Editor, The Smithfield Times:

On Aug. 17, the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to approve the Carver Solar Project in Zuni/Windsor. This project will be the largest in the county, including 20 parcels and bordering both sides of Route 460.

This project had been tabled, seemingly denied and last week approved. All without the recommendations of the Energy Task Force the board agreed needed to put in place before approval, the opinions of those living around the site and just plain common sense.

In an article in The Smithfield Times several weeks ago, Supervisor Dick Grice said his negotiations with Open Roads for an earlier reconsideration date have yielded an offer from the company to increase its voluntary cash payments to the county. So my understanding of this is that we can pay off our Board of Supervisors and ignore the residents and use smoke and mirrors of the appearance of a task force. I find this appaling.

I want to thank Supervisors Don Rosie and Joel Acree for voting no. Mr. Rosie could not have been more clear in his support of his constituents and the need for recommendations of the Energy Task Force.

As for Mr. Grice and Supervisors Rudolph Jefferson and William McCarty, your choice in this matter made it very, very clear that you chose money over the voices of those who will live next to this solar complex, which, by the way, borders a hurricane evacuation route.

Hold on, Isle of Wight County, your beautiful, historical southern end of the county will now just be filled with solar panels, which not one resident, except those leasing the land, will benefit from.

 

Molly Harrison

Zuni