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Residents ask commissioners to revoke Crossvine Solar battery permit, citing safety and tax transparency concerns
Summary
Several Huntingburg and Dubois County residents asked the commissioners to revoke AES's Crossvine Solar Battery Energy Storage System permit 2024-02, raising thermal-runaway safety concerns, alleging an increased battery count in a revised permit and questioning the transparency of AES tax forms and projected county revenues.
Residents at the March 16 meeting urged Dubois County Commissioners to act against the Crossvine Solar Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and raised questions about tax assessments tied to the AES project.
Holly Bartelt Gogel of Huntingburg presented documentation and asked the board to revoke permit 2024-02, saying she believes BESS installations are susceptible to thermal runaway that can cause chemical fires and release flammable and toxic gases. She said AES submitted a revised permit to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security with an increased number of batteries from the original permit and asked the county to act on public-safety grounds. Commissioner Chad A. Blessinger responded that the county board does not have authority over the BESS component in the same way it has authority over solar land use.
Blessinger also presented an AES-prepared report estimating property tax revenues of about $1,776,733 per year over 25 years under HB 1210 and HB 1046. Several speakers during public comment reinforced safety and oversight concerns: Mandy Harris (Huntingburg) prioritized public health and safety and requested revocation of solar permits; John Kaltenbacher (Town of Holland) and others said the number of batteries in the permit had increased and asked that the permit be revoked or that the county amend its solar ordinance (2022-12) for zoning authority; Randy Bartelt questioned how equipment is assessed and referenced state Bill 390 and whether the county would receive $1 per megawatt-hour.
During public comment, Jason McCoy of the Property Rights Alliance distributed an MSC Intelligence dossier on the Mid-States Corridor and related parties. Paul Gasser, a Huntingburg resident, said, "Pull the permit." Julie Schutz of Jasper voiced concern about relinquishment of U.S. 231 and asked, "Will taxpayers be double-taxed?"
The meeting record shows these concerns were raised during public comment and that no revocation or formal county action on the BESS permit occurred at the March 16 meeting.
