ST. LANDRY PARISH — SUNSET, La. – A proposal to build an 87-acre solar farm on Hypolite Miller Road in Sunset has sparked both support and opposition among residents.
Bombus Solar LLC plans to develop the site, which St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard says could bring millions of dollars in economic benefits.
“It will bring in sales tax money to our parish. It will take the value of the property from farmland to commercial at $5,500 an acre. So there’s a lot of benefits to it,” Bellard said.
But not all residents agree. Some say the project could bring problems like flooding, pollution, and unwanted traffic. Several voiced concerns during Wednesday night’s parish council meeting.
Jennifer Mott, one resident described the land as flood-prone, recalling past incidents in the area:
“The issue today is turning 84 acres into a solar farm that literally holds feet of water every time it rains. I’ve rescued a bus of children with a tractor next to that cane field because it holds so much water. These solar panels are going to be sitting in water. That’s just a health issue at the beginning.”
Bellard, however, pushed back on those fears, saying studies presented to the parish show no evidence of hazardous waste or water contamination.
“I think people are just not used to the change. They’re used to seeing sugar cane in that spot, but this isn’t going to be any different. We had a lot of studies given to us—not one showed any risks of pollution,” Bellard said.
He added that landowners have the right to lease their property for the project.
“It’s not up to the parish, and it’s not up to the neighbors around there to decide what that person does with their property. I am totally against the government stepping in and regulating what you can do with your own property,”Bellard said.
There has also been a petition started by neighbors.
"We’ve gathered about 200 signatures, and I think that shows there’s a legitimate question about whether this project is really in the best interest of the parish," said Quinn Hebert. He continued to say, “I realize this is a democratic republic, and you have to consider the whole parish. But our voices matter too — and that’s why we started this petition.”
Bellard says the next steps is for the solar company to obtain a permit for the project.
