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Saguache County sets multiple conditions on Horus Energy's Sand Dune solar project application
Summary
The Saguache County Board accepted a Class I cultural desktop review, required a final interconnection study and stormwater and environmental plans, and mandated public review before a construction permit for Horus Energy’s Sand Dune Solar Project.
The Saguache County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 set a series of conditions for Horus Energy’s Sand Dune Solar Project 1041 application, requiring additional technical and environmental documentation before issuing any construction permit. Commissioner Liza Marron led multiple motions that the board adopted.
The board declined to waive the financial-feasibility requirement (2-211-9.A) after the motion failed for lack of a second. Instead, commissioners moved to accept an initial Class I desktop cultural review, with the caveat that the county could later require a Class III field survey if the desktop review proved insufficient. The board voted unanimously on that approach.
County staff were authorized to accept preliminary material from Horus on method, design and system upgrade needs for interconnection, but commissioners required the final interconnection study or a formal letter of intent from the utility as a condition of a construction permit. A separate motion that would have allowed only an interim descriptive submission until the final interconnection report died for lack of support; the board later passed a motion requiring Horus to submit the full interconnection study and letter of intent as a final condition.
The board also required a stormwater management draft at time of application and mandated that final stormwater plans, baseline soil testing and water quality assessments be conditions of construction-permit approval. Commissioners asked that drafts of the project’s housing plan, water-services-availability assessment, and site-and-facility maintenance plan be submitted with the application and finalized as permit conditions.
Finally, commissioners directed that the final reports be presented publicly and asked consulting firm Logan Simpson to draft an agreement tying the public hearing and submission of final reports to the county’s construction‑permit decision. Board Chair Tom McCracken and Commissioners Marron and Lynne Thompson voted unanimously on the package of conditions.
Next steps: Horus Energy must submit the specified reports and permit-condition materials; the county will schedule public review of final materials before deciding on a construction permit.
