Cochise commission declines to approve Javelina solar and battery proposal after fraught public hearing

The Cochise County Planning & Zoning Commission voted on a motion to approve a proposed 100‑megawatt solar facility paired with 100 megawatts of battery energy storage near Highway 90 but the motion failed after prolonged public comment and commissioner questioning.

The vote followed a multi‑hour hearing in which staff recommended conditional approval, and the applicant, represented by Warda Abbasi, accepted staff’s conditions but acknowledged unresolved technical steps. "We accept staff's recommended conditions in full," Abbasi said, and pledged to deliver an electromagnetic‑interference analysis and a Department of Defense risk‑mitigation agreement before construction.

Neighbors, local stakeholders and technical commenters raised a raft of concerns. Speakers warned the project could worsen dust and drainage problems, damage wildlife corridors and reduce nearby property values. Fort Huachuca’s letter—read into the record by staff—highlighted the risk of electromagnetic interference with aircraft and unmanned systems and asked that the developer coordinate a mitigation agreement. "What do we get? How do we benefit?" asked Julian Barclay, a Huachuca City resident, summarizing other residents’ demands for clearer local benefits.

Commissioners pressed the applicant for specifics on battery chemistry, cooling and hazardous‑materials handling, fire response protocols and the decommissioning bond. Several commissioners flagged inconsistencies in the written application (for example, missing hazardous‑materials disclosures) and said the application lacked a binding community‑benefits agreement. Staff and the applicant said many of the technical steps (EMI study, coordination with the DOD site‑clearinghouse, non‑Chinese sourcing confirmations) are in progress and would be conditions of any later building permit, but commissioners said that was insufficient to support approval at the special‑use stage.

The applicant described multiple mitigation programs—dust suppression, wildlife corridors, post‑construction avian monitoring and a commitment not to source certain components from China—and said the project would deliver long‑term tax revenue and landowner payments. Abbasi told the commission Clunera (the applicant’s parent) intends to complete a risk‑mitigation agreement and EMI characterization before construction. "Our lenders will not fund construction without it," she said.

The commission’s vote recorded a majority of "no" votes; the motion to approve the special use did not carry. Staff noted on the record that coordination with Fort Huachuca and a completed risk‑mitigation agreement would be required at the building‑permit stage should the project return to the commission later.

The matter remains unresolved: the developer can revise the application, continue technical coordination, and return with additional assurances. Opponents may also appeal any future approvals to the Board of Supervisors.

What happens next: the project team said it will continue EMI and DOD coordination, and staff said certain conditions—including an emergency management plan, soils testing and wildlife protections—would be required by permit. The commission did not approve the special‑use authorization at this meeting.