Editor's Note: A quote attributed to Megan Witte originally referring to $150 million in tax revenue has been corrected to $20 million. According to Rio Lago's website, "Rio Lago Solar will deliver an estimated $150 million in investment in Bandera County through new taxes and landowner payments over the life of the project, plus economic opportunities, and a boost for local businesses."
Residents of Bandera County expressed outrage at the January 23 Commissioners Court meeting over the ongoing construction of the Rio Lago Solar project on FM 3240.
The 20-year lease agreement between a private landowner and Pine Gate Renewables, a developer of solar and energy storage facilities, has drawn criticism over concerns about environmental impact, safety and lack of local oversight.
However, Rio Lago told the Bulletin the project is on private land and has obtained all necessary local and state permits and are working to continue to contirbute to the community.
Local Concerns
Sandra Nevels, who lives across from the project site, voiced frustration over what she described as inadequate studies and oversight.
“Were there studies done with being so close to the Medina River, the drought?” Nevels asked. “We don’t even have a bond. If something happens, is there money to clean up the mess? Have you all been out there? Do you visit frequently?”
Nevels described disruptions caused by the project, citing increased traffic, excessive noise, and debris from construction.
Holding up a large rock, she pointed to the dangers posed by loose materials on the road.
“I have longhorns and horses, and just when they were tearing down trees, they were totally freaked out,” Nevels said. “Yesterday morning, my house was vibrating from the work they were doing. There’s spotlights shining directly at my front door.”
Patti Wiatrek, another resident, played an audio recording of loud drilling sounds for the court.
“How does that sound, guys? That’s what we hear every day at our homes,” she said. “Would you listen to this? Could you live next door to that all day long?”
Judge Richard Evans reminded Wiatrek that the court does not interact during public forums, but she continued her criticism, pointing to safety hazards from increased truck traffic.
“There are 150 18-wheelers going up and down 3240,” Wiatrek said. “An 18-wheeler is going to kill somebody pulling out of those construction sites. They’re making illegal U-turns because they’re missing their job sites. My driveway is lined up like an aerospace landing spot to protect my driveway from these idiots driving up and down the highway.”
She also raised concerns about potential fire hazards and water usage.
“There’s a huge fire risk. If that place catches on fire, guess what, I’m burning up! My livestock, my home,” she said. “They’re using water every day. I watch them. I video them. We are in a drought! Who’s doing anything about it?” Carrie Crumrine questioned the project’s longterm impact and the lack of transparency in its approval process.
“This isn’t just a property rights issue. This is a county issue,” Crumrine said. “We are in an ongoing drought that’s not going to get better anytime soon. The layperson doesn’t realize these solar panels take water—for 20 years, ongoing water.”
She urged residents to attend a meeting at the local high school the following Thursday to discuss further action.
“This does not make sense for Bandera County,” Crumrine said. “It’s a $178 million project, and none of that money is coming into our county.”
Rio Lago’s Response
Megan Witte, Project Manager for Rio Lago Solar, told the Bulletin the farm will impact the community in a positive light and has already done so.
“We estimate that Rio Lago will pay approximately $20 million in taxes over its lifetime, supporting the local community and infrastructure,” she said. “In addition, Rio Lago joined the Chamber of Commerce in 2023 and donated to the Hill Country Master Naturalist program to support environmental education.”
Witte added Rio Lago plans to continue to make more contributions to the community this year.
“The project obtained a development permit and a burn permit from the county,” Witte said, adding that no water from Bandera County will be used during operation of the farm. “Other permits are required through state agencies.”
A separate statement delivered to the Bulletin from Rio Lago Solar said the organization has been engaging with stakeholders since 2022 and is available to meet and answer questions.
“We’ve held numerous meetings with community and town leaders, toured the site to consult with wildlife and biology experts, and shared updates with community members,” said the statement. “The project is not receiving any county-level tax benefits or abatements. Over the life of the project, Rio Lago Solar is estimated to generate more than $20 million in tax revenue for the Bandera community.” Witte said the engineering, procurement and construction company for the project is a prequalified vendor called LPL.
“We have hired locally for fencing and will be accepting operation and maintenance bids later in the year,” she said. “You can reach out to me if you are interested in working with us.”
Witte said Pine Gate chose Bandera because of it’s proximity to a substation, transmission infrastructure, and because of the ability to secure sufficient buildable land to support the project.
Next Steps
The Bandera County Commissioners have not issued a statement regarding the solar farm claims, but Jack Moseley told the Bulletin he is expecting to speak at Thursday’s commissioners’ court, slated for 10 a.m. at the Bandera County Courthouse.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit between neighboring landowners and Rio Lago has been in district court since last October, with a ruling scheduled for later this fall.
As of the latest court filing, none of the people who spoke during commissioners’ court were named as plaintiffs.
A federal court hearing is set for October 4 to address an ongoing dispute between Bandera County landowners and Pine Gate Renewables, LLC, over the construction of Rio Lago Solar Farm.The legal battle, which has been ongoing for several months, currently focuses on claims that the solar farm’s construction is causing environmental damage.
According to the landowners, the construction has led to contamination on their properties, including sediment runoff that has reportedly killed fish and turtles on one neighbor’s land.
Pine Gate Renewables’ legal team denied the allegations, asserting that the project is not responsible for any contamination.
“We remain confident in the future of solar energy in Texas. We believe that solar has a critical role to play in supporting the local economy, powering the growing state, and providing another domestic and reliable source of energy for generations to come,” Rio Lago Solar told the Bulletin in a statement.
