Below is a press release from the Indian Lake Advocacy Group. The Indian Lake Advocacy Group is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the interests of Indian Lake residents and preserving the environmental and community integrity of the region. HERE is the Staff Report they reference in the release.
Indian Lake, OH- The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) has released its Staff Report on the proposed Grange Solar Project, highlighting significant public opposition and the staff’s recommendation to the Board to deny the project.
The OPSB received a substantial number of written comments from area residents and the public. Comments opposing the project emphasized negative impacts on viewshed, noise, property values, economic impacts, drainage, zoning, proximity to Indian Lake, and loss of farmland. In contrast, comments supporting the project highlighted property owner’s rights, economic benefits, and the advantages of renewable energy.
Public comments are made available on the OPSB website. Open Road Renewables (the developer of the project) via a filing attempted to claim that the project had widespread support across. However, the Indian Lake Advocacy Group released a comprehensive analysis of public comments submitted to the OPSB regarding the Grange Solar Project. The data, compiled through a thorough review of over 3,500 public comments revealed that 85.6% of the local respondents in the Indian Lake Region oppose the project, while only 14.4% support it. The analysis also extends to Logan County, where opposition remains strong with 73.4% of all respondents against the project, further disproving claims of divided sentiment.
“The data speaks for itself—our community is overwhelmingly against this project,” said Aubrey Snapp, a representative of the Indian Lake Advocacy Group. “These are real people who will be directly impacted, and they are making their voices heard. We could not be more pleased that the Ohio Power Siting Board recognized that the local government leaders and our community are overwhelmingly in opposition to the project.”
The local government’s opposition was a deciding factor in the OPSB Staff Report. Logan County Commissioners filed as intervenors along with Stokes Township, Richland Township, McArthur Township, Bloomfield Township, and Washington Township. In addition, the Village of Russells Point, the Village of Lakeview, State Senator Rob McColley, and State Representatives Susan Manchester, Timothy Barhorst, Ty Mathews, and Jon Cross (previous) all filed letters in opposition.
In its Staff Report, the OPSB stated “Staff notes that the governmental agencies and representatives mentioned above are local officials responsible for representing and serving their respective communities. These responsibilities include preserving the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens within their respective communities. The strong opposition to the project that is documented by the county, all five impacted townships, and the impacted village is especially noteworthy and compelling.”
The OPSB concluded that “opposition to the project has been long-standing and unwavering, which is a strong measure of the local opposition to the project.” As a result, the OPSB staff recommended that the “Board deny the Applicant’s request for a certificate of environmental capability and public need.”
Bud Christman, also of the Indian Lake Advocacy Group stated, “Our community appreciates the OPSB recognizing what we have maintained all along, that there is overwhelming government and citizen opposition to the project because of the uniqueness of Indian Lake. We look forward to continuing to make our voices heard at the public hearing.”
The local public hearing (assuming Open Road Renewables continues to pursue the project) will be held on March 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., at Indian Lake High School, 6210 State Route 235 N., Lewistown, Ohio 43333.
For more information, please contact Aubrey Snapp at 937-597-7770 or [email protected].
