning staff recommended a seven-member task force with seats for agricultural producers, alternative-energy operators, an Indigenous-community representative, a tourism or at-large representative, and technical advisors from planning, equalization and the State's Attorney—s Office. Commissioners approved the staff slate and then amended it to add two additional appointments (Haven Stuck and Mary Williams) and to name Commissioner Durr as the task-force chair; John Santana will represent the Planning Commission.
Why the task force: Planning director Brittany Molitor said the county needs a dedicated group to evaluate zoning and siting implications for utility-scale projects, to assemble technical standards and to propose ordinance language. Several speakers at the meeting said Pennington County is seeing greater developer interest in large projects and should adopt clear local standards.
Role and next steps: the task force will review industry practices, tax and decommissioning provisions, siting buffers, impacts on agriculture and tourism, and draft ordinance recommendations for the county. Planning staff said technical advisors (equalization, state's attorney, conservation districts) will support the work; the board did not set a fixed meeting schedule but commissioners said they expect a focused, goal-oriented effort.
Commissioners said they expect staff to return with proposed bylaws or a schedule and to provide the board with a timeline for the task force—s recommendations.
