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Residents press Bourbon County commissioners for KDHE confirmation on solar-panel disposal risks
Summary
Residents urged Bourbon County officials to produce KDHE documentation after an attendee read a Topeka waste-program email saying the EPA has 'concerns about the panels being a hazardous waste when disposed,' and commissioners said a committee and moratorium are in place while the county reviews policy and permits.
A Bourbon County meeting on public comment turned to solar energy on the county’s landscape after a resident read correspondence from Topeka officials raising potential disposal and stormwater concerns.
At the meeting, a resident identified as Speaker 5 asked whether commissioners had a hard copy of an email from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and read part of a message relayed from Topeka Waste Program personnel naming Brian Burbick and saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "has concerns about the panels being a hazardous waste when disposed." The resident said hazardous potential "depends on the panel type" and recommended contacting KDHE staff member Dawn Carlson for clarification.
Commissioners and staff did not confirm the technical details on the spot. Speaker 1 responded, "I don't know that," when asked whether damaged panels would be legally hazardous, and encouraged KDHE to address the question. Speakers also noted that stormwater permits are required for land disturbances greater than one acre, which can trigger KDHE review of construction impacts such as traffic and runoff.
County officials said they have begun a moratorium and formed a committee to collect public input and evaluate local policy before approving new solar projects. "We're trying to move forward and make it better for everyone," Speaker 1 said, explaining the temporary hold and the work of the committee.
The meeting record includes several related service and development updates raised during public comment: a behavioral health provider said it planned to add jobs and had patients waiting for services; Freeman Hospital had announced an upcoming presence, and wind and solar proposals and a potential star bonds project were cited as recent prospects.
The resident who read the email asked the county to procure formal KDHE documentation on the EPA concerns and panel types; the commission directed that KDHE be contacted and the committee would consider the regulatory and local impacts as part of its review.
Next steps: the county has a moratorium and an ad hoc committee to gather more information; residents were told they could contact KDHE directly for technical confirmation and to provide information to the county committee.
