WE'RE
WE'RE FOLLOWING THIS CLOSELY AND WE'LL UPDATE YOU AS WE GET MORE
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. >> THE LARGEST SOLAR PLANT EAST
OF THE ROCKIES4@ COULD4@ BE COMG
TO VIRGINIA.
TO VIRGINIA. THEY'RE ALL IN QUESTION AS SOME@
RESIDENTS ARE FOR IT BUT MANY
HAVE SPOKEN4@ OUT AGAINST IT.
BUREAU CHIEF MEGAY FOS.
>> CIVIL WAR FOR THE BATTLE SPO@
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. NOW
HERE. NOW A NEW BATTLE PITS4@ NEIGHBOR
AGAINST NEIGHBOR.
AGAINST NEIGHBOR. >> UTAH4@ BASED S-TOWER HAS PLAS
TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 6,000
ACRES OF RURAL LAND TO BUILD A
500 MEGAWATT SOLAR FACILITY.
IT WOULD TIE INTO THE ENERGY
DOMINION SUBSTATION.
DOMINION SUBSTATION. 2 MILLION SOLAR PANELS WOULD
COVER 3500 ACRES.
THE AREA BETWEEN THE CAPITAL AND
THE LINCOLN4@ SPANS 1.9 MILES.
THE S-TOWER PLANT WOULD BE ABOUT
5 TIMES AS BIG.
WHAT'S MORE, SOLAR PLANTS OF
THIS MAGNITUDE ARE USUALLY FOUND
IN THE DESERTS OF THE SOUTHWEST@
AWAY FROM NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> THIS IS THE LARGEST THING
THAT'S EVER HIT THIS COUNTY
BEING THIS CLOSE TO HUMAN
BEINGS.
BEINGS.
BEINGS. >> IN ORDER TO TURN THIS 6,000
ACRES AGRICULTURE INTO A SOLAR
FIELD THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
MUST GIVE S-TOWER FOR ITS THREE
SEPARATE SITES SPECIAL USE
PERMITS.
PERMITS.
PERMITS. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY OWNED
4@
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY SIX PROPERTY OWNERS.
VICK SAYS IT'S GOING TO BE A
BLESSING FOR SPONSYLVANIA.
THIS WOULD BE BETTER FOR A HOG
OR CHICKEN FARM.
BUT MANY PEOPLE DISAGREE AND
THOUSANDS OF TREES HAV4@E ALREAY
BEEN CLEARED.
BEEN CLEARED. >> HOW MANY HABITATS WOULD YOU
BE DESTROYING.
BE DESTROYING. >> BOTH SIDES HAVE PACKED
MARATHON MEETINGS.
MARATHON MEETINGS. AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, 70 OUT OF
100 SPEAKERS WERE AGAINST4@ IT.
>> I'M PRO SILVER.
I WAS MAD WHEN THEY TOOK THE4@
SOLAR PANELS OFF THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE.
HOUSE. SOLAR'S NOT NEW WE'VE HAD IT.
>> THE MATERIAL4@ S-TOWER WANTS
SOLAR'S NOT NEW WE'VE HAD IT. >> THE MATERIAL4@ S-TOWER WANTSO
USE CAUSES CANCER.
BUT S-TOWER SOLAR EXPERTS
CONSIDERED ONE OF THE TOP IN THE
FIELD DR. PHILLIS SAYS IT'S A
DIFFERENT AND4@ COMPLETELY STABE
SAFE SUBSTANCE.
SAFE SUBSTANCE. >> ABSOLUTELY4@ NO CONTAMINATIO.
IN GERMANY, ITALY, SPAIN
EUROPEAN THEY ALL HAVE CONTROL
THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THE
SAME4@.
SAME4@.
SAME4@. >> CRITICS POINT TO THE
APRIL 2015 TORNADO THAT HIT THE
SOLAR FARM IN CALIFORNIA.
>> AND IT SHOWS THE PANELS
DESTROYED ON THE GROUND.
SO THIS IDEA OF THIS IS LIKE A
CAR WINDSHIELD THAT WILL CRACK
BUT NOT BREAK TO ME IS VERY
SUSPECT.
SUSPECT.
SUSPECT. >> DR. VICILLIS FANOKAS SAID IT
WAS TESTED.
WAS TESTED. >> ZERO CONTAMINATION.
>> ECONOMIC IMPACT IS THE OTHER
HOTLY DEBATED CONCERN.
S-TOWER SAYS THAT THE FACILITY
WILL GENERATE $20 MILLION A YEAR
FOR SPONSYLVANIA.
FOR SPONSYLVANIA. >> WE CAN SELL ENERGY TO
MICROSOFT, TO APPLE, TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF RICHLAND.
>> THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE
A MONEY LOSER.
>> CONCERNED CITIZENS FOR
SPONSYLVANIA COUNTY.
SPONSYLVANIA COUNTY. IT HIRED AN ECONOMIST WHO TOLD4@
THE BOARD THE4@ SOLAR PROJECT WL
DEPRECIATE.
DEPRECIATE. BUT SUPERVISOR GREG BENTON
CALLED THAT SCENARIO
HYPOTHETICAL AND SAID THE
PROPERTY OWNERS' WANT TO SELL
NOW AND SO IT