Commissioners approve solar farm reinvestment zone

Killeen Daily Herald
BY SHANE MONACO | TELEGRAM STAFF
November 27, 2023

Water — as it concerns a proposed solar farm — was a key concern of Bell County officials at their Commissioners Court meeting Monday.

Commissioners had a discussion at their regular meeting Monday regarding a proposed reinvestment zone request in the northern part of the county. A vote to approve the reinvestment zone was approved 3-2, with Commissioners Russell Schneider and Louie Minor in opposition.

The proposed reinvestment zone has similar borders to a zone unanimously approved in May, with the only difference being the addition of 191 acres for a total of a 1,392-acre project.

The project from Limewood Bell Renewables would generate about 200 megawatts of power, with an investment of $322 million.

Officials said the project is expected to start in the third quarter of next year, and would see operation for its solar generation commence in the first quarter of 2026.

Schneider said he changed his vote on the proposed solar farm, compared to when it originally came before the court in May, due to a new view on the projects.

While the solar projects do provide some permanent jobs, Schneider said the use of farm land that creates even more jobs, meaning the projects are worse for the community.

“I don’t think taxpayer dollars should be involved in helping companies like this come to Bell County,” Schneider said. “We are not creating jobs; we are probably losing jobs in the future.”

During the meeting Dirk Aaron, with the Belton-based Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, asked Commissioners to ensure the company worked with the district in regards to wells on the land that they plan to use.

Aaron said the group wanted the project’s developers to protect or cap the wells while construction went on to prevent any debris from entering them.

“If the applicant or solar farm plan to use any groundwater they must first pursue a permit with us as a nonexempt well,” Aaron said. “Any wells left abandoned on the property before construction starts we require that they plug those. The community as a whole in East Bell County depends on these wells and some wells are very shallow so potential contamination during the construction phase is important to us.”

Other solar projects in the area, Aaron said, have reached out to the district about wells or the use of groundwater.

Aaron said the district also wants to survey the wells on the solar farm’s leased property for any unregistered wells that were built before the district was created almost 20 years ago.

Aaron said these wells, mostly used for livestock, would not be useful for the bigger needs of the solar farm.

Brian Munger, who is helping oversee the project, said the project’s developers have not yet finalized where they will be getting water from for the project. He said the company should know where they will get the water from in about a month.

Officials said water at the site, after it is constructed, would be used for both the employees as well as for cleaning off solar panels.

The next meeting to discuss the abatement is expected to take place at 9 a.m. on Dec. 18 at the Bell County Courthouse, 101 E. Central Ave. in Belton.