The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) held its administrative hearing last week on the proposed Frasier Solar project. The OPSB can now turn its attention on whether to approve Frasier Solar’s application to build the project.

Frasier Solar is a proposed 120 megawatt project in Knox County that, if built, would cover 840 acres, with the largest amount of acreage in Miller Township. About 100 acres of the project would also fall into Mount Vernon territory.

In testimony to the OPSB on August 19, Knox Smart Development's Jared Yost explained that he has multiple concerns about Frasier Solar, including the effects on wildlife and the environment, particularly regarding runoff.

“I am concerned that the dramatic change in landscaping which will occur during the leveling and grading of the adjacent farmland will cause an even further increase in water runoff to my land,” he said.

Yost also noted other local “opposition to the proposed solar project to be significant, sound, well reasoned, thoughtful, supported and important.” He added that the local opposition is reflected in resolutions from local governments that oppose Frasier Solar, including from the Mount Vernon City Council and Miller Township.

Local opposition to the project is a major issue for Frasier Solar. Several previous applications for solar facilities have been rejected by the OPSB because of local opposition, with OPSB staff recently recommending to the board that it reject the application for Stark Solar in Stark County for that reason. 

In cross examining Yost, attorneys supporting Frasier Solar’s application tried to make the case that much of the local opposition was not organic but driven by Knox Smart Development. Michael Settineri noted that some of the Knox Smart Development advertisements were “published just before the public hearing in this case.”

Yost pointed out that local opposition to Frasier Solar included those who are concerned about “permanently remov[ing] large acreage of farmland,” “impacts [on] the potential expansion of the Mt. Vernon industrial district and any planned residential development, and the operation of the Knox County Regional Airport “with regards to visual glare and potentially impactful increase in turbulence created by the solar panels.”

Craig Adair of Open Road Renewables is the project manager for Frasier Solar. He testified that there is local support for the project, particularly at a ribbon cutting ceremony held in April 2023.

“The event was attended by representatives of the Knox County Chamber, local economic development officials, participating landowners, and members of the public,” Adair said.

Local opposition was the reason for the OPSB’s previous rejection of applications by Birch Solar in Allen and Auglaize counties and Kingwood Solar in Greene County, with decisions currently being litigated. The Ohio Supreme Court is considering appeals from both projects, both of which argue that local opposition is an insufficient reason for the rejections.