Texas Solar Farm Accused of Polluting Environment | Spectrum News

In North Texas, a solar energy company is clearing acres of land to build a solar farm, but families who own the adjacent properties contend that doing so is destroying the natural environment.

Spectrum News' Brett Shipp investigates plans for the future, while hearing the land owners' pleas for help.

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[Hybridog]

The problem is not with the company or the landowners. The problem is with the State and the weak and intentionally ineffective TCEQ. These sorts of projects can be built with sensitivity to the land and local ecosystems - with proper oversight. These sorts of projects can also be NOT approved by State regulators when they would have too much negative impact. That almost never happens because the TCEQ and all other Texas "environmental" agencies reliably cowtow to business and politcal buddies over actually protecting anything.

[michaelshrader]

1st, if you think that's bad you should take a look at what the 35, 000 acre Colony Ridge "colonia" in Liberty County TX has done to the environment (and how toothless and inept TCEQ has been out here!). 35, 000 acres of dense woodlands and wetlands, all cut-n-filled and turned into little 1/3 to 1/2 acre lots by the tens of thousands now, and the sewage and sediments in the storm-water run-off are simply epic! 2nd, as pertains to this story I notice that cow rancher has cleared pastures.... did he ever stop to think about the dense forests that used to cover HIS now cleared cattle pastures? I doubt it somehow (do as I say not as I have done mentality). 3rd, why can't we simply all have on-site power generation for our homes with solar panels on our roofs and individual mid-sized wind generators... use the spaces we already have absorbing sunlight to make power for our homes instead? Why do we need HUGE solar farms when we all have roof's over our heads just absorbing sunlight all year long... it makes no sense whatsoever! Finally, aren't there enough desert lands in America where no trees grow where these huge solar farms could be located instead of in areas of beautiful dense forests and wetlands that the other creatures on this planet depend on?

[bombero]

And how is this suppose to be eco-friendly? And was an environmental study performed?

[kayhenry]

Cool! Destroy the planet to save the planet. What could possibly go wrong?

[superman]

i kinda agree... it seems that the company would've wanted to tile the land prior to putting in the solar panels... i mean, the company is probably going to have constant and re-occurring erosion and flooding issues because of the poor land management plan they've implemented and that going to increase their insurance and maintenance costs... i guess they'll "just pass the costs onto the consumer"

[bwyppjo]

What happens when a Texas hail storm destroys it? Will it then be abandoned and left for local municipalities pay for the removal of all the toxic chemicals?

[qreecpy]

You can bet, big oil or big coal was behind that. They hate competition.

[mattwright]

Piles of trees, it's just Cow pasture nothing to see here folks keep it moving

[larryerwin]

Just another American thinking he actually owns his land.

[RytisBaltakys]

So the devestation is that the bulldozers made their water dirty. That will happen from any type of development. Once the native grasses take hold, it should all get back to normal.

[pukaseek]

Sorry. Short term thinking. We HAVE TO PRODUCE power other than with fossil fuels. I’m not the brightest bulb on the string but as soon as the panels are installed grass should be planted. And that falls on the panel company.

[kurtphilly]

The state that produces the most gas products and pollutants from those gas products complains about solar power, some irony. This is what happens with population growth and thousands of single family homes that require lots of energy.

[jasonlovell]

Once the panels are installed they will create more run off because they will block rain from the ground. This will further reduce groundwater levels and increase flooding downstream.

[maxstrongCW]

This what literally happens every time a new subdivision goes up or Industrial complex.
Ever lived within 5 miles of a feed lot? It's a incredible amount of manure, are they going to stop producing cattle or pigs or chickens?

[dmitch]

Use your eyes instead of your ears. Don't let these liars speak, just look at their destruction, it's undeniable.

[lib]

Where is the devastation, I was looking for some oil spill.

[BTSflyer]

I have looked at sat maps of the area and a lot of the land is farmland. Yes there are areas with trees. It you look at some of the land right next to the solar farm in the video it is farmland. Also after a solar farm was built near me about a year later the plants were higher than the solar panels and thick between the rows of solar panel. Every construction site has mud after the rain. but once finished and the plant grow back, and the mud run off not any worse than your average farm. I don't blame them for not want the structure next to them, they should be mad at the landowners sold the land to the solar company. Once the plants grow back it won't look so barren. I thought the story was going to be about some leaking chemical contaminating their property.

[troygoggans]

This happens in Russia all the time the business oligarchs are given special treatment and it happens in the USA. Why because of money donated to politicians re-election campaigns and their desire to remain in office until they die. One of the things the US Constitution did not do and that is to protect the citizens against greed. There must be politicians of integrity and honesty otherwise the constitution is not worth the paper upon it is written.

[scottmcshannon]

are the electrons leaking into the creeks?

[jmayek]

Oh yeah because oil and gas when it spills is so environmentally friendly! LOL. Mining and burning coal has been so great as well. Amazing how clean it is. And then there's fracking. Cool thing about a solar panel. Is they last 20 years or longer without needing to be replaced and the energy they get is from the Sun, Sun. Last time I checked I don't think you have to pay for that. So the energy is Free.