Council representing neighboring landowners of the Rio Lago Solar Farm argued last Thursday in an emergency hearing that fish and other aquatic life died due to contamination coming from the solar farm’s construction site. That hearing is set to continue Thursday, Aug. 1, but council for Rio Lago Solar Farm described the accusations as an impossible overdramatization.
Council for the property owners argued that contaminated soil was washed by rain down to property owners’ land, where it killed wildlife.
Thursday’s continuance is expected to address other aspects of an ongoing dispute between residents and the solar farm.
Litigation over the farm’s construction has been ongoing.
In April, Judge Patrick Maguire signed a temporary injunction in April requiring Pine Gate Renewables LLC and Rio Lago Solar LLC to cease construction until, among other requirements, a plan was put in place for preventing stormwater pollution.
“The parties have conferred since the entry of the judge’s order and are working collaboratively to fashion a mutually agreeable approach to future development activities at the site,” Pine Gate spokesperson Kristen McKenzie said following that order.
The Solar Farm is expected to be completed in 2025, according to Rio Lago’s website.
