By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — According to Tony Grow — the environmental engineer tasked with protecting Moore County’s interest during Silicon Ranch’s construction of a solar farm along Highway 55 — state environmental regulators have given the solar farm 30 days to correct erosion and sediment control issues following a site visit last week.
According to an email update from Grow, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) visited the site on Friday, February 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Inspectors reviewed multiple areas of the development that drain into Hurricane Creek. According to local officials over a dozen TDEC representatives were online to investigate Grow’s determination that the solar farm was out of compliance with their storm water permit.
TDEC identified “several issues” requiring additional erosion control measures to prevent sediment from discharging into nearby streams. The agency will issue a formal corrective action letter to LPL Solar, the construction contractor, outlining required fixes. The company will have 30 days to complete those corrections.
If the deficiencies are not addressed within that timeframe, TDEC will issue a Notice of Violation (NOV), according to the engineer’s report.
The update also noted that LPL Solar had recently spent significant time stabilizing portions of the site prior to TDEC’s inspection.
The visit comes after Grow reported during the February 3 Metro Planning & Zoning meeting that the project was not in compliance with its state stormwater permit and that sediment runoff had been observed leaving the site. At that meeting, Grow stated his intention to  request state involvement because Moore County lacks the authority to independently issue stop-work orders or levy daily stormwater fines.
Hurricane Creek, which receives drainage from part of the site, is designated as an Exceptional Tennessee Water — a classification reserved for high-quality streams that receive additional regulatory protection.
{Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 3:30 p.m. on February 16 to include a response from Silicon Ranch CEO Reagan Farr disputing the characterization of the recent TDEC inspection.}
In a phone call with The Times on February 16, Silicon Ranch CEO Reagan Farr disputed the characterization that TDEC issued a 30-day ultimatum.
Farr said state inspectors spent several hours onsite February 13 reviewing storm water basins and drainage areas along Hurricane Creek and later debriefed with company representatives and contractor LPL Solar. According to Farr, TDEC did not issue a formal 30-day deadline or indicate that a Notice of Violation was imminent. Company representatives described the visit as a routine inspection in which regulators offered recommendations for continued best management practices, not a compliance ultimatum.
Silicon Ranch also stated that while a representative affiliated with Grow Consulting was briefly present during the inspection, that individual was not present for the final debrief between TDEC, LPL Solar, and Silicon Ranch staff. The company said it intends to make the official TDEC inspection report public once received and maintains that no Notice of Violation has been issued to date.
The corrective action letter from TDEC is expected to provide more detailed findings once issued. Both Silicon Ranch and county officials indicated they plan to share that documentation when it becomes available.
For now, the project remains active while corrective measures are implemented under state oversight. •
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