Sheridan Solar Proposal Fails County Vote

The permit for a proposed commercial solar energy facility that would be built in Sheridan County failed by a vote of the county commission at their meeting Tuesday morning.

Sheridan Solar, LLC and Energy of Utah had filed the application for the permit, seeking approval from the county to build the 96-acre facility on a 163-acre parcel between Sheridan and Big Horn off of Swaim Road, on property owned by Cameron Forbes.

Most of the comments taken during a public hearing in the matter last month at the county fairgrounds were against the proposal, but others were not against the facility but concerned with aspects of the permit application, which many thought were incomplete or lacking in-depth study.

Commissioner Nick Siddle spoke on behalf of the commission during Tuesday’s meeting, saying they felt the application needed to be assessed as it was presented.

The commissioners all spoke in favor of the proposal in theory, but each had issues with the permit application, such as an abandonment of a road easement, light pollution, possible issues with erosion and subsequent contamination of a nearby ditch among others.

The commission suggested they would be willing to review a revised or new, more-in-depth application covering the issues they felt were necessary to be addressed.