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Johnsburg neighbors press McHenry County to deny Water Locust solar CUP, cite water, wildlife and battery-storage risks
Summary
Neighbors and local experts urged the McHenry County Board Nov. 13 to deny a conditional-use permit for the proposed Water Locust/Cultivate Power solar installation, citing groundwater leachability, runoff and wildlife impacts and warning that battery storage could be added later despite an initial ZBA condition prohibiting it.
Residents from Country Oaks and other nearby neighborhoods addressed the board during the Nov. 13 public comment period to oppose the Water Locust Solar LLC / Cultivate Power proposal. Speakers described the site as a roughly 50–54 acre industrial solar installation sited near residential property lines and sensitive watershed features; objections focused on groundwater leachability, long-term herbicide use beneath solar panels, potential heavy-metal and plastic degradation runoff after panel end-of-life, visual and noise impacts, fire risk if batteries were added later, and potential property-value declines.
Key points raised by speakers:
- Renee Weigert urged the board to "vote no until long-term…
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