Letter: County should take action on Crossvine Solar permit

My husband and I recently relocated here with our three children after carefully deciding to return to the area where I grew up. Over the years, I spoke often about the values and opportunities this community offered—its strong sense of neighborliness, affordability, and, most notably, the natural beauty of the rolling hills and open land that our children could never experience growing up in Chicago.

It is with deep disappointment that I now share my concerns. Had we known that Dubois County would approve the Crossvine Battery Energy Storage System as currently proposed, we may have made a different decision. The rapid approval of this project feels at odds with the values that make this county such an attractive place for families to return and settle.

I am concerned that projects of this scale are moving forward without adequate transparency, safety review, or meaningful public input. Battery energy storage systems carry documented risks, including fire hazards and emergency response challenges, yet this project has already required resubmission to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. That alone raises serious questions about readiness and oversight. Rising energy costs and landscapes dominated by industrial structures would permanently erode the small-town character and rural charm that define this community.

I urge county officials to pause, carefully evaluate this project, look beyond short-term financial incentives, and carefully consider the long-term impact on the future of Dubois County.

Specifically, I am requesting that they revoke the Crossvine Battery Energy Storage System and Solar Permit (Permit No. 2024-02). Projects of this magnitude require full transparency, comprehensive safety review, and meaningful community input before proceeding. Based on the information currently available, I do not believe those standards have been adequately met.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Megan Miller