A solar project on several parcels near Bass Lake and southern Starke County will begin construction in January.
Kevin Parzyck from STE Development LLC told the Starke County Planning Commission members earlier this month that the project is moving along. Mammoth Solar officials have met with the Army Corps of Engineers and IDEM to engage in field visits which Parzyck says went well. They reviewed wetland sites and land available for this project.
He said out of the 3,500 to 4,000 acres available in this 400 megawatt project, about 20 percent will be used to install solar panels. Most of the land will be made available for required setbacks and other requirements, as well as the planting of trees and native vegetation, including pollinators, as part of the construction of the project.
A ground breaking ceremony will be held at a date yet to be determined in October. Depending on Governor Eric Holcomb’s schedule, it is hoped he will be available to attend the event. Construction is tentatively set to begin in January with certain civil work. The tracks and panels will be installed later in the year with other work continuing through most of 2022. The project is expected to be complete in spring of 2023.
At some point in the process, there is a plan to meet with firefighters from Bass Lake-California Township, Knox-Center Township and Washington Township Fire Departments to familiarize them with access roads around the sites and how they operate in case an emergency should occur.
Final permit drawings, other permit work, contractor agreements, are still forthcoming, along with other paperwork to be reviewed and approved by Starke County officials. There may be additional parcels to be rezoned for this project may be presented to the Starke County Planning Commission in a future meeting.
