ReWild Renewables seeks overhead power run through Plympton conservation buffer for Bishops Highway Solar

At the Plympton Conservation Commission’s April 7, 2026 virtual meeting, ReWild Renewables representative Zachary Farkes presented a Notice of Intent for an overhead medium‑voltage electrical interconnection serving Bishops Highway Solar. The proposed run would be roughly one mile long; Mr. Farkes said approximately 372 feet of that run would pass within 100 feet of the Bank of Indian Pond and a Bordering Land Subject to Flooding (BLSF). Brian Vasa read the legal advertisement at the start of the hearing.

Mr. Farkes said the applicant proposes four utility poles within the commission’s jurisdictional area and that work in that 100‑foot zone would avoid grading, leave stumps in place, and allow understory to regenerate. He described the overhead option as less disruptive than a trenching alternative, which would have required a concrete trench, grading, and a temporary gravel road. Chair Rick Burnet asked about maintenance; Mr. Farkes said maintenance in the short jurisdictional segment would be primarily small‑machinery work and hand trimming of branches, with periodic upkeep every two to three years.

Commissioner Molly Hutt raised installation‑method concerns and urged conditions to minimize soil compaction and to protect the understory to maintain shade and prevent erosion; she also asked that herbicide use be restricted. Mr. Farkes said the project team plans to reduce net impacts where feasible—using a pollinator seed mix, leaving fencing gaps for wildlife passage, and installing wildlife boxes in appropriate locations—and noted the site is a previously disturbed area.

The commission noted the project lies in the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) Priority Habitat for the Plymouth Gentian. Mr. Farkes said he is awaiting a letter from NHESP and that, if required, construction would be conditioned to occur outside the plant’s bloom period to avoid impacts.

A fee discrepancy was identified: the applicant had submitted approximately $1,644 in bylaw filing fees but calculated that the commission’s fee schedule would require about $11,000. Mr. Farkes agreed to submit the outstanding $9,356 before construction begins. The commission also accepted a signed proposal from Ecosystem Solutions for a third‑party review and scheduled a site visit for April 16 at 9 a.m. The hearing was continued to May 5, 2026, at 6:40 p.m.

Next steps: the commission will await the NHESP letter, receive the Ecosystem Solutions review, hold the site visit, and resume the hearing on May 5.