County receives update on solar facility fire cleanup; contractors testing soil for contaminants

Staff provided a field update on cleanup at a nearby solar facility that experienced fire damage. Contractors (described as Clean Harbors or a similarly named remediation firm) removed burned panels and debris, staged materials into large containers, and are awaiting transport trucks to haul the material to an out‑of‑state disposal facility.

The county noted the panels are silicon‑based and that contractors identified lead as a primary contaminant concern in some earlier panel types; the cleanup team is performing multiple soil probes and "scoop" tests across the site. Staff said they expected laboratory results to be shared with the county when available and that contractors planned revegetation via hydroseeding and use of sheep for vegetation management beneath the panel arrays.

Why it matters: The cleanup involves potential soil contamination and community concern about debris and dust. Staff said safety measures (silt fences and staged removal) have been used to limit off‑site transport of material while testing proceeds.

Next steps: Staff will distribute test results when available and continue to monitor contractor progress. The county encouraged a site tour for commissioners and noted outreach plans to incorporate local schools into educational opportunities about the remediation work.