Default message that will be sent to the Ohio Power Siting Board and key government officials: 

Dear Ohio Power Siting Board, 

I am writing in support of the Eastern Cottontail Solar Project. Here in Fairfield County, we take pride in our land, our families, and the future we’re building together. Eastern Cottontail is one of those rare opportunities that aligns with our values – good jobs, strong schools, clean energy, and respect for the farming traditions that make this place home.  

Eastern Cottontail is about real people and the opportunities they have to get ahead in Fairfield County. This project will create more than 500 construction jobs right here, plus long-term jobs maintaining and operating the site. Local businesses – from gravel suppliers to hardware stores – will feel the ripple effect, with another 270 indirect jobs expected throughout the community. 

This means paychecks going home to local families. It means young workers getting their start in a growing industry. And it means new revenue flowing into our schools, emergency services, and townships. The almost $2 million from tax revenue every year to support what matters most to our daily lives will mean up to $80 million directly invested back into Fairfield County over the full life of the project.  

Balancing growth with maintaining our rich agricultural history isn’t easy, but it’s exactly why Eastern Cottontail makes so much sense. Farmers who choose to lease their land for this project will receive steady, dependable income, making it easier to keep farms in the family. And when the project is done, the land can go back to farming – often in better shape than before, thanks to years of rest and improved soil quality.   

Eastern Cottontail also includes pollinator-friendly plantings, which will improve biodiversity and support the return of insects, birds, and native animals. These practices, along with less soil disturbance, help reduce erosion, restore land health, and promote long-term sustainability. It’s not development that paves over farmland. It’s development that helps preserve it.  

The project also plans to partner with local farmers for something called solar grazing, a symbiotic practice that uses sheep to manage the grass and vegetation around the solar panels. It’s simple, sustainable, and supports our local agriculture in a whole new way. Clean energy and farming, side by side. That’s the kind of innovation Fairfield County can be proud of. 

And with Ohio’s energy demand rising fast, and the cost of electricity continuing to climb for many families, projects like this are more urgent than ever. Ohio already imports up to 25% of its electricity from neighboring states and Canada, and older coal plants are retiring faster than new sources are coming online. By supporting projects like Eastern Cottontail, we can increase our in-state energy supply, lower long-term costs, and reduce our dependence on imported energy. 

Finally, the widespread community support for this project that people like me represent is fundamentally about principles. In this country, we respect the rights of landowners. Private property rights are the bedrock of our economy. Every participating family is making their own decision about what’s right for them, and the land stays private. That’s how it should be.  

This community believes in Fairfield County, and we believe in the power of smart, local solutions. The Eastern Cottontail Solar Project is one of them. I am proud to support it. 

CC: 

Fairfield County Commissioners – Steve Davis, David Levacy, Jeff Fix 

Walnut Township Trustees – Bill Yates, Terry Horn, Doug Leith 

State Senator Tim Schaffer 

State Representative Jeff LaRe 

State Representative Kevin D. Miller