At the recent Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection public hearing, over 75 residents, township officials, and Northeastern PA Girl Scout leadership showed up to protest the Mora Solar project.

Based in North Carolina, Mora Solar wants to build an industrial-scale solar farm on 390 acres of pristine forest in Kidder Township, including high quality trout streams such as Fourth Run, Shingle Mill Run, and Black Creek (also known as Hayes Creek).

The solar farm will not lower our electricity costs or offset the PPL projects underway in Carbon County to support the proposed data centers in Nesquehoning and Penn Forest.

Mora Solar is another project that extracts value from Carbon County without addressing local unemployment or other community needs. The speakers’ backgrounds and perspectives varied, but the message was clear: cutting down a forest to build a solar farm doesn’t make sense.

Speakers included Christian Bartulovich, experienced in writing zoning and land development ordinances, who shared his concerns about the incomplete information in the plans. Christian pointed out that it doesn’t make sense to ask residents or Township Supervisors to weigh in on a blueprint that the people who drew it say isn’t finished.

He highlighted the need for a comprehensive Common Plan of Development that encompasses all aspects of the project.

Dr. Alex Jackson from Monroe County discussed Pennsylvania’s requirements for preserving High Quality streams. Chuck Cutshall, VP, Love Kidder Township, proposed that Mora Solar redevelop abandoned or underutilized commercial and industrial properties rather than clear-cut a forest.

Carolyn Lange addressed the cumulative impacts of continued large-scale development throughout the Lehigh and Delaware River watershed. She noted that decisions made about headwaters affect water quality far beyond Carbon County.

Don Miller, Jim Miller, and Mark Peterson spoke about the risks and the importance of preserving Exceptional Value wetlands for our watershed and our tourism-based economy.

Not one person spoke against the idea of using solar energy — where it makes sense. The message was clear: residents want a full, transparent, construction-ready record.

With so much at stake, the PA-DEP must carefully weigh the evidence before deciding to issue a permit.

Carol Etheridge

Lehighton