The Industrial Solar Boondoggle in Cherokee County

If you have read the propaganda pushed out by Clearway Energy Group in Cherokee County, you would think citizens were in danger of losing their private property rights.  You would never suspect Clearway Energy Group, a large global energy conglomerate, of plotting to take advantage of hundred of millions of dollars in federal and state tax breaks to make their own land grab.

Clearway Energy Group, who is seeking to build an industrial solar farm, began by promoting an economic impact “study” by Wichita State University, claiming it would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to the county.

• They fail to mention the fact they PAID Wichita State University for the Economic Impact Analysis and provided the data, which was not independently verified. ^[1]
• The study’s projections are based off the Wichita area Property Value, inflating numbers by up to 400%.^[2]
• You can’t buy solar panel at the local hardware store. The report claims construction will create $531.5 million in economic output but it DOES NOT say most of it will be in CHINA, where most developers buy their solar panels.^[3]
• They claim the 8 jobs they add will magically create the need for other businesses to add 58 ^[4]

They are also careful to avoid the utilities rate increase Liberty Electric can request to pay for infrastructure upgrades and land easements to accommodate their industrial solar farm! A 40% rate increase, costing households in Cherokee County over $650 every year, was just requested to pay for wind farms. ^[5]

The study itself states that estimates beyond 10 years, “include increased risk and decreased accuracy due to market volatility and changes in public policy.”^[6] Yet, 80% of the benefits they claim the county will receive comes in years 11-20, which they say is risky and less accurate to predict.

Nor do they mention the work of lobbyist in Topeka to extend the 10-year property tax exemption, making the property tax burden heavier on everyone else.

^[1] WSU study Pg. 10 “In the preparation of this report, the Center for Economic Development and Business Research assumed that all information and data provided by the applicant or others is accurate and reliable. CEDBR did not take extraordinary steps to verify or audit such information…”

^[2] WSU study Pg. 3. “Market area: The geographic scope used in this study to assess economic activity, defined as the Wichita MSA and its surrounding catchment area.“

^[3] WSU study Pg. 2 and https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary

^[4] WSU study pg. 4

^[5] https://central.libertyutilities.com/uploads/Arkansas%20Electric%20Rate%20Update%20Fact%20Sheet%202023%20V3.pdf “This includes Liberty’s 600-megawatt wind energy farms: North Fork Ridge and Kings Point in Southwest Missouri, and Neosho Ridge in Southeast Kansas.” and https://themercury.com/news/state_and_regional/empire-electric-company-requests-substantial-rate-increase-raising-customers-bills-about-40/article_8d495367-9a92-594a-9556-3f4c56e19ba4.html

^[6] WSU Study pg. 9

Why use scare tactics and a bogus “study” to make their case to build an industrial solar farm? Because they hope citizens in Cherokee County will buy their lies.

We encourage Cherokee County Commissioners to Stand for the Land and put guidelines in place so property value isn’t destroyed by allowing an industrial solar farm. It’s time to put boundaries in place to protect the land!

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