Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenters urge prioritizing agricultural land and caution on siting
Summary
Public comments at the end of the meeting urged protecting high‑yield farmland and suggested siting solar on marginal or nonproductive land; one commenter urged county consideration of industrial zoning for energy facilities.
During the public‑comment period Tom Thompson of Pullman thanked the consultant and urged the Commission to prioritize farmland protection, suggesting solar be sited on grazing or marginal lands and noting that latitude and solar yield affect returns on investment. Thompson also flagged reports he had heard about potential crop contamination and buyer restrictions where solar panels are present.
"I think there's some good places to put it, and some not‑so‑good places to put it," Thompson told commissioners, calling attention to Whitman County's identity as a high‑yield wheat region and arguing for care in siting projects.
Kevin Akesson of Colfax said solar and BESS resemble industrial uses more than agricultural ones and suggested they may be better located in industrial zones; he urged adherence to the comprehensive plan's goals for historical agrarian land uses.
The Commission received the comments and did not act; staff will include public input as part of future redlines and peer comparisons.
