To the Editor,

A Solar Generating System is planned for Northern Warren County. A conglomerate is obtaining leases on thousands of acres of productive prairie land for the purpose of erecting solar panels for generating electricity. The lease prices offered are very lucrative.

You can’t blame the farmers for wanting to lease their land as inflation has caused the cost of production to exceed the price received for commodities.

The loss of production on 5,500 acres of this good soil will amount to the equivalent of nearly 27 million packages of breakfast cereal annually. People can live without electricity, but cannot survive without food.

A problem I see is with the inability of percolation of rainwater of this large area. There will be major flooding and erosion causing roads and bridges to wash out.

Studies have shown that the loss of vegetation can cause regional change in temperature and rainfall.

Another negative factor is the loss of income for the businesses that furnish inputs for growing crops, such as seed, fertilizer, fuel, machinery and parts, as well as insurance on crops and machinery.

It is estimated that the life of solar panels is from 20 to 30 years, after which they will need to be replaced, causing more disruption in the environment.

The state legislature needs to enact a law to allow the county assessors to place solar systems on the railroad and utilities tax rolls over and above the annual fees that the companies agree to pay.

As of January 1, 2022, construction has not begun.

If this project gets underway, are the inputs going to be American-made, or will they be sourced from other countries?

Alvin Brandt
Warrenton