Solar is the Better Option

This letter to the editor, by Pam Fricke, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on August 21, 2025.

Watching the video recording of the Aug. 5 St. Croix County Board of Supervisors meeting was a lesson in democracy. Those in favor of the Ten Mile Creek solar farm stated their reasons for supporting this renewable power project. Those against the solar farm were equally passionate, explaining why they are fighting it. In the end, the board voted to defer a decision on the Joint Development Agreement, until they had more information.

At this stage, the JDA gives the county an opportunity to ask for concessions to address resident concerns. Safety, first responder training, hail damage, land restoration, visual appearance — these ALL can be remediated.

If the county chooses instead to file as an intervenor, it will cost many thousands of taxpayer dollars for attorneys, expert witnesses and staff time. In the end, the project is likely to still go through and St. Croix County residents won’t get what they want.

Although there are many solid reasons to support Ten Mile Creek, here are some of the environmental advantages this renewable project would offer:

The solar farm will use the land, much of it in corn and soybean production, to create clean (emission free), renewable energy.

The underplanting of pollinator-friendly native plants will give the land a chance to restore soil health, improve both surface and ground water quality, and provide wildlife habitat, especially for ground-nesting birds, whose populations have declined with intensive agriculture.

The solar farm will reduce carbon loading, that is, it will put less carbon into the atmosphere, reducing the rate at which our energy use contributes to climate crisis. We are first-hand witnesses to extreme weather and smoke from Canadian fires, both the result of climate crisis.

If the county board decides to kill the JDA, we lose our opportunity to contribute ideas and ask questions. As one speaker said, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” The state Public Service Commission record indicates that the project will be approved and will be built. Let’s make sure we’re at the table and can ask for what we need.