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To the editor:

We are facing the fight of our Davie community lives. I beg the Davie County Planning/Zoning Board to stop this massive industrial mega solar power plant.

The power company and their attorneys want us to think solar power is good for us. Not. It is only good for the landowner and power companies. The county and landowner are sharing the same lawyer to force this project on the Davie residents. This is not fair nor impartial use of tax dollars.

Orion Renewables of California will be building this industrial complex, if approved. They have a terrible history of incomplete projects. Their expertise is with wind farms but are new to the construction of solar power plants.

The proposed site is located next to Hunting Creek and South Yadkin River. This site is the size of two Carowinds, and eight times the size of Hanes Mall. Solar panels leak toxic lead into ground and water.

Per Davie Enterprise, the landowner will profit between $24,000 and $50,000 per acre. This is an 863-acre site, surrounded by residential homes, creeks, and rivers. Only a small few will be profiting from this windfall, while most of us will be paying for this through higher energy bills, loss of property value, and pollution of our land and water. No Davie resident’s power bill will be reduced because the power company must pay for upgrades, maintenance, and power line substations. These are the facts. https://www.facebook.com/prageru/videos/457414498968630/

Please Planning Board, stop this rezoning. Be in support of Davie County residents and not big landowners and companies. They will change our environment for the worse.

I was told the board needed reasons to say no:

1. leaching of pollution from land and water due to degrading solar panels;

2. industrial solar power plant too large for our small county;

3. 863-acre proposed site is within a few miles of downtown Mocksville;

4. never been proven to decrease our electric bills;

5. power bills only increase to cover existing solar powerplant operations;

6. cypress trees and vegetation will never hide this eye sore; and

7. solar power goes directly into electrical grid used to power big cities (not Davie County).

Davie County’s comprehensive zoning plan does not include industrial solar power plants. However, Davie County comprehensive zoning plan does emphasize rural residential and agricultural use.

Please join us at the rezoning hearing at the Brock Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. to oppose this industrial mega solar powerplant proposal.

Margaret Bordner,     Mocksville