Outgoing Senator Paul Hornback (Shelbyville) has introduced significant changes to a state solar bill that would undermine the long-standing precedent of local control of planning & land-use issues.
Flanked by executives from industrial-scale solar development companies, solar lobbyists and solar attorneys, Sen. Hornback presented a significantly-changed version of his Senate Bill 69 during Wednesday’s meeting of the KY Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Changes that were announced only yesterday would significantly reduce the ability of local citizens to determine whether large-scale solar facilities are appropriate in their communities.
Notably, while members of the solar development industry were invited to the proceedings – our organization and others who have sought to shed light on the impacts of industrial solar were not included. This is despite the fact that Clark Coalition took part in the Interim Joint Committee meeting to examine industrial solar in September, and the working group meeting which Sen. Hornback chaired in December.
While comments during yesterday’s meeting pay lip service to local input, the changed text of SB 69 infers a much differently reality. Video of yesterday’s committee meeting is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzAhO2-EPOI
The full description of the changes to SB 69 are noted under the heading Proposed Amendments: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/22rs/sb69.html
The implications of SB 69 for Clark County are significant.
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