By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
LYNCHBURG, Tennessee — The Metro Moore County Council voted 10-1 Monday night to direct County Attorney Bill Rieder to send a formal letter to LPL Solar, the contractor overseeing construction of the Silicon Ranch solar project, threatening legal action if the company does not come into compliance with its agreements with Metro Moore County.
The motion came after Roads Superintendent Shannon Cauble presented documented evidence including dozens of photos of ongoing violations related to the project, which has been under construction on approximately 3,400 acres along Highway 55 near Motlow State Community College.
Metro Moore County and Silicon Ranch entered into a $650,000 Energy Siting Agreement in November 2024. As a condition of moving forward, Cauble also negotiated a separate road use agreement requiring that any county roads damaged during construction be repaired at Silicon Ranch’s expense.
Cauble told the council Monday that LPL Solar has been out of compliance with its building permit and with the terms of the road agreement. She presented photographic documentation of the violations, which include damage to county roads and environmental concerns.
LPL Solar was not present at the meeting. Metro Council member and Metro Planning Commission Chair Dexter Golden noted that the company had been formally invited to attend and provide an update but did not appear.
Rieder’s letter is expected to outline the violations and give the company a timeline to respond. Council members indicated that if compliance is not achieved, the next steps could include further legal action. Shane Taylor, Douglas Carson, Peggy Blackburn, Robert Bracewell, Dexter Golden, Jimmy Hammond, Greg Guinn, Sunny Rae Moorehead, Amy Cashion, and Bradley Dye voted in favor on the motion made by Shane Taylor and seconded and Sunny Rae Moorehead. The lone dissenting vote was cast by Arvis Bobo.
Marty Cashion, Houston Lindsey, Gerald Burnett, and John Taylor were absent from the meeting .
The council also discussed but did not vote on additional possible remedies, which Rieder said would require further legal research.
A public hearing on separate agenda items — including a data center moratorium and an Atmos Energy franchise agreement — is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. before the April Metro Council meeting. •
About The Lynchburg Times: The Lynchburg Times covers Metro Council meetings as part of its commitment to community accountability journalism. This work is support by our community partners at Barrel House Barbecue.
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