A brand new board of county commissioners took their seats on January 12, with two of its three members, Colette Chandler and Ray Trejo, newly elected. They opened their first time period by electing their senior colleague, District 3 Commissioner John Sweetser, as chairman.
In an indication of renewed management, commissioners posted a particular use allow for the newest photo voltaic power undertaking to come back earlier than them, heeding calls from residents attending for a extra deliberative method to requests from photo voltaic builders.
County Supervisor Chris Brice mentioned “45 or so” photo voltaic builders are presently testing the waters for photo voltaic power growth within the county, though the quantity with severe plans is small.
On Thursday’s agenda is a particular use allow for the South Peak undertaking, a 97.5 megawatt direct present/75 megawatt alternating present facility deliberate for 620 acres of personal land close to New Mexico Freeway 11 and Camino Doce Highway owned by James Koenig. The undertaking is scheduled to be accomplished by December 2025.
The developer, Galehead Improvement of Boston, Mass., informed the county it has negotiated a purchase order settlement with Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) to promote energy to the utility and is predicted to signal an interconnection settlement in February, whereas building is deliberate to start subsequent January.
A number of members of the general public have raised questions in regards to the undertaking’s impacts in addition to a sign within the allow utility that Galehead will search industrial income bonds to assist finance the undertaking. Final month, the earlier board of commissioners permitted IRBs for the Carne Photo voltaic Mission northeast of Deming over objections from individuals who spoke at that assembly, a lot of whom returned on January 12 to ask about South Peak.
Order was repeatedly damaged throughout the assembly as residents in attendance interjected all through the assembly with questions or feedback about a number of objects on the agenda, which included a chance for public remark.
Typically, Brice and Sweetser indulged in interruptions and answered questions, at different occasions calling for order and reminding the general public that supplies have been obtainable for public assessment earlier than the conferences. One particular person was briefly faraway from the chamber by sheriff’s deputies when he refused to sit down down after Sweetser tried to get the assembly again on observe.
Luna County Commissioner Colette Chandler is seen on the finish of the board of commissioners assembly on January 12, 2023. (Headlight workers picture by Algernon D’Ammassa)
Earlier within the assembly, County Clerk Berenda McWright took a second after receiving an award for 10 years of county service to handle the disruptions, saying, “These conferences are enterprise conferences … and these commissioners are elected to symbolize you. In case you have a problem with something on the agenda, it is your job as a member of the general public, in addition to their job, to do your homework, to come back right here with a you might have an concept of what every agenda merchandise is about with some sort of perspective on how you’re feeling about it.”
He directed the general public to the county’s web site, which posts agendas in addition to packets for commissioners’ conferences at https://www.LunaCountyNM.us/authorities/meeting_minutes.php.
Wesley Gentle, a county resident who disclosed that his personal property is solely powered by photo voltaic power panels, cautioned commissioners about offering price incentives for photo voltaic builders, arguing that there isn’t a incentives are wanted to draw photo voltaic power growth to Luna County and that trade earnings. The bonds permitted for Carne Photo voltaic are a type of public subsidy.
“If these subsidies proceed, you are creating a synthetic financial system,” Gentle mentioned, calling on commissioners to contemplate delaying motion as an alternative of approving the allow utility that mentions IRBs. (The bonds themselves would require separate fee motion, together with a name for an ordinance and a public listening to.)
Chandler moved to postpone any motion on the allow, saying he acknowledges that whereas personal landowners have the suitable to welcome photo voltaic growth on their property, the county has a task in set up the phrases for the required approval. “Photo voltaic is coming, whether or not we prefer it or not,” he mentioned. “We now have to cope with it correctly.”
Luna County Commissioner John Sweetser was elected chairman on the board’s first assembly of 2023 on January 12. (Headlight workers picture by Algernon D’Ammassa)
Trejo responded that he agreed to postpone it, saying he wished to “go sluggish to go quick” and take a thought-about method to permits and different requests.
With Sweetser becoming a member of them, the board voted unanimously to postpone the applying.
Following the assembly, the corporate’s senior undertaking growth supervisor, Ben Luxenberg, commented, “Galehead Improvement stays dedicated to the undertaking and appears ahead to efficiently working with and investing in Luna County.”
Algernon D’Ammassa will be reached at [email protected]
