A South Dakota county drove away millions in solar energy
5 hours ago
- #renewable-energy
- #rural-economy
- #misinformation
- Walworth County, South Dakota, is a farming community facing economic decline and aging population.
- The county struggles with infrastructure issues, including a condemned jail and a food desert after the last grocery store closed.
- A proposed 3,200-acre solar project by Doral Renewables on the Berens family land promised $1 million in annual tax revenue and economic revitalization.
- Local opposition, fueled by misinformation and ideological resistance, led to strict solar regulations, effectively killing the project.
- South Dakota has seen growth in wind energy but minimal solar development, despite federal incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Former Governor Kristi Noem rejected federal funding for solar projects, aligning with Trump administration's hostility toward renewables.
- Opponents of the solar project raised unfounded fears about environmental and health risks, despite research debunking these claims.
- The county adopted restrictive solar regulations, limiting future economic opportunities and reinforcing reliance on traditional farming.
- The Berens family and other farmers feel their land rights were violated, highlighting a broader national trend of resistance to renewable energy in rural areas.
- The solar project's cancellation leaves Walworth County without a much-needed economic boost, still struggling with its jail funding.