Planning commission recommends Huntington Creek solar application be forwarded to county commissioners

Whitney Rubin, a community liaison for Dural (an independent power producer), told the Emery County Planning and Zoning Commission that the Huntington Creek Solar Project application seeks a level‑3 conditional‑use permit for a 240‑megawatt photovoltaic array and a 100‑megawatt battery. "This is a level 3 CUP ... It is for a 240 megawatt solar project and a 100 megawatt battery project," she said, adding the company anticipates a roughly 1,700‑acre solar footprint after exclusions and environmental design constraints.

Why it matters: at the scale Rubin described, the project would be one of the largest private solar developments proposed in the county. Commissioners said they needed to weigh visual impacts, wildlife and grazing effects, interconnection capacity and the county’s long‑term tax and land‑use planning goals before the county commission acts.

Rubin told the panel Dural has leased roughly 3,400 acres and expects 17–22 private landowners to participate; she described a phased approach to construction, detailed studies of wetlands, cultural resources and threatened species, and a requirement under forthcoming state law (HB 16) to file a decommissioning plan and financial security. "HB 16 has requirements for a decommissioning plan to be in place," Rubin said, adding that decommissioning plans must be updated every five years.

Commissioners asked about transmission and interconnection. Rubin said Dural is pursuing a 345‑kV interconnection and that some transmission lines in the region are at or near capacity; she said the project team is coordinating with Pacificorp/Rocky Mountain Power and will pursue collection easements following county approval. Commissioners repeatedly urged the applicant to provide maps and to continue outreach with nonparticipating neighbors.

Commission discussion emphasized two practical steps: completeness of the county application packet and additional technical briefings later in the process. One commissioner described the submission as thorough: "This application is one of the better ones I've seen," a commissioner said after reviewing the materials. Commissioners noted the planning commission’s role is to check completeness and recommend the application to the county commission, which will hold the formal hearings.

The commission voted to send the Huntington Creek CUP application to the county commissioners for their review and further public process. The county commission will schedule next steps, which are expected to include public notices, additional studies and opportunities for public comment.

What’s next: the application will appear on the county commission’s docket for formal review and public hearings; the applicant and staff will continue coordination with utilities, state agencies and resource specialists to complete required environmental, cultural and wildlife studies.