MOUNT VERNON — Knox Smart Development, an opposition group to Frasier Solar, acknowledged to the Ohio Power Siting Board that the former vice president of the Ariel Corporation was one of the group’s biggest donors.
The acknowledgment became a public record after a published report by The Energy News Network.
Knox Smart Development founder Jared Yost said his comments were attributed without the full picture.
Yost disclosed during an evidentiary hearing in Columbus for the Frasier Solar 120-megawatt project that one of the group’s largest donors is Tom Rastin, the former vice president of Ariel Corporation.
Ariel Corporation manufactures compressors for the oil and gas industry.
The Washington Post reported last year that Rastin is also a leader of The Empowerment Alliance, a non-profit that advocates for the natural gas industry, according to the report.
Yost said in the report he did not know Rastin’s work with The Empowerment Alliance, but noted the fossil fuel group provided “non-financial” resources to Knox Smart Development to help oppose the Frasier Solar project.
Also according to the article, Yost said Rastin was one of the group’s largest funders, during cross-examination.
In an email interview with Knox Pages, Yost said KSD does “many things” with its donations. For example, “we have ongoing website and social media fees. We have also used the funds to have T-shirts printed and signs created.
“We are an extremely low overhead organization and do as much as we can with volunteers and low-cost efforts, even if the appearance is that we spent far more than what we did.”
How it’s connected
The article also states Yost is a former IT specialist at Ariel Corporation, and his work supported Rastin’s department.
Rastin’s wife, Karen Buchwald Wright, is a former president and CEO of Ariel and continues as board chair.
In the same email interview with Knox Pages, Yost clarified his statement saying he shared Rastin was one of the larger donors because “we (KSD) have nothing to hide and I believe everyone in the community should be able to donate to either side, regardless of their previous employers.
“To think otherwise is suggesting that residents should be censored just because of their previous employer.”
Yost denies being swayed by The Empowerment Alliance
Yost further clarified KSD and The Empowerment Alliance don’t collaborate and haven’t reached out to him.
According to the Energy News Network article, Yost denied being swayed by corporate interests and said his group has not received corporate funding.
“The Empowerment Alliance has nothing to do with me or [Knox Smart Development],” he told the Energy News Network via email. “I have reached out to them and asked questions on a couple of occasions, as can anyone, and as I have done of others.”
According to the article, when asked in his hearing testimony if Knox Smart Development was “funded by any individuals or entities having any interest or providing any goods or services to the fossil fuel industry,” Yost answered, “No, not directly to the best of my knowledge.”
When asked what “non-financial” resources that’s been available to KSD from the Empowerment Alliance, Yost said his statement is being misrepresented.
“I have utilized many resources in my research throughout this project,” Yost said to Knox Pages. “Frasier has been one such resource.
“I have read many research papers, used the internet in general and reached out to The Empowerment Alliance on a couple of occasions to ask specific questions.”
In a previous Knox Pages article, Yost said Knox Smart Development wasn’t funded by The Empowerment Alliance, Ariel Corporation or any other corporate interests.
“Nor are we a front group for anyone other than the concerned citizens that simply do not want to turn our green farmland into endless miles of solar panels,” he said.
What will Knox Smart Development do after the OPSB vote?
If the Frasier project is approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board, Yost said KSD will file an appeal.
Besides Frasier, Yost said KSD plans to continue with whatever subject we feel is most important to Knox County residents at that time.
“KSD does not intend to retire after the Frasier project,” Yost said.