Something has happened that I don’t understand — or if I do understand it makes me very uncomfortable.

I attended the Barton County Commission meeting last Tuesday morning. The atmosphere is completely different from a couple of months ago. At that time, the consensus was that the Bottoms would be protected and Acciona would move the project to a safe place. Everything was calm and hearts were beating in unison. It is completely different now. Some of the commissioners have apparently changed their position on this solar panel project. 

Now the order of business is to rush Judy Goreham and the Zoning/Planning committee to get a set of rules in a month — the rest be ignored. The most concerning and odd issue was the complete rejection of vetting by KDWP by the county commissioners as part of the application process. 

“They have their ideas and we have ours” was the answer by the commissioners. I don’t think the commissioners are more capable of protecting the marsh than KDWP — do you? Wildlife/Parks has managed the Bottoms forever and are mandated to protect it. 

That was an integral part of the process a month ago. Was this issue voted on by the Commissioners? That vote should be made public. Who made the decision to eliminate KDWP from the application process and WHY?

This marsh is owned by THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS and managed by KDWP per their brochure. I am writing the governor and attorney general to see if it is even legal to exclude KDWP from the permit process. It is obvious to the average citizen that this is a bad location. 

If it weren’t for the money involved, the landowners wouldn’t have solar panels on their land. There have been studies by Audubon and Ducks Unlimited that challenged this location. A while back a lady landowner was angry that there wasn’t a vote BY THE PEOPLE for or against or for this project. I am in full agreement with her request that a county vote be taken. 

I would encourage the Commissioners to arrange for a vote BY THE PEOPLE as soon as possible. That would be safe and logical. If they are afraid of that outcome, we have a very obvious concern.  

Someone will ask about a post-dated check or future promise. It should NOT be left in the hands of a foreign company, three county commissioners, and about 20 landowners to put the Bottoms and this migration route in jeopardy when there are so many safe sites available for it to be moved. Make no mistake — Acciona CAN move this project. They already have alternate locations.  

Are the County Commissioners being fair by not letting landowners in the safe areas of this county have equal opportunity? Being in a safe spot would remove this thing from the spotlight of bad decisions by the commissioners. 

This is a government project — our government gives a gob of money to Acciona who gives a gob of money to these landowners, and they build it (don’t rule out a bunch of huge fines from the EPA Clean Water Act when it rains and gunk washes into a pristine marsh and more notably when a big wind or tornado puts toxic metal debris in the wetland). It is OUR TAX money being used to threaten OUR marsh and endangered birds. That isn’t fair or right. 

Every citizen should have an equal say in what happens. If anyone disagrees with that position, they should explain their reasoning in an open meeting. Every landowner in the county should have equal opportunity. That’s what our founding fathers thought, and many Americans have fought and died for those principles. Let’s get it right, folks. Let’s get it right. “Common Sense” was the title of a short book by Thomas Paine and is considered one of the 10 books that have had the most impact on American history. I think he was on to something. Let the people vote.

Doc

Doctor Dan Witt is a retired physician and nature enthusiast. He can be reached at danwitt01@gmail.com.