Protect Wright's Mesa

🚨 Urgent Action Needed: Solar Regulations in San Miguel County! 🌞

📍 Location: Norwood Sheriff’s Annex
⏰ Date & Time: September 18, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

đź’ˇ Resources & Information

Here, you'll find detailed resources to help you understand the proposed solar regulations and how they could impact Wright's Mesa:

Let’s take action for our community and our energy future! 💪🏽🌎

Environmental Assessment Overview

The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed 100-Megawatt Utility-scale Solar Project on Wright’s Mesa, Colorado, critically evaluates the potential adverse environmental and socio-economic impacts of converting 1,009.4 acres of native scrublands and forests into an industrial solar facility. Located near Norwood, Colorado, the project raises significant concerns regarding environmental degradation, community disruption, and economic harm.

Introduction
Project overview of the proposed 100-Megawatt Utility-scale Solar Project on Wright’s Mesa. This section evaluates the project's environmental and socio-economic impacts.
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Alternatives
This section provides baseline information for a comparative analysis of the pre-Project and post-Project conditions, including field investigations of the proposed Project area.
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Affected Environment
We examine how the proposed project will affect air quality, water resources, wildlife, and more, highlighting the potential consequences for Wright’s Mesa and its surroundings.
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Cumulative Impacts
Beyond immediate effects, this section evaluates the cumulative impacts of the project, considering the long-term and combined effects of multiple actions on the environment and community.
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Contributing Authorities
Detailing the expertise and methodologies behind the EA, this section introduces the contributing authorities and outlines the rigorous process undertaken to ensure a thorough and unbiased assessment.
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References
Anchoring the assessment in solid research, this section provides the comprehensive list of references and sources that underpin the findings and conclusions of the EA.
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people attended the May 16, 2023 meeting in person, with more attending virtually via Zoom
How many acres of carbon sink lost under the proposed project.
Acre-Feet (1.6M Gallons) estimated Annual Water Usage
Potential percent of energy lost by dust and angle of solar panel
This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared by an independent biologist to analyze the potential environmental impacts of a proposed 100-megawatt utility-scale solar power plant near Norwood, Colorado. The EA aims to inform the process of updating San Miguel County's Land Use Code, which currently lacks policies for managing industrial-scale utility projects. The proposed solar project would convert 1,009.4 acres of native habitats into an industrial facility, and the EA illustrates the potential effects on the county's natural resources and communities.
Meeting1
IACover
The proposed 100MW solar power plant project, located 2ÂĽ miles southeast of Norwood, Colorado, would encompass 1009.4 acres divided into two sections: 525.64 acres on Colorado State Land Board property and 483.76 acres on privately-owned land. The project area, situated within the Colorado Plateau ecoregion, is vegetated with sagebrush, pinyon-juniper scrublands, riparian cottonwood forests, and herbaceous wetlands. The project requires 189,196 photovoltaic modules, a substation, a switching yard, a 50MW battery storage facility, and multiple staging areas, and is designed to tie into an existing Tri-State transmission line.
800BadIdea
AliCone

Adverse Impacts on Carbon Sequestration

The proposed Project would result in the loss of 580 acres of carbon sink and the sequestration potential of up to -4954.8 tons of CO2e over the 30-year life of the Project.
Section: 3.1

Dust Impact on Solar Efficiency

Dust can dramatically affect the energy output of solar cells by as much as 23%, depending on the type of dust and angle of solar panel.
Section: 3.2

Annual Water Usage for Project

The 100 MW Project would require 5 acre-feet (1,629,257.14 gallons) annually or 150 acre-feet (48,877,714.05 gallons) over the 30-year lease term.
Section: 3.3

Habitat for Protected Species

The project area provides habitat for numerous bird species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, including the greater sage-grouse, and bald and golden eagles nest within close proximity to the Project site.
Section: 3.7
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