To the editor:

There is a win/win solution to the solar panel situation. Let me try to outline the current situation.

Acciona is not interested in protecting our marsh, flyway, and endangered species. About 2% of the county residents agree with their position. This can’t be comfortable or happy for the County Commissioners and City Council folks in Great Bend. Nobody wants to be the poster child of anything that harms our special place. I wouldn’t want to have to face the majority of my constituents daily knowing that I passed something that the vast majority doesn’t want. The other side of that coin is that there is a lot of money involved. The business community in Great Bend and Barton County appreciate the hunters, birders, and conservationists that come to our community for their activities and stay in our motels, eat at our restaurants, and buy stuff at our stores. The projected funding of schools and community projects by Acciona is the same on both sides of town.  Acciona wants this project in this spot because it saves them a lot of money to easily access the power grid. They can build this project anywhere they choose.  They want us to put our birds, marsh, and flyways at risk so they can save the money required to build connection lines. I think they should be more flexible in that position. Making money for Acciona is not a high priority for those of us interested in protecting the marsh.  

There might be a better way.

The county and city own a bunch of land west of town by the airport, Raceway, County buildings, etc. It might be possible to lease some of that land to Acciona and they could consolidate their project and put it all in one spot. I think that would save them some dollars, and it would protect our marsh and the beautiful undeveloped land around the Bottoms. Our leaders would have 98% support for that decision. I am fully aware of who would be opposed, but this plan is better than eminent domain which looms on the horizon for a bunch of these projects. I would love to bring a bottle of Spanish wine to the ground-breaking ceremony in that location. Please consider it carefully.

Dr. Dan Witt