Engage Louisa is a community newsletter aimed at keeping folks informed about Louisa County government. It’s free, non-partisan, and powered by volunteers. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
Regarding the Energix solar project, I would like to share this article that described their government lobbying and use of our tax dollars. The article also describes how the company's solar fields do not help the community and lower the value of nearby properties. With the help of speaker of the state house Eileen Filler-Corn, Energix has received massive state and federal subsidies.
The negative local economic impact of most Energix sites is clear. They produce no permanent local jobs for counties or even local energy capacity. Nearly all of the generated electricity is sold off to the PJM regional transmission network. According to a peer-reviewed academic study, nearby landowners face average property value declines of $26,000 each, which Energix never offers to make whole. In many cases, the downward spiral in property values near Energix solar utilities such as Rives Road, touches off further solar expansion into adjacent woodlands and other natural areas. Like its secret deals with property owners in Golan Heights, Energix quietly offers Virginia county boards of supervisors various sweeteners. In Chesapeake, it was a $50,000 payment for an "Open Space and Agricultural Preservation" program. In Campbell County, it was $50,000 for a housing program, which the county attorney flatly rejected as being "illegal."
Thanks for the background on the Ferncliff growth area overlay district expansion, and the update on the James River Water Authority.
Regarding the Energix solar project, I would like to share this article that described their government lobbying and use of our tax dollars. The article also describes how the company's solar fields do not help the community and lower the value of nearby properties. With the help of speaker of the state house Eileen Filler-Corn, Energix has received massive state and federal subsidies.
The article can be found at: https://original.antiwar.com/smith-grant/2020/12/27/energix-faces-opposition-in-syria-and-virginia/
Of particular interest, the article states:
The negative local economic impact of most Energix sites is clear. They produce no permanent local jobs for counties or even local energy capacity. Nearly all of the generated electricity is sold off to the PJM regional transmission network. According to a peer-reviewed academic study, nearby landowners face average property value declines of $26,000 each, which Energix never offers to make whole. In many cases, the downward spiral in property values near Energix solar utilities such as Rives Road, touches off further solar expansion into adjacent woodlands and other natural areas. Like its secret deals with property owners in Golan Heights, Energix quietly offers Virginia county boards of supervisors various sweeteners. In Chesapeake, it was a $50,000 payment for an "Open Space and Agricultural Preservation" program. In Campbell County, it was $50,000 for a housing program, which the county attorney flatly rejected as being "illegal."