COLUMBUS – The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) today approved Madison Fields Solar Project, LLC’s plan to update its vegetation management plan to incorporate sheep grazing in combination with mowing.
Madison Fields plans to utilize sheep grazing between March 15 and December 15, dependent on weather conditions. A 65-acre portion of the project, located at the southern end of the site, will serve as the initial grazing area with an initial maximum stocking rate of 260 sheep. The grazing plan was developed using the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service guidance.
In other business, the OPSB denied Sloopy Solar Energy, LLC’s proposal to construct a 180 megawatt solar-powered electric generation facility in Harmony Township, Clark County. The OPSB technical review and analysis used a broad lens to consider the project’s potential benefits and impacts to the public interest, both locally and statewide.
The OPSB found that the unanimous opposition from local governments in the project area, as well as the overwhelming public opposition to the project, outweighed its positive attributes.
The OPSB also approved a request made by Hillclimber Solar, LLC to withdraw its proposal to construct a solar-powered electric generation facility in Champaign County and denied a second application for rehearing filed by Crossroads Solar I, LLC regarding its plans to construct a solar-powered electric generation facility in Knox County.
A copy of today’s orders and entries is available at dis.puc.state.oh.us in case numbers 26-34-EL-BGA (Madison Fields), 25-636-EL-BGN (Sloopy Solar), 25-904-EL-BGN (Hillclimber Solar), and 25-142-EL-BGN (Crossroads Solar).