To the editor: Solar proposal a sign of Chester’s, state’s progress

Solar technology has become a frequent target in the Trump era culture wars with most of the attacks including misinformation or disinformation.

A recent comment in response to a Telegraph story about a proposed solar facility in Chester was no exception. An individual inferred that solar power is not needed in Vermont because our forests absorb CO2, which ignores the fact that fossil fuels produce not only CO2, but also sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, mercury, methane and particulate matter – all detrimental to the planet and human health.

The individual mentioned that solar receives government subsidies. But he did not acknowledge that U.S. taxpayers fork over $760 billion annually in subsidies and tax breaks for the oil, gas, and coal industry, then billions more in response to natural disasters and human illnesses caused by the extraction, refining and burning of fossil fuels. His comment also cites the cost of ACT 250 compliance, even though those costs do not fall to the town or taxpayer but to the private solar developer.

The commenter laments the loss of community charm from solar panels because of its “reflective surface,” despite the fact that the proposed project will be screened and mostly hidden by trees and vegetation. In reality, solar panels are designed to absorb light not reflect it, and are less reflective than windows, many common roofing materials, and the water in the Williams River.

Finally, it’s hard to understand opposition to solar power that will strengthen the local electrical grid and make it more robust, based on alleged negative impacts to the “feel” of the town. Despite the amazing work of the town and many volunteers to beautify Chester, people entering the Village still pass storage units, a car wash, an abandoned building, and an old rusting gas station sign. Those visual images are likely to have far more impact on visitors’ perception of Chester than that of a solar farm behind a row of trees.

A solar facility is neither an eyesore nor a tax burden. It is instead, a sign of our state’s and our community’s commitment to a sustainable energy future and a compliment to the foresight of the Town’s recent purchase of a solar farm and the nearly 150 homeowners in Chester who have chosen to power their homes with grid-connected solar systems.

Robert Nied
Chester