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Shasta Power asks Crawford County to lift or exempt solar moratorium for proposed $400 million project
Summary
Representatives of Shasta Power told Crawford County commissioners they need the county to lift or exempt the local solar moratorium so financing deadlines can be met for a proposed $400 million project; commissioners said they were not prepared to exempt a single project and emphasized countywide and Planning and Zoning process constraints.
John Copyak, of Shasta Power, asked the Crawford County Board of Commissioners on March 6 to lift the county’s moratorium on solar projects or grant an exemption so his company can meet financing deadlines tied to equipment deposits. Copyak said the company’s confidential survey showed 23 neighbors in favor, nine opposed and five who abstained, which he summarized as "72%" support, and described the site proposal as "a $400,000,000 investment."
Copyak told commissioners the moratorium — in place since May 2024 and extended through 2026 — is blocking the project’s ability to secure financing and that the company must place a deposit in April to keep the project alive. He provided the board with survey results in an envelope the minutes record as not opened at the meeting.
Max Roe, also with Shasta Power, asked whether the board could lift the moratorium to allow pre-construction financing and permitting steps while retaining a prohibition on building permits, and suggested the county consider a wind-only moratorium if solar was being singled out. Roe said the company planned to return for follow-up discussion on March 26.
Commissioner Tom Moody pressed for clarity about what the company would do if the moratorium were lifted, including the risk that Planning and Zoning review could still halt or alter the project. Commissioner Carl Wood asked whether Copyak had discussed his plan with Planning and Zoning; Copyak said he had not shared all details publicly and referred to material on the county website. Commissioner Bruce Blair said he believed the county could not lift a moratorium for a single project and that doing so would pose risks; he said the board was not ready to grant an exemption.
The board took no formal action at the March 6 meeting on the request. Commissioners emphasized that lifting a moratorium would be a countywide decision, not an item the commissioners could selectively apply to one developer, and that any relief would still be subject to Planning and Zoning review and other regulatory steps. Shasta Power representatives said they would return on March 26 to continue discussions.
