Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Smyth County approves two utility-scale solar/battery projects under siting agreements
Summary
The board approved a 10-MW Clean Footprint solar special-use permit and negotiated siting agreements securing capital and community mitigation payments; Laurel Creek battery siting agreement also moved forward under negotiated terms.
Smyth County supervisors advanced county renewable-energy planning by approving a special-use permit for a 10-megawatt Clean Footprint solar project and finalizing siting and payment terms with utility-scale developers.
At their October and November meetings the board adopted SUP conditions for Clean Footprint’s 10-MW ground-mounted solar array, setting rules for setbacks, vegetative screening, stormwater and erosion control, decommissioning security and regular reporting. Clean Footprint also agreed to a capital-payment schedule and a recorded siting agreement spelling out mitigation payments and operational responsibilities.
The board also negotiated and approved a siting agreement with Laurel Creek Energy Storage LLC for a battery energy storage facility. The Laurel Creek agreement (contracted under Virginia’s siting statute) includes capital-mitigation payments to the county, a schedule tied to project milestones, detailed decommissioning and environmental testing obligations, and provisions for emergency responder coordination.
Both approvals followed public hearings, Planning Commission review and public comment. The board conditioned permits on final engineering, required surety for decommissioning and monitoring, and authorized staff to finalize and record memoranda in the land records. Board members said the packages aim to balance investment, township protections, environmental safeguards and predictable revenue to mitigate local impacts.
