The Delaware County Council has introduced a proposed ordinance that would stop any solar or alternative energy project from asking for a county tax abatement.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, the councilman who brought the ordinance says it’s a message.

“This is more of a message that we’re not interested,” said Delaware County councilman Ryan Webb. “There’s 91 other counties in this community.  Go see one of them.  It’s not supported here in Delaware County.”

Webb asked council lawyer Ben Freeman to adapt a Wells County ordinance for local consideration.  And he’s been on record for years opposing large solar farm projects wanting to locate in the county.

But Webb was also on the county council in 2021 when it granted two tax abatements to projects wanting to build near Gaston and Albany.  Those projects have not yet begun construction.

Read More: Delaware County Council votes against rescinding tax abatement for solar project

Webb lost a re-election bid in May and will end his time on the county council at the end of December.

Webb quoted from the proposed ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting, reading, “Section 3 says the council imposes an indefinite moratorium on the filing, the processing, the review, the consideration, and the granting of all applications for tax abatement and other subsidies relating to large-scale commercial solar or other alternative energy generation, storage systems, or facilities.”

Counties use tax abatements as an incentive for companies to choose them.  It typically gives them a break on some or all county taxes for several years.

Council president Jessica Piper clarified that this indefinite moratorium is only for tax abatement applications.

“This doesn’t do anything to change the solar ordinance – not a thing.  [The] solar ordinance is not our authority.  You’d want to still go talk to the plan commission and your commissioners about that.”

Piper also said it doesn’t stop solar or alternative energy companies from trying to locate in Delaware County.  She said many don’t need tax abatements.

Read More: Report: Indiana has a lot of land for solar energy projects

Last month, the Delaware County Commissioners passed a separate moratorium on solar projects, saying the county could not entertain new applications until March 2025.

The energy project tax abatement moratorium was introduced on first reading during a Tuesday morning meeting by unanimous vote.  It will be up for its second reading on October 22.

Piper also said that, like any other ordinance, if this county council passes it, future council members could vote to rescind it.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.