TAYLOR, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The borough of Taylor in Lackawanna County is in talks to possibly put a solar panel farm on land that was once polluted with toxic material, and local officials are concerned.
“It was a super fund site. You really can’t do much with it, you can’t dig it up. You can’t put foundations down on the ground,” said Daniel Zeleniak Assistant Borough Manager
An area near the landfill in Taylor was once declared a superfund site.
This simply means the federal government acknowledges that toxic or hazardous waste was dumped there, and an effort was made to clean it up.
“Investors purchased the property through Lackawanna County, and they had an interesting developer who wanted to put in a solar farm,” Zeleniak added.
However, a few months ago, the zoning Committee for the borough voted against putting solar panels on the site.
“Our zoning board, I believe, it was four to nothing to not allow the solar farm to be built,” Zeleniak continued.
During that zoning hearing meeting a few months ago people in the area near the site were vocal about their concerns against the installation of a solar panel farm.
“Is it going to disturb the super fund site, impact on groundwater there. There was a whole lot of questions at the zoning hearing and zoning hearing just listen to the people,” Zeleniak stated.
One resident 28/22 News Reporter Jason LiVecchi spoke with says he sees the benefits of solar panels in residential homes.
“If I get it, it might be a good thing cause my bill will be less,” said Taylor resident James Fink.
A judge for Lackawanna County ruled that the Borough should continue listening to and considering proposals for a solar farm on the super fund site, despite the “no vote” from the zoning committee.
“What’s next is the developer will have to come in with a formal plan in front of the planning committee,” said Zeleniak.
Stick with 28/22 News for any updates in the future about the landfill and the possibility of solar panels in the area.
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