Amherst Tries for Largest Solar Farm in Mass, Residents Reluctant

Proposed Location on Old Landfill courtesy of Blue Wave Capital

With a proposed plan from Blue Wave Capital, Amherst hopes to become home to the largest solar farm in Massachusetts.

The 4.75 megawatt solar panel farm will cover 30 acres of the capped old landfill south of Belchertown road and produce 6 million kilowatt-hours per year. Blue Wave Capital predicts that it will save the town $30 million in 20 years and create another $5 million in property tax payments.

The solar farm will decrease energy costs for residents as well as get rid of 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide (15,000 cars-worth) emissions by reducing need for coal and nuclear energy.

However, not every resident is eager to act on this seemingly perfect offer.

Residents of the abutting Amherst Woods neighborhood have formed an opposition to the proposal as it currently stands.

Two residents of Amherst Woods, Eric Bittman and Sandra Sulksy wrote a letter to the Amherst Bulletin opposing the farm.

“Like many Amherst residents, we are in favor of the development of solar power and we recognize the potential financial benefits,” the two wrote. “This does not mean, however, that the plan posted by Blue Wave Capital is suitable for Amherst in its current details….We are not saying ‘not in my back yard.’ We're asking our fellow Amherst residents not to take all of our back yard.”

This sentiment was echoed by many Amherst Woods residents in an April 6 special town meeting between Town manager John Musante, Blue Wave Capital’s John Devillars, and Amherst residents. The meeting was marked by chaotic and vocal opposition from residents.

The meeting, in the crowded cafeteria of Fort River Elementary School, showed the clear disparity between the town of Amherst’s plan to create the farm and the resident’s opposition to the proposal.

BlueWave Capital tried to allay concerns through a PowerPoint presentation which promised tree planting and enclosures to cut down on sight and noise, and explains how many psi the cap can hold, but the citizens were not receptive.

            Residents continued to ask for other sites for the project.

At one point frustrated residents, unhappy with their involvement with the project, harassed Musante and Department of Public Works superintendent Guilford Mooring.

Mooring angrily addressed the crowd saying, “I tell people who come to these meetings to expect educated people and conversation…I have been made a liar here today.” Mooring stormed out and his comments were met with yells of “bullshit” from residents.

Musante, however, delivered a more calm address.

 He said, “We are just as passionate about the neighborhood as you are. We care passionately about the town…We have to decide as a community on how to approach this project…We can’t just put it [out of sight].”

The meeting ended without resolution and with promise of further partnership from Musante.

Many residents, aside from town meeting attendance and gossip, have taken their views to the blogosphere both in support and in opposition to the proposed project.

On Amherst’s Localocracy.com page the top issue is the proposed solar farm. 54 residents wrote about the subject.

Opponents write about how the “brownfield” is actually a green space for recreation, how the Department of Environmental Protection has not investigated enough, and how they simply do not want 20,600 solar panels next to their houses.

Karen Blum of 27 Tanglewood Road wrote, “Our concerns are that we trusted our government when they zoned the area residential, that we are worried that we are potential guinea pigs, and that we want to sleep at night.”

The supporters reference the same benefits Musante and Blue Wave presented.

David Mullins of 12 Teaberry Lane, also in Amherst Woods supported the idea. He wrote, “Our country needs to transition from an oil based energy dependence which means we all have to do our part. Amherst has an opportunity to take a step forward. If towns all over America do their part, big changes can happen. “

Despite the passionate opposition from many townspeople and nearby residents, many more townspeople and even nearby residents seem to be in support of the project. Users of Localocracy are in favor of the project 45 to 9.

It could be completed and supplying power by early 2012.