||| FROM SHANNON MATTILA |||
I just read that Clara Park, OPALCO’s attorney, stated that “Decatur Island residents are for the solar expansion” ..that is completely false. Someone is creating a false narrative to support their own agenda.
Decatur Island residents are definitively opposed to this project.
It has been stated repeatedly, loudly and with conviction.
There has been no end to the amount of research, letters, articles, meetings, comments and thorough exhaustive fact finding in support of the strong opposition from Decatur Island residents.
And I don’t see an end to it. We are pacing ourselves for a marathon, not a sprint. If it comes to people laying down in front of bulldozers, chaining themselves to trees and generally kicking up a very loud and public fuss… that’ll probably happen, if this project is approved.
The one good thing is that (other than a few outliers) this has united the island like nothing else ever has. People are bonded and committed to the cause. If trucks start rolling onto the island to tear down that forrest …protests will begin, it’ll be ‘all hands on deck’ with protesters and everyone supporting the protesters…we love a good pot luck, we’ve nothing else to do, and we have a lot of good cooks around here…
we’re not likely to throw in the towel anytime soon, if ever.
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Here is the direct quote from Clara Park from the April 16 OPALCO Board meeting: “…while there was certainly opposition from some Decatur residents, the majority of the public comments that was submitted for the public hearing was in support of the project.
I’ll also note that throughout the hearing, the county was in support of the project. So, before the hearing, the county issued a staff report recommending that the hearing examiner approve the CUP, and the county issued what’s called a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance, or DNS. And the DNS is a determination that, essentially, a project will not result in probable significant impacts, and that all potential impacts can be avoided.”
Clara is referencing the 116 letters of support (versus 38 that were opposed) that were submitted during the public comment period on this project. Members can find the Board Materials and the video recording of the meeting on our website or visit the County website to find the letters of support.
SAN JUAN COUNTY NEIGHBORS! I known it may seem like a Decatur issue… I sympathize if you are tired of us ringing the bell (we are tired of of it too) but I KNOW that 87% of you (by OPALCOs own survey)would not choose to rip out a forest as a first option, most of you see it as a last option.OPALCO is selling us on green energy and the viability of solar YET has chosen to cut down trees, a habitat to a rare bat to do it??? Does this make sense?
I know this seems CRAZY,like a plot to a bad 80s movie where a small town goes up against the bad company bent on destroying something important to them and people band together. But this is a co-op that we have trusted and supported and been members of for decades. This is not some unknown entity rolling into our area to make a buck.
Shannon (the author)and I have known each other since we were little girls. She is right. This is not a situation where we will back down. This is simply unjust. No amount of lawyers and PR, half truths & spin or actual lies, is going to change that. This is OPALCO’s big role out… these are the decisions they will make on your Island and we are being LOUD about every aspect of this so that you, as a member, who’s bills continue to rise, will question how these decisions are being made. Email them, vote in the upcoming board elections, talk with your neighbors. Those of us who support solar still have a right question decisions that are driving us towards bills we can’t afford.
NIMBYism is ugly but understandable. I have worked on Decatur and driven all over it and I have a very hard time believing very many people there or anywhere are concerned about a few acres of second growth fir up in the middle of the island that no one even sees. The real issue is clearly something different. But what? I wish the Decature NIMBYists would honestly address whatever they are really upset about.