PITTSBURG — Though Crawford County Treasurer Joe Grislano did not dispute the math of what a proposed solar farm would bring to the area, he questioned that it would substantially increase the county’s land valuations, according to The Morning Sun.
At last month’s meeting of Crawford County commissioners, John Copyak of Shasta Power, a solar power energy producer, told commissioners bringing the business to Crawford County would mean an additional $4 million in annual revenue.
Grislano agreed with Copyak’s breakdown, with the county collecting roughly $1.8 million a year; USD 246, $1.7 million, the local fire district $276,000, and lesser amounts for the SEK library, state Extension service and local township, The Sun reported.
That said, property valuations fluctuate, Grislano said, adding that as the single largest taxpayer in the county, Evergy pays less than one-half of Copyak’s projections.
Melesia Rhodes, a Democrat running against State Rep. Dan Collins in the Nov. 5 general election, briefed commissioners on the opportunities for solar and wind generation.
In an effort to beef up the country’s power grid, Rhodes said the country is increasingly turning to “green” energy. Wind and solar now produce more energy than coal-fired plants, she said.
Crawford County currently has a moratorium on any further development of wind or solar farms.
