In a revelation that has stirred controversy and raised eyebrows among local communities, it has come to light that none of the seven voting members of the OPSB are required to be present at the highly anticipated April 4th hearing regarding the Frasier Solar Project.
After the Mount Vernon News published rumors that no members of the OPSB were expected to show, Matt Schilling, Director of the Office of Public Affairs for the Ohio Power Siting Board addressed the issue noting PUCO and OPSB Chair Jennifer French will be attending the hearing.
French is a voting member of the OPSB.
“Jenifer French will be in attendance this evening, as well as representatives from other member agencies,” Schilling said.
He added that representatives from other member agencies will also be in attendance.
There have been murmurs from political insiders regarding the absence of OPSB board members that may cast a shadow over the proceedings, prompting questions about the transparency and accountability of the decision-making process.
Sources tell the Mount Vernon News despite encouragement from OPSB staff for board members to attend, it has been a customary practice for them to be absent from such hearings.
This revelation has sparked frustration and disappointment among local stakeholders, with at least one township trustee anonymously expressing the belief that OPSB members should be present to witness firsthand the concerns and viewpoints of the affected communities.
Individuals still retain the option to request the presence of OPSB members.
The April 4 public hearing with the OPSB regarding the Frasier Solar Project is being held at the Knox Memorial Theater located at 112 E. High St. in Mount Vernon.
The outcome of this hearing as well as an additional OPSB adjudicatory hearing on April 29 will shape the ultimate trajectory of the Frasier Solar Project.
The April 29 hearing will be at 10am at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio offices in Columbus.
The April 4 hearing comes as 17 of Knox County’s 22 townships and Mount Vernon have passed industrial solar exclusionary zones,
The OPSB, a seven-member panel, will also hear testimony in regard to the application for the 1,500-plus acre Frasier Solar Project.
The board has the ability to approve or deny industrial solar applications. It has denied just three projects since it began taking applications for industrial solar in 2018.
As the OPSB gathers sworn testimony in the presence of a judge and a court reporter tasked with recording all testimonies, the absence of board members raises questions about the thoroughness and impartiality of the proceedings.
Ohio has played a significant role nationwide in rejecting or restricting wind and solar projects.
Speaking at a Knox Smart Development town hall held at Knox Memorial Theater on Feb. 24, journalist Robert Bryce highlighted that "almost a quarter of all the rejections or restrictions on wind and solar in the United States have happened here in Ohio."
This statistic underscores the broader context within which the Frasier Solar Project hearing is taking place, amplifying the stakes for all involved parties.
See the voting members of the OPSB board below.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect OPSB Chair Jenifer French’s presence at the April 4 hearing.
