{"id":22665,"date":"2025-04-17T00:00:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T00:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/residents-create-website-against-proposed-solar-project-in-montezuma-county\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:15:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:15:29","slug":"residents-create-website-against-proposed-solar-project-in-montezuma-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/residents-create-website-against-proposed-solar-project-in-montezuma-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents create website against proposed solar project in Montezuma County"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The solar moratorium put in place by the Montezuma County Commissioners on April 9 does not apply to JUWI Inc.\u2019s Canyonland Solar Project, and the plan is continuing to move forward, according to a JUWI representative and residents of Goodman Point through their new website against the project. The map shows acreage under agreement for the project. (Say No to Canyonland Solar)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Montezuma County residents have created a website to express their concern and position against the proposed Canyonland Solar Project, which continues to move forward despite a recent six-month moratorium put on solar by the Montezuma County Commissioners on April 9.<\/p>\n

The next phase of the project will be the Planning and Zoning commission hearing, which is set to take place on May 15 at 6 p.m. in the commissioner\u2019s chambers in the county administration building (Room 250), 109 W. Main St.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough I cannot speak on behalf of the Board, my guess would be that since JUWI has been operating our development plan for five years now under the premise of the existing Montezuma County land use code, coupled with that we submitted our high impact permit-special use permit application into the county prior to the board announcing the concept of a moratorium, the best practice would be to exclude Canyonland Solar from the moratorium, which occurred,\u201d David Kimmett, JUWI manager and planning, told The<\/em> Journal<\/em> on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

After the announcement of the moratorium, and JUWI\u2019s exemption from it, the website created by citizens was launched. Eleanor McFarlane, one of the Goodman Point residents who helped create the website, explained the purpose behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe deliberately stayed away from any kind of corporate look. We aim to educate; no rant or mudslinging,\u201d McFarlane said.<\/p>\n

The website clearly shows the position of those who are staunchly against the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a core group of concerned Montezuma County residents who love the rural, agricultural aspect of the county and the values represented by the lifestyle that goes with it,\u201d the website said. \u201cSay NO to Canyonland Solar. Farms grow food, not solar.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the website, creators share their view on the project, saying it could likely cause more issues than benefits for local landowners.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo guaranteed energy benefit for the county, no reduction to your energy bill, no long-term permanent job creation,\u201d the website\u2019s homepage reads. \u201cYes interrupted wildlife corridors and migratory flyways, yes drainage\/runoff issues, yes high risk wildfire potential, yes panels, inverters, racking equipment, substations, access roads, underground and overhead electrical transmission and communication lines, metering, measurement devices and other equipment and facilities for the operation of a solar project.\u201d<\/p>\n

McFarlane added that she wanted people to know that Goodman Point is more than \u201cjust\u201d dryland.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodman Point is not just some place away from Cortez that could have a solar facility built on it. People have lived here for generations,\u201d McFarlane said. \u201cNeighbors may live next door or 5 miles away. Neighbors wave at neighbors as they drive by, and they wave at strangers too. Neighbors mean it when they ask if they can help. It\u2019s home.\u201d<\/p>\n

The website also dives into property rights and questions residents have about issues like drainage, runoff and wildfire risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand individual property rights. Those rights work both ways for the protection of the neighbors too, per the Montezuma County Land Use Code and legal descriptions,\u201d the website reads. \u201cConsider the collective agreements with JUWI, Inc. and how the contiguous properties will look with a utility-scale solar facility in place. Scraping the land, building retention ponds, glass, metal, rare earth elements and more will affect the neighboring properties and the whole county through light pollution\/glare, runoff, interference with wildlife, fire hazards, toxicity and more. Surely, the neighboring landowners and county residents should have a say in the way they are affected by a utility facility of this scope.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday evening, Vicki Shaffer, Montezuma County public information officer, provided a statement to The<\/em> Journal<\/em> on behalf of the commissioners.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners is tasked with making decisions ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the county and must preside over a process of land-use decisions that is fair and ensures due process,\u201d Shaffer said. \u201cThe Board has asked the planning department to look at our land use code and master plans as they relate to energy development, including utility-scale solar development, and propose changes to guide and inform this type of land use in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaffer shared that JUWI\u2019s application was \u201cinformed by the requirements\u201d of the current land use code and has been in development for a few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe currently pending application has been in development for a number of years and is informed by the requirements in our current land use code. Our code does not have criteria specific to large solar facilities, but it does have a process for evaluating proposals for \u2018major facilities of a public or private utility.\u2019 The Board decided the current land use code is adequate to review this application,\u201d Shaffer said.<\/p>\n

Canyonland Solar is a 140-megawatt solar project that would be on 960 acres of private dry land near Canyon of the Ancients National Monument and Goodman Point, if it receives approval. The proposed construction would take place on \u201ca rectangle of land\u201d boarded by Road P (north of Road T) and Road 16 to Road 18.<\/p>\n

JUWI Inc. is a German-based company that \u201cspecializes in utility-scale solar energy projects.\u201d The North American headquarters is in Boulder.<\/p>\n

The website \u201cSay No to Canyonland Solar Facility\u201d can be found online<\/a> at www.saynotocanyonlandsolarfacility.org.<\/p>\n

This article was updated Wednesday evening to include a statement from Montezuma County\u2019s public information officer regarding JUWI\u2019s exemption from the solar moratorium.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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