Dear Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners:
I, as a resident of Santa Fe County, request the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners deny the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the AES Rancho Viejo Solar facility. I do support a transition to renewable energy, however it must be done in a safe and responsible approach so as to not compromise the safety and well being of the public and/or environment.
The proposed AES Rancho Viejo Solar facility will not only include over 239,000 solar panels, but also a Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a substation, transformers, inverters, and a high voltage transmission line over 2 miles long. Any part of this planned electric generation facility has the potential to catch fire, but the greatest threat comes from the addition of the lithium-ion BESS. A lithium ion BESS carries the risk of a thermal runaway fire, toxic gas release and/or explosion, all of which may result in long term irreparable devastation. The industry has no way in which to extinguish a lithium ion thermal runaway fire. The proposed location of this facility is in a high fire risk zone and situated in an area where winds are commonplace.
The chosen site is also in close proximity to thousands of residents, is inhabited by countless wildlife (seasonally and annually), is located on top critical groundwater vital to thousands, and is in an area with fragile vegetation, easily susceptible to destruction and erosion.
There are numerous considerations one must address for a facility such as the AES Rancho Viejo Solar project, which are not listed in the Santa Fe County Codes, but which are critical to have in place for any review of an application of this type, such as:
Legally Required and Completed Emergency Response Plans
Thermal Runaway Fire Risk
Toxic Gas Release
Explosion Potential
Appropriate Zoning
Evacuation zone considerations (as it relates to the proximity of the Rancho Viejo Solar facility)
Training for local emergency responders
Cybersecurity
Alarms and Sirens for adjacent neighborhoods
Groundwater contamination
Water Requirements
Soil erosion; impact of surface water flow patterns
Air pollution; debris during and after construction and impact on health of residents
Oversight of project before, during and after construction
Water pollution; water binds with chemicals released during the fire and drained into aquifer under the facility.
Noise pollution; from inverters, transformers and ventilation/cooling systems.
Light pollution
Wildlife impacts
Wildlife Corridor Locations
Setbacks and Buffers; Berms and Shrapnel Barriers
Transmission lines; should be underground
Visual Requirements
Financial Responsibilities and Liabilities;
-Liable party/parties in the event of illness and/or loss of life related to the facility.
-Liable party for the cost of damage from fire; strains on local resources
-Liable party for the cost of increase in home/property insurance and decrease of home value?
-Liable party for all consultants, local resource use (especially in the event of emergencies related to said facilities), and local infrastructure upgrade requirements?
-Technical Studies by Independent 3rd party consulting firms on all studies not suitable for county staff to assess.
The Santa Fe County Sustainable Growth Management Plan (SGMP) and the Sustainable Land Development Code (SLDC) were used to evaluate this application, however there are no specific regulations or guidelines for a facility of this type in these current county codes/plans. And on top of that, it is clear (according to the SGMP and SLDC), that this type of facility is strictly prohibited in rural fringe zones.
As our elected officials of Santa Fe County, you have been entrusted to make decisions based on the best interest of all who live in Santa Fe County. This includes the health, safety and welfare of all who live in this area and our environment. This AES Rancho Viejo Solar CUP application must be denied, as it poses obvious and unacceptable risks of harm and negative consequences to the residents, emergency responders, wildlife and ecosystem surrounding this proposed facility location.
Sincerely,
A Resident of Santa Fe County