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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify New Leaf Energy’s setback requirements from wetlands and county, state and township roads.
JAMESTOWN — New Leaf Energy is beginning the process of working with Fried Township to permit, develop and build a 247 megawatt solar project north of Jamestown, according to the company’s lead project developer.
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William Dean presented information about the Buffalo solar project on Tuesday, Jan. 7, during the Stutsman County Commission’s meeting. The county commission took no action on the item.
The estimated cost of the solar farm project is $370 million.
The solar farm would be 247 megawatts, which is equivalent to powering about 50,000 homes annually, Dean said.
The solar farm would be located on about 1,600 acres of land north of Jamestown in Fried Township. The 1,600 acres are owned by one landowner.
Solar panels would be placed on land along North Dakota Highway 20 and on land north of 29th Street Southeast east of the highway. The solar farm would connect to Otter Tail Power Co.’s high-voltage power grid near its substation located about 7 miles north of Jamestown.
The solar farm would be in operation for 20 to 30 years. Dean said solar farm projects usually are financed for 30 years.
Construction on the project would take about 12 to 18 months to complete. The estimated start of construction would be in summer 2028, with completion in summer 2029.
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The solar panels would be installed in rows about 15 feet apart across the property, according to Dean’s PowerPoint presentation. The panels rotate east to west to follow the sun during the day.
Dean said the project owner would be responsible for decommissioning the solar farm and all equipment after its life. He said the land would be returned to its prior condition. He said damaged drain tile during construction would be repaired, and any soil removed would be replaced to a certain depth.
Dean said New Leaf Energy estimates paying about $23.4 million in state and local taxes over the 30-year life span of the project.
The estimated allocations on what New Leaf Energy expects to pay in taxes to individual entities over 30 years are:
Dean said the project will generate 200 to 300 construction jobs. He said about five to six employees would be needed once it is constructed.
He said New Leaf Energy is in the permitting process for the project. He said New Leaf Energy met with Fried Township to introduce the project and explain the next steps for amending its zoning ordinance within the township.
Dean said a meeting will be held on Jan. 20 at the Gladstone Inn & Suites, where New Leaf Energy will request the township to amend its zoning ordinance to allow for a conditional use permit for a solar farm.
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If the zoning ordinance is amended, New Leaf would apply for a conditional use permit for the project and seek approval for that in May.
The project would need approval from the North Dakota Public Service Commission as well.
Dean said New Leaf Energy’s setback requirements are the industry standard. He said the setback distance for the project is 50 to 100 feet from property lines, 250 to 500 feet from occupied residences, 25 to 50 feet from wetlands and 100 to 200 feet from county, state and township roads.
“If there are any easements like an overhead line or there’s an underground gas line, we will also be setting off of that to account for the easement,” he said.
Fried Township has its own zoning ordinances. It is unknown what Fried Township’s setbacks are for commercial solar facilities or if it has a zoning ordinance for the facilities.
Any zoning ordinance passed by the Stutsman County Commission only applies in townships that do not have their own zoning ordinances.
A feasibility study report on moving water from basins in western Stutsman County and Crystal Springs Lake could be complete later this month, according to Michael Gunsch, senior project manager with Houston Engineering.
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The feasibility study is being done by Houston Engineering to show the benefits of removing excess waters, how much of the 250-square-mile watershed is contributing to flooding, regulatory issues, alternative options to remove water and the cost to remove the excess water.
The study shows the elevation has risen in Crystal Springs, Reule, Stink and South Stink lakes since 1957. Crystal Springs Lake only has risen about 6 feet since 1957, but South Stink, Reule and Stink lakes have risen by 17.4 feet, 18.5 feet and 21.6 feet, respectively, in the same time frame.
The primary focus areas would be to move water from Crystal Springs and Stink Lakes. The primary focus of the project to move water is to protect and provide benefits to the properties and structures affected by the rising elevation of the water.
The preferred route to move water would start at Stink Lake — the location of the pump system — and go west to a tributary of the Long Lake Refuge, The Jamestown Sun reported in July. The route is about 83,000 feet and is the least expensive alternative. The estimated cost of the project is more than $24.5 million, which has a 20% contingency on it since the project is at the feasibility level.
Gunsch said an additional $22,300 will be requested from Stutsman County in the near future to complete the feasibility study. He said the Houston Engineering team has completed services outside the original and amended scope of the feasibility study resulting from landowner insight, commentary and a need to respond to public inquiries.
He said the additional services do not include grant funding locally or through the North Dakota State Water Commission due to some services being provided prior to requesting additional cost-share assistance. He said requesting cost-share assistance for the remaining amount would increase costs and extend the completion deadline for the report.
Once the feasibility study report is completed, authorization will be needed for the development of the preliminary engineering report. The preliminary engineering report will take about 18 to 24 months to complete.
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The estimated cost for the preliminary engineering report is $976,000, The Jamestown Sun reported in July.
Gunsch said the preliminary engineering report would include an evaluation of using the water for irrigation, excavation of a 2-foot-deep conveyance channel to increase Kidder County’s tributaries’ capacity and impacts to Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The Stutsman County Auditor’s Office made an error on the total legislative tax relief calculations included on the 2025 real estate tax statements, said Jessica Alonge, auditor/chief operating officer.
The legislative tax relief shows the total dollars saved by the taxpayer for the mill levy reduction grant for schools beginning in 2013 and for social services beginning in 2018, according to a letter written by Alonge to the county commission. The school district levy reduction was doubled on tax statements where it shows a 250 mill relief versus a 125 mill relief.
“It does not affect the amount of taxes due by anybody,” Alonge said. “It does not affect the calculation on how your taxes are calculated.”
To calculate the amount of the overstated mill levy reduction for the school district, a taxpayer can take the net taxable value on their property from the statement and multiply it by the mill levy.
Alonge said amended real estate tax statements are not required to be sent.
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In other business, the county commission unanimously approved:
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