Editor's note
Sheryl Swingley is a retired Ball State University journalism instructor, and the courses she taught included science writing. She is now a utility solar activist in Delaware County.
Key Points (AI-assisted summary)
- The Delaware County Commission issued its fourth moratorium against utility solar projects, aiming to rewrite the existing ordinance that has never been enacted.
- While other counties in East Central Indiana benefit from economic growth and renewable energy production, Delaware County lags behind because of misinformation and resident pushback.
The three members of the Delaware County Commission imposed a fourth moratorium against utility solar at its Feb. 18 meeting.
While the fourth moratorium is in place, the goal of the county commission is to rewrite the county’s current utility solar ordinance, which has never been allowed to go into effect because of three previous moratoria. Once it is written, the next step is to have the Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission members review the new ordinance at its April 3 meeting.
Why have the commissioners been unable to move forward? Disinformation and residents’ anger.
That said, as local governmental officials continue to delay welcoming new business into the county, Delaware County residents continue to miss out on benefits that surrounding county governments and their residents are receiving via economic development agreements and charitable donations from utility solar companies.
Right now, Delaware County generates zero electricity for its own use or others. The county has to import all of its electricity from other Indiana counties or from out of state.
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