The Clymer Town Board held its third public hearing Tuesday on a solar project planned for a property on Upper Road. About 20 people were in attendance for the meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

CLYMER — About 20 people were in attendance for Clymer’s third public hearing on a proposed solar project that has been a topic of discussion for the past few months.

The solar project is planned for a property on Upper Road owned by Carl Neckers, and the project is being developed by RIC Energy.

Andy Welch, RIC Energy senior project development manager, was in attendance at Tuesday’s Clymer Town Board meeting and presented on the project to the crowd. Welch originally presented at a public hearing held back in July.

Town Supervisor Brian Willink said he hoped to get everyone’s voices heard. He added that there would be no vote, and that the meeting was just to hear thoughts from the community.

The 5-megawatt community solar project is proposed for 30 acres, meaning the community can get electricity at a discounted rate. Welch said no trees would be cleared for the solar array’s installation, and that trees will actually be planted to help keep the aesthetics of the area intact. The solar panels themselves are under 10 feet tall and designed to follow the sun.

The panels would be held together by an aluminum frame, with glass panels and a bedding layer of ethylene vinyl acetate.

Welch addressed that there are no heavy metals involved in the making of the solar panels and that there are no risks to groundwater as the materials are not toxic or liquid.

The presentation also covered the layout of the project, the setback waiver the company has asked for, the visual impact, and the decommissioning in 30 years at the end of the project life.

Decommissioning was one concern that was brought up at a previous public hearing, and Welch said in order to hold the company responsible for decommissioning, they have posted a bond to guarantee it.

Welch addressed a previous question about how the town knows what it will cost 30 years from now. In answer to that, Welch said they have agreed to re-estimate the project every five years to protect the town and landowner from having to deal with the 30-year estimate.

When the presentation was finished and the room opened for public comment, the biggest concern among the public was having what was believed to be inadequate notice of the project for the neighboring properties. Welch said all properties within 500 feet of the project were notified, but many were upset that they lived near or could see where the project would end up being if approved and were not told about it.

One attendee has started a petition against the solar project. She said she received 177 signatures from those who were not notified about the project or who did not want the project in Clymer.

“It was not our intent to sneak,” Welch said. “We, of course, appeared before the town board 18 months ago and we met in January and April and July and each time it has been adequately covered in the local papers. This has not been sneaking but, quite frankly, we took it upon our own initiative without requirement to do it to talk to those who were closest. We do not believe that this project impacts anybody.”

The 177 people who signed the petition were also asked if they read the Corry Journal, which is considered the local paper for Clymer, and the answer was no they did not read it or did not see it in there.

Willink reminded the room that the Corry Journal is the official paper for the town of Clymer even though it is out of state, as it is still the closest paper. He added that both the Corry Journal and Post-Journal attend and cover the meetings, and that the project has been covered in both.

Other concerns included the waiver relief setbacks; what happens if the transformer that runs the project catches fire; the discounted electric rate for community members; potential watershed problems; where the panels were made; what happens when the technology changes; the construction phase; and concerns regarding livestock, birds and trees.

Welch thanked the members in attendance for their questions, stating that at other meetings he has attended he sometimes shouted at.