The Pulaski County Council members agreed to approve the Economic Development Agreement and tax abatements for the Mammoth Solar project during Monday night’s meeting. It was a 5-1 favorable vote from Kathi Thompson, Michael Tiede, Adam Loehmer, Tim Overmyer, and Rudy DeSabatine, with a dissenting vote from Brian Young and an abstention from Ken Boswell.
The project will include the installation of solar panels on several thousand acres of agricultural land in Rich Grove, Jefferson, Franklin, Monroe, and Beaver Townships with a $1 billion investment in Pulaski County.
According to Baker Tilly officials, the utility property abatement would be for 20 years which would result in an estimated property tax savings of over $40 million, but Mammoth Solar would provide $34.6 million in minimum Economic Development payments to the county over a 20-year period.
The project would also lower property taxes as a result of proposed increased assessed valuation of property for just this project and not any outside assessed valuation determined in the county.
The council members also considered an Economic Development Agreement and tax abatements for the Moss Creek Solar project.
The council members opened a public hearing concerning the Moss Creek Solar project. The project will include the installation of a 200 Megawatt solar array on 1,021 fenced-in acres of agricultural land in Beaver Township with a $200 million investment in Pulaski County.
Most of those who spoke were against the project citing environmental issues, the area proposed does not qualify as an Economic Revitalization Area, destruction of roads, the affect on home values, if the company goes bankrupt, who is responsible for damage to panels in the case of a tornado, and that the company does not need a tax abatement. Just a few people supported the project, including property owners involved in the lease process with NextEra. The Beaver Township Trustee asked if some of the economic money received could be put toward a community center or other benefit for Beaver Township residents as a result of the project.
The tax abatement would result in an estimated property tax savings of over $10 million, but Moss Creek Solar would provide $6 million in minimum Economic Development payments to the county over an eight-year period.
The project would also lower property taxes as a result of proposed increased assessed valuation of property for just this project and not any outside assessed valuation determined in the county.
The council approved the Economic Development Agreement and tax abatements for the Moss Creek Solar project. It was a 5-1 favorable vote from Kathi Thompson, Michael Tiede, Tim Overmyer, Adam Loehmer, and Rudy DeSabatine, with a dissenting vote from Brian Young and an abstention from Ken Boswell.
