Natrona County commissioners deny Haystack Solar permit after hours-long hearing

The Natrona County Board of County Commissioners voted on Feb. 4, 2025, to deny the permit application (SF‑24‑01EG) for the proposed Haystack Solar Facility, a project the applicant describes as a roughly 2,010‑acre photovoltaic development with battery energy storage. Commissioners said outstanding technical gaps and public‑safety concerns outweighed the applicant’s mitigation offers.

County staff and multiple local agencies told the commission they had lingering concerns about fire response, drainage and reclamation. “The average on‑scene time for a lithium battery fire is four to six hours,” Chief Oliver of the local fire district told the board, noting the need to stage, involve regional hazardous‑materials teams and protect exposures rather than immediately fight a thermal‑runaway battery event.

The commission’s denial followed a six‑hour public hearing that drew dozens of residents, multiple local agencies and technical consultants. The planning staff had found the application largely consistent with Natrona County’s 2022 zoning resolution Section 5.09 (solar and wind energy facilities) and recommended approval with conditions, but several commissioners said required, project‑specific plans were incomplete.

Why the decision matters

The project—described in the application as including utility‑scale photovoltaic arrays, a substation, access roads and a battery facility—would be sited south of U.S. Highway 2026 near Natrona and east of County Road 209. If constructed, it would represent a large, long‑term land use change in rural Natrona County and raise county responsibilities for emergency response, road impacts and long‑term reclamation guarantees.

What staff and agencies said

- County planner…