Lee: Saving Municipal $$$ with solar

Lee Solar energy plan jolts neighborhood
By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff

LEE -- Citizen opposition has flared up over a Boston company's plan for a solar energy/recreational project they claim will lower property values and increase traffic on a heavily traveled town road.

Broadway Electric wants to install solar panels on roughly three acres of a 175-acre parcel off Stockbridge Road -- a major secondary route between Lee and Stockbridge. The town property was once targeted for a municipal golf course nearly 20 years ago.

In addition, the energy firm would build three playing fields, primarily for the youth soccer and football programs in Lee. The proposal also includes setting aside two acres for a citizens group that would privately fund, build and maintain a dog park.

The solar array is one of four Broadway Electric plans to install and maintain. They would generate a total of three megawatts of electricity to power all of Lee's municipal buildings. According to town officials, the other three include one each at the water and sewer treatment facilities and the former town landfill. Company officials haven't said what the overall project would cost.

However, several neighbors feel the Stockbridge Road aspect of the project would aesthetically have the greatest impact on the town.

"Anybody take into consideration what [the project] would do to my property if I wanted to sell it," questioned Bob Bartini of Fairview Street. "I sure as heck don't want it in my backyard."

Bartini and others who spoke during Tuesday night's Board of Selectmen meeting also cited how the athletic fields will generate more traffic, especially on weekends and be costly to maintain.

The recreational area would replace the two youth soccer fields being displaced by the solar array at the sewer plant on Route 102 and create a third field for youth football and possibly lacrosse.

The board emphasized it has just begun reviewing the project and will seek more public input before presenting a final plan to a town meeting for approval.

"We're going slowly and want to know more about what [the solar arrays] will look like," said Selectman Patricia Carlino. "We as a board must entertain the information and present it to the public for discussion."

Town officials are considering the project in an effort to reduce the $500,000 annual electric bill it pays Western Massachusetts Electric Co.; the two public schools and wastewater treatment plant accounting for two-thirds of the cost.

"The point of all this is we're trying to save money for the [taxpayers]," said board chairman David Consolati.

If town meeting voters approve the project, Lee would enter into a 20-year purchase agreement for electricity with Broadway at 7 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to the current 12-cent rate the town pays to WMECO. The projected savings for Lee taxpayers would be between $1 million and $2.5 million over a 20-year period.

Nevertheless, some local proponents of alternate energy sources are also skeptical about the Stockbridge Road, as well as Route 102 sites, both exposed to residential neighborhoods.

"I'm for green energy, solar energy, but I'm concerned about aesthetics," said Monica Ryan.

Thomas Wickham, a member of the town's ad hoc energy committee, cited how the solar panels will have minimal impact with the greatest return for the town.

"They are dark, they are low to the ground and produce clean electricity," said Wickham, who also chairs the Lee Planning Board.

The Selectmen plan to have further updates on the solar energy project in January