Will County Board Delays Vote on Controversial 3,600-Acre Solar Project

The Will County Board voted Thursday to postpone until February a decision on a controversial 3,600-acre solar farm proposal in Custer Township, with residents raising concerns about the project’s unprecedented scale and environmental impact.

The proposed commercial solar facility by AIONA Energy, a Spanish-based company operating through U.S. subsidiaries, would be located south of Smiley Road and east of Essex Road. Multiple residents noted the project’s scope would exceed the size of Braidwood Lake, which is 2,100 acres.

Environmental Concerns

Residents and environmental experts raised specific concerns about wildlife impacts. James Traic, conducting an ecological compliance assessment, identified 23 threatened and endangered species within the project’s footprint, which extends to the Mazonia area. The project would require 12 miles of exclusionary fencing, which critics say would disrupt white-tailed deer migration patterns.

“You’re talking about fishing habitat, the small mouth bass… not allowing white tail to migrate through,” Traic testified. He warned of increased deer-vehicle collisions, estimating “between 180 to 610 deer on average per square mile” being forced onto roadways.

Property Impact

Property owners like Patricia Malcolm, whose home sits 215 feet from the proposed site, expressed concerns about well water contamination and property values. “At my age, I don’t want to worry about this,” Malcolm said. “I’m also very concerned with my property value plummeting.”

Agricultural Preservation

The project sparked debate about farmland preservation. Wendy Traic argued that the area represents “the highest producing farmland in the country and the world despite it being sandy soil” and noted it contains unique ecotypes found nowhere else in Will County.

Project Supporters

Supporters, including Reed Custer School District Superintendent Mark Mitchell, highlighted potential tax benefits, projecting over $1 million in the first year for the district and approximately $800,000 annually afterward, totaling about $24 million over the project’s life.

Developer Response

While AIONA seeks board approval, recent state legislation means the company could potentially proceed through legal channels even if rejected. Board member Frank Pretzel, who proposed the postponement, suggested using the delay to negotiate project modifications.

“They’ve expressed to me that their goal is to address some of the concerns that you guys have brought to us today,” Pretzel said. “You may very well get them to make this smaller, make it farther from some of the homes, get them to agree to do soil and water testing and better barriers.”

The board voted 12-8 to postpone until February, though some members argued against further delay. A final decision will need to address variance requests for reduced mowing frequency and increased ground cover height, along with the special use permit for the facility itself.