The Broadleaf Solar project proposed by the private equity firm the D. E. Shaw Group, plans to install solar panels on a majority of the 322 acres that the Shaw Group purchased from the Monrovia Nursery company.
The proposed solar farm, a 100-megawatt electric power generating facility, would be constructed on land within the towns of Granby and East Granby. The split of land area on a town basis is 60 percent for Granby and 40 percent for East Granby, excluding an electrical line needed to connect the energy from the solar panels to the Eversource high-voltage electrical transmission line near Route 20 in East Granby. This electrical line can be described as a supersized extension cord planned to consist of 12 high-energy wires installed within four large pipes under the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail for about one mile.
During a Broadleaf Solar company information session on June 11 at the East Granby Senior Center, several Granby residents were in attendance. The East Granby First Selectwoman was also present. At that time, we discovered that East Granby has cut a deal with Broadleaf Solar that would allow the firm to run its powerlines to the Eversource connection point. Apparently, this decision was made without consulting Granby officials.
Broadleaf Solar has plans to run the wires below the Traprock Land Conservancy-owned land, Salmon Brook, Route 189, continuing under the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and to a point near Route 20. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has not yet approved the drilling under Route 189.
The following week, a drilling rig was spotted on the rail trail taking subsurface core samples used to perform a geotechnical analysis. Broadleaf Solar plans to use directional technology to bore out the path for the four pipes. Directional drilling is not an uncommon use in utility applications, but is most heavily employed in oil and gas exploration. The potential for environmental problems does exist. One such concern relates to the contamination of wells due to additives such as bentonite or polymers used to lubricate the drill.
In addition to the rail trail work, we discovered that Broadleaf Solar is only conducting a Phase 1 environmental site assessment. This is a preliminary step using documented research to determine if there is contamination on the site. When asked if they were going to perform a Phase II review, which would include sampling of soils and a laboratory analysis for contaminants, they indicated that they were not. This is in contradiction to comments made last year by Broadleaf Solar when they indicated that they would remediate contaminated soil and replace it with clean cover.
In my opinion the Broadleaf Solar project has the potential for environmental problems, in particular the Salmon Brook, which has the National Wild and Scenic Rivers designation, in return for little value added from solar energy. Even Broadleaf Solar claims the project will only have an 11 percent capacity.