MONTAGUE — The lawsuit against White River Township regarding a proposed solar energy facility was dismissed earlier this month by presiding judge Robert Jonker, the township board announced at its Tuesday meeting.
Lakeside Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of National Grid Renewables, filed suit against the township in February 2023 in response to a series of township moves that Lakeside Solar felt were illegal efforts to block it from constructing a solar energy facility in the township. An attempt to reach NGR for comment was unsuccessful at press time.
The case was scheduled to be heard in July, and the parties were going through court-ordered mediation over the previous couple of months prior to Jonker’s dismissal of the suit. The dismissal, which came at the township’s request, was without prejudice, so the suit could be filed again.
However, the township doesn’t expect that course of action, at least right now. A state law that would override local ordinances less permissive to renewable energy facility construction than the state’s own ordinances is scheduled to go into effect Nov. 29. If the law does go into effect then - and if NGR’s lease agreements with the landowners it contracted with are still in effect at that point - the company would likely be able to pursue anew its planned facility. Township supervisor Ron Bailey said he believes that knowledge played a factor in the suit’s dismissal.
A statewide group, Citizens for Local Choice, is attempting to stop the law’s implementation by placing it on the ballot for referendum in November. The group must collect 500,000 signatures from registered voters in the state by May 28 in order to force the referendum.
Apart from monthly bills being paid, the only action taken via a board vote was to approve the request of a group to conduct a nighttime paranormal investigation at Mouth Cemetery. The group, a YouTube account named Lakeshore Paranormal that has over 13,000 subscribers, posted a video of a previous investigation at the cemetery earlier this year. The board said it had no problem with the group’s request although it was skeptical the investigation would reveal any paranormal activity at the cemetery.
Bailey said during the meeting that the Hancock Road paving project, the funds for which were approved in March, should be going forward this week. In other business, the board received a request to enact an off-road vehicle ordinance, which it currently does not have. The Montague Township ordinance on the matter was used as a reference, and the board will consult attorney Cliff Bloom on the next steps in putting one together.
Bailey added that the Montague Fire Authority will host a public meeting Thursday, May 23, regarding the current millage rate, and the meeting will also address the 2024-25 budget.
