The Starke County Council members reviewed a Memorandum of Understanding last week with Starke Solar, LLC concerning a solar collection facility in Starke County.
It is a 15-year incentive package for a 400 megawatt solar collection facility to be built on available ground as determined by the Starke County Planning Commission. According to County Attorney Marty Lucas, the county would grant a 100 percent tax abatement on personal property. In return, the developer will pay an Economic Development Tax of $2,500 per megawatt per year on the project’s rated capacity of 400 megawatts. Anything above that will pay $2,000 per megawatt per year.
Ten jobs would be produced with incomes of $30,000 a year. There would not be any large clearing of woods to develop solar operations. The council members approved the Memorandum of Understanding with a unanimous vote.
