There was a special meeting in Venango Township on Monday to discuss the Wilson Solar Project and pending litigation.  

At the beginning of the year, the township supervisors voted to deny the conditional-use permit for the project, but the solar company sent in an appeal to the Erie County Court.

The township solicitor said during the meeting that the purpose of the meeting was to inform the residents about litigation, and what Wilson Solar was willing to make changes on and offer residents. 

Many residents expressed confusion about why litigation was happening in the first place and were not content with the information provided.  

“In Jan. of 2024, the supervisors voted no in the township. They said no solar farms. Now we’re confused. You voted no. It’s in the courts, on its way to see what the court says, but now they’re talking to the solar company, . . . So, we’re just all confused and want to know what’s going on,” Lou Norman, a citizen of Wattsburg, said. 

It was said during the meeting that the acreage of solar panels to be used potentially would be consolidated substantially from the original proposal. However, the total amount of solar panels wouldn't change. The plans for some locations of the panels would change as well.

Many residents at the meeting spoke asking questions as to why litigation was in process. The solar project still concerns residents when it comes to the effects on the French Creek watershed, home values, and the impacts on the overall community. One resident Lou Norman said they also wanted to know what the benefit was for residents. 
   
“We wondered if we were going to get any benefit. If the citizens were going to get anything for electric costs, if we’re getting any benefit in taxes, what are we going to get out of it? And no one came back and said you’re going to get anything,” Norman said.