Raven Solar open house set

The Bureau of Land Management will host an open house regarding the proposed Raven Solar Project west of Green River Feb. 13.

The open house takes place 3-6 p.m., at the BLM’s Rock Springs Field Office, located at 280 U.S. Highway 191 North in Rock Springs.

According to a press release from the BLM, Raven Solar, LLC filed right-of-way grant to operate a 66 megawatt facility along Wyoming Highway 372, near the existing Sweetwater Solar facility.

“The project will include up to 341 acres of solar modules, inverters and battery energy storage system that may produce up to 66,000 kW-AC capacity. Other project components in the solar facility area include underground electrical collection system, access roads, a substation and switchyard, an operations and maintenance building, multiple permanent meteorological sensors, and associated temporary and permanent structures to collect energy from the (solar modules),” the release states.

A 30-day public scoping period started Tuesday and ends Feb. 27.

Concerns about solar development were raised after the Sweetwater Solar facility interrupted a migration corridor used by antelope late last year. Hundreds of antelope were funneled onto the highway, raising concerns about fatal interactions between the animals and local traffic.

The situation was predicted in comments submitted to the Sweetwater County Land Use Office by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department during a public comment period for a conditional use permit.

Sweetwater County has amended its’ solar farm regulations and now requires developers to seek input from stakeholders like the WGFD or area mines if a proposal would impact land near mineral leases.

As of press time, an application for a conditional use permit has not been received by the county land use office. Once that application is received, a county public comment period will take place and the proposal would need to pass both the county’s planning and zoning commission and the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners.

Residents can submit comments or ask to be added to a mailing list, but for comments to be considered by the BLM, they must be received by Feb. 27.