EDITOR:

I was raised in Escanaba Township and moved away to pursue my career in environmental sciences for government agencies and a environmental consulting firm.

I have lived away from this beautiful peninsula for over 25 years and always made it home each and every year. I have since retired back home eight years ago. I have seen first-hand what industrial development can do to our beautiful land. I have heard the lengths that individuals have gone through to force this solar complex on us the citizens of Delta County. Individuals who have taken an oath of office to do no harm. No harm what does this mean? Like a certain board member can get rich by selling their commissioners seat in support of big solar companies like we are forced to deal with now.

No harm to the taxpayers who live in both these townships who will have to ultimately pay for the up keep of proposed facility.

Who is going to fight the fires? Yes there will fires electrical in nature. Who pays for the cleanup for heavy metal contamination and other hazardous waste resulting from this? The taxpayers are who ultimately pays. Who offsets the cost of land that will not generate taxable income surely not the solar company that is tax free for them.

We are tasked to be caretakers of this beautiful land, land that is not replaceable once destroyed. Will your children remember what you did to protect this beautiful resource?

Do no harm has many interpretations. You have made an oath of office to do what the citizens of Delta County hired you to do. You cannot personally profit by sitting on this county’s board seat like you are trying to do.

Do you know what the word malfeasance means? It means not doing the job your constituents hired you to do instead of tabling every proposed action which is of importance to this county. Did you know you can be removed for malfeasance. Do the right thing your children and your children’s children will thank you.

In the event you still feel the need to ignore your constituents, you will not remain in office.

FYI if this facility gets built you can say goodbye to prime hunting land, expect diminished groundwater and impacts to groundwater, elevated ambient temperatures, and last but not least the destruction of natural habitat and animals.

I am a very concerned citizen of Delta County who through greed of a few individuals will ruin our beautiful land.

Debra Soper

Escanaba