1 1 LOCAL PUBLIC HEARING 2 MORROW COUNTY, OHIO 3 4 In Re: The Application of : 5 Blossom Solar, LLC, for a : 6 Certificate of Environmental : Case No. 22-151-EL-BGN 7 Compatibility and : 8 Public Need to Construct a : 9 Solar-Power Farm : 10 11 * * * 12 TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS 13 * * * 14 15 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE GRETA SEE, Presiding 16 * * * 17 18 Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 6:00 p.m. 19 Washington Township Trustee Hall 3612 Township Road 49 20 Iberia, Ohio 43140 21 22 * * * 23 EMMA JANE TROYER 24 COURT REPORTER 25 * * * 2 1 APPEARANCES: 2 3 On behalf of Blossom Solar, LLC: 4 Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease, LLP 5 By: Anna Sanyal 6 52 East Gay Street Columbus, Ohio 43216 7 8 On behalf of the Ohio Environmental Council: 9 10 Karin Nordstrom 1145 Chesapeake Avenue, Suite 1 11 Columbus, Ohio 43212 12 & 13 Chris Tavenor 1145 Chesapeake Avenue, Suite 1 14 Columbus, Ohio 43212 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 INDEX OF WITNESSES 2 * * * 3 WITNESS PAGE 4 ANDREW MURRAY.......................................11 5 CAROL HOLTREY.......................................13 6 DONALD HOLTREY......................................15 7 JOHN EICHLER........................................17 8 LARRY LAYMAN........................................19 9 JEANETTE KINCAID....................................21 10 NATHAN KINCAID......................................24 11 DEBBIE NIGHTWINE....................................28 12 HEATHER NIGHTWINE...................................30 13 ALEXANDER THREADGILL................................32 14 BELLADONNA THREADGILL...............................34 15 DIXIE SHINABERRY....................................37 16 SUSAN TAVENOR.......................................39 17 CARL NEUTZLING......................................41 18 BRIAN McPEAK, II....................................43 19 JOHN W. COLE........................................44 20 TOM COLE............................................45 21 JUSTIN COLE.........................................48 22 LINDA VEIL..........................................50 23 BONNIE BEILER.......................................52 24 LARRY STRONG........................................54 25 STEVE IRWIN.........................................56 4 1 INDEX OF WITNESSES 2 WITNESS PAGE 3 MATTHEW SMITH.......................................61 4 RAY GILLESPIE.......................................64 5 KEITH WILSON........................................67 6 DORENE STIRM........................................70 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 5 1 PROCEEDINGS: 2 * * * 3 4 MS. SEE: The Ohio Power Siting Board has 5 scheduled for public hearing at this time and place Case 6 Number 22-151-EL-BGN, which is captioned in the matter 7 of the Application of Blossom Solar, LLC, for 8 Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public 9 Need to Construct a Solar-powered Electric Generation 10 Facility in Morrow County, Ohio. 11 My name is Greta See, and I am an 12 administrative law judge in the Board's legal 13 department, and I have been assigned to this case. The 14 passage of Senate Bill 52 provides for a new opportunity 15 for county commissioners and township trustees to 16 participate in the siting of solar projects in their 17 community. 18 County commissioners may choose one 19 commissioner or designee. In addition, township 20 trustees may choose one trustees or designee to serve as 21 their ad hoc board member representative. Tom Whiston 22 will be the representative of the county commissioner. 23 Unfortunately, Mr. Whiston is unable to attend the 24 hearing tonight. 25 Joining us on behalf of Washington Township 6 1 is Washington Township trustee Dona Kochman. Would you 2 please stand? Thank you. 3 There are several other board staff members 4 assisting with the hearing tonight. They are the 5 individuals wearing a badge or an Ohio Board t-shirt, 6 and the two ladies here at the front at the table as you 7 came in the door. They are available if you have 8 questions concerning the board's process, if you need 9 assistance in accessing any of the documents submitted 10 in this case, or if you just have general questions 11 about the hearing tonight. 12 At this time, I'd like to take appearances 13 of the parties on behalf of counsel for -- strike that. 14 At this time, I would like to take appearances of 15 counsel on behalf of the parties. Counsel for Blossom 16 Solar, LLC. 17 MS. SANYAL: Thank you, your Honor. Anna 18 Sanyal from the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and 19 Pease, 52 East Gay Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215. 20 I also have with me from Blossom for Blossom 21 Solar project Patrick Buckley. He's the project lead. 22 He's very tall, you can't miss him, and he and other 23 members of the project are here to answer any questions. 24 They also have a badge that says Open Road Renewables. 25 So after the hearing, if anyone has any questions, they 7 1 are here to answer those questions. 2 MS. SEE: Thank you. Counsel on behalf of 3 the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation? Counsel on behalf of 4 the Environmental Council? 5 MS. NORDSTROM: Karin Nordstrom with the 6 Ohio Environmental Council, located at 1154 Chesapeake 7 Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43212, and I have with me Chris 8 Tavenor, Associate General Counsel for Ohio 9 Environmental Council. 10 MS. SEE: Thank you. The subject of today's 11 hearing is an application filed by Blossom Solar, LLC, 12 an affiliate of Open Road Renewables, for the purpose of 13 constructing a 144 megawatt solar power electric 14 generation facility on approximately 1,073 acres in 15 Washington Township, Morrow County. 16 The application was filed on May 27th, 2022, 17 and supplemented and amended in accordance with data 18 responses filed by Blossom -- I'm sorry, data responses 19 filed by Blossom. The Board staff filed its report of 20 investigation on October 31st, 2022, recommending that 21 the Board approve the application to construct, 22 maintain, and operate the facility, subject to 41 23 conditions. 24 This report is a recommendation of the staff 25 and does not necessarily reflect the Board's final 8 1 decision in this case. Indeed, the Board is not bound 2 to the recommendation. The purpose of this evening's 3 public hearing is to receive testimony regarding the 4 proposed project and application from persons in the 5 local community. 6 Tonight's public hearing will not be treated 7 as a question and answer session, but rather an 8 opportunity to let the Board know what you think about 9 the proposed project. The public hearing is only one 10 aspect of the process in this case. 11 An evidentiary hearing has been scheduled to 12 commence on December 19th, 2022, at the Board's offices 13 in Columbus, Ohio. The purpose of the evidentiary 14 hearing is for the parties, the applicant, Blossom 15 Solar, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Environmental 16 Council, and the Board's staff to provide testimony and 17 other evidence regarding the proposed solar project. 18 Tonight's hearing is being transcribed by a 19 court reporter. If you plan to testify, please speak 20 clearly so that the court reporter can accurately 21 reflect your comments on the record. Also, if you have 22 a prepared written statement, it would be helpful if you 23 provide a copy to the court reporter for reference to 24 ensure the transcript is accurate. 25 After I finish with the introduction, we'll 9 1 begin by inviting individuals on the sign-in sheet to 2 testify. Each person who signed up to testify will be 3 permitted to speak once about the proposed project. 4 Before you present your testimony I will ask 5 you to take an oath or affirmation that what you are 6 about to say is the truth. We will also ask you to 7 state your name and address for the record and indicate 8 if you work or reside in the project area. 9 You will then provide your thoughts on the 10 proposed project. Counsel for the parties to the case 11 and I will be permitted to ask you questions about your 12 statement. The testimony that you provide tonight will 13 be considered part of the official record in this case, 14 and the transcript will be reviewed by the Board before 15 a final decision is made on the application. 16 A couple of other notes. If, when your name 17 is called from the sign-in sheet, you decide that you no 18 longer want to testify, you can say that you pass, and 19 we'll move to the next witness. If you would prefer to 20 file written comments in this case, approach one of the 21 Board staff members here tonight and they will provide 22 you with the instructions on how you can file comments 23 in the case. 24 Once you finish testifying, or if you're 25 just here to observe, you may leave the hearing at any 10 1 time you wish. I only ask that you do so quietly while 2 the hearing is in session. 3 The Board appreciates your participation in 4 tonight's hearing, and we want everyone who has signed 5 up to testify to have the opportunity to do so. For 6 that reason, please keep your statement to a reasonable 7 length of no more than five minutes. 8 If you have not finished your testimony 9 within five minutes, I'll give you a sign to wrap up 10 your comments and move to the next speaker. I'll hold 11 up a sign that you have 30 seconds left, and then I will 12 also let you know you need to wrap it up. Again, these 13 time limits are so that everyone who would like to 14 testify has the time to speak. 15 I remind you that anyone may file a public 16 comment in this case at any time before the Board issues 17 its order. Also, if you have any questions, Board 18 staff -- which is here at the door, and there's a 19 gentleman in the back -- will be happy to answer your 20 questions about the process. 21 Are there any questions about how we will 22 proceed tonight? Okay. With that, I'll move to the 23 first name on the sign-up sheet. First person to offer 24 testimony tonight is Andrew Murray. Let me also ask for 25 your forgiveness now in the event that I mispronounce 11 1 your name. 2 3 ANDREW MURRAY, 4 First having been duly sworn to testify to the truth, 5 testified as follows: 6 7 MS. SEE: Please state and spell your name 8 for the record. 9 MR. MURRAY: Andrew Murray. A-N-D-R-E-W, 10 M-U-R-R-A-Y. 11 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 12 project area? 13 MR. MURRAY: I work in the project area. 14 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 15 testimony. 16 MR. MURRAY: My name is Andrew Murray from 17 Local 18 Operating Engineers. The hall is 1188 Dublin 18 Road, Columbus, Ohio, 43215. On behalf of the Operating 19 Engineers of Local 18, we are here to support and 20 approve the Blossom Solar project. 21 The operating engineers are the individuals 22 who operate heavy equipment such as dozers, excavators, 23 backhoes, forklifts, and so on. The roads and bridges 24 you drive on are most likely built by members of Local 25 18. 12 1 Although we do not have an agreement signed 2 with Open Roads Renewables, LLC to the project to 3 perform the work assisted with this project, we believe 4 our local signatory contractor will secure this work, 5 thus providing our membership and numerous employment 6 opportunities. In turn, high-paying wages, healthcare 7 benefits, apprenticeship programs can continue to grow 8 because of the solar industry. 9 If approved, the Blossom Solar project will 10 not only create jobs, but you can expect an economic 11 impact, additional tax money, and clean energy for Ohio 12 as a result from the project. 13 We encourage the Ohio Power Siting Board to 14 support the job and the men and women of Local 18 by 15 approving the Blossom Solar project. I appreciate 16 talking to you, and you taking the time to listen to me 17 today, and I've really enjoyed speaking to everyone. 18 Thank you. 19 MS. SEE: Thank you. Is there any cross 20 examination by counsel? Thank you, sir. 21 MR. MURRAY: Thank you. 22 MS. SEE: Next witness is Carol Holtrey. 23 Ms. Holtrey, if you'd raise your right hand? 24 25 13 1 CAROL HOLTREY, 2 First having been duly sworn to testify to the truth, 3 testified as follows: 4 5 MS. SEE: Please state and spell your name 6 for the record. 7 MS. HOLTREY: Carol Holtrey. C-A-R-O-L, 8 H-O-L-T-R-E-Y. 9 MS. SEE: And your address, please? 10 MS. HOLTREY: 6480 County Road 76 in Mount 11 Gilead. 12 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 13 project area? 14 MS. HOLTREY: I live about eight miles from 15 here. 16 MS. SEE: Within the project area? 17 MS. HOLTREY: In Morrow County. 18 MS. SEE: Do you know what township? 19 MS. HOLTREY: Yes, Gilead. 20 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony, 21 ma'am. 22 MS. HOLTREY: Good evening, everyone. I am 23 thankful for the opportunity to address the Ohio Power 24 Siting Board. I want to express that I support the 25 Blossom Solar project, and no matter how you feel about 14 1 it, renewable energy is the future. Solar projects like 2 Blossom allow landowners to participate in making clean, 3 American-made energy for Ohio. 4 This project is a wonderful opportunity for 5 stability. The income the landowners will receive gives 6 them greater stability in their finances. The energy 7 the solar panels will create will give our energy grid 8 greater stability. 9 And lastly, the tax money generated from the 10 project will create extra stability for the important 11 services that we need, like police, fire, road work, and 12 I think the biggest winners are the schools. You can 13 never put enough money in education, and as others may 14 know tonight, guaranteeing half a million dollars a year 15 to the kids at Northmor is an incredible opportunity. 16 This hearing tonight gives our community the 17 power to make an important choice in the future of our 18 county. So to the Ohio Power Siting Board, I hope you 19 make the right decision and listen to the community, and 20 please approve the Blossom Solar project. Thank you. 21 MS. SEE: Thank you. Any cross examination 22 for this witness? Thank you very much. Next witness is 23 Donald Holtrey. 24 25 (Remarks were made off the record.) 15 1 MS. SEE: Mr. Holtrey, if you could raise 2 your right hand, please? 3 4 DONALD HOLTREY, 5 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 6 7 MS. SEE: Thank you. Please state and spell 8 your name for the record. 9 MR. HOLTREY: Donald E. Holtrey, Junior. 10 D-O-N-A-L-D, E, H-O-L-T-R-E-Y, J-R. 11 MS. SEE: And sir, do you live or work in 12 the project area? 13 MR. HOLTREY: I do not. 14 MS. SEE: Okay. 15 MR. HOLTREY: My address is 6480 County Road 16 76, Mount Gilead, Ohio. I live in Mount Gilead 17 Township, Ohio. That was my wife previously. I've 18 lived here 66 years on the County Road. 19 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 20 testimony. 21 MR. HOLTREY: All right. I want to say good 22 evening. I'd like to start off by thanking Ohio Power 23 Siting Board for hosting this hearing, and thank 24 everyone else here for showing up for something as 25 important as this. 16 1 I'm speaking tonight to show my full support 2 for the Blossom Solar project. Though I do not live in 3 the project, I am a resident of this county. I live 4 approximately seven miles that way right there. 5 The tax generated by this project is no 6 small sum. More than half of the money each year goes 7 toward the Northmor School District. 8 As someone who owns acreage in this county, 9 I cannot stress enough how important it is to protect 10 landowner's rights. This project will be an important 11 stream of income to the landowners who will be 12 participating. Projects like the Blossom Solar offer 13 landowners freedom to make the money off their land 14 without selling it all. 15 One of my good friends is a part of a solar 16 project in another county, and they have had a very 17 positive experience with these folks. 18 These projects create American energy for 19 Ohio's grid. Their projects provide large amounts of 20 tax dollars to services we need, like the EMS, road 21 construction -- money for schools has already been 22 mentioned. 23 Our county is going to change with the 24 times. Approving the Blossom Solar project allows us 25 the opportunity to choose how our county changes and 17 1 develops. Thank you. 2 MS. SEE: Thank you. Any cross for any 3 witness? 4 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 5 MS. SEE: Thank you. John Eichler? Mr. 6 Eichler, if you'd raise your right hand? 7 8 JOHN EICHLER, 9 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 10 11 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 12 record. 13 MR. EICHLER: J-O-H-N, E-I-C-H-L-E-R. 14 MS. SEE: And your address, please? 15 MR. EICHLER: 3771 County Road 31, Galion, 16 Ohio. 17 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 18 project area? 19 MR. EICHLER: Yes. 20 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 21 MR. EICHLER: Good evening. I wanted to 22 start off by thanking the Ohio Board for listening for 23 our community tonight. I come here tonight as a 24 neighbor to the Blossom Solar project to voice my 25 support. 18 1 I worked in accounting and consulting and 2 now enjoy being retired. I have been a resident of 3 Washington Township for 80 years. My wife Sarah and I 4 have lived in our home since 1968, where we raised our 5 three daughters. They graduated from Northmor, along 6 with two of our grandchildren. Sarah and I graduated 7 from Iberia in 1960. 8 Our school system is very dear to us, which 9 is why I am excited that the Blossom Solar project can 10 provide $500,000 annually to the Northmor School System 11 and many other county systems. 12 With the panels being so close to my home, I 13 was worried how they would affect us. However, Open 14 Road Renewables was committed to providing good 15 information that swayed me in favor of the project. 16 They made sure the neighbors have a choice and are 17 considered in the process. 18 Their care for neighbors is shown by the 19 setbacks they put on the project. It's shown by how 20 they screen the project with trees planted around the 21 panels. They don't make noise. They don't smell. 22 Solar panels make a fine neighbor, especially when they 23 are hidden behind trees. 24 Sarah and I have seen many solar farms in 25 our travels. This includes trips to Florida, Iowa, and 19 1 Maryland. We have seen both solar farms and wind 2 turbines in every state. The solar farms are less 3 conspicuous than the huge wind turbines that we see. 4 Where would we be today if we did not build 5 Interstate 71 or other infrastructures where people were 6 required to give up their land? However, with the 7 Blossom Solar project, landowners had the option to 8 either say yes or no to the project. This is our 9 freedom in our country. 10 Thank you for your time. As a long-time 11 resident and as a neighbor to the project, I strongly 12 urge you to approve this Blossom Solar project. 13 MS. SEE: Thank you. Any cross examination? 14 MS. SANYAL: No. 15 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 16 MS. SEE: Next witness, Larry Layman? Sir, 17 if you'd please raise your right hand. 18 19 LARRY LAYMAN, 20 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 21 22 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 23 record. 24 MR. LAYMAN: Larry Layman. L-A-R-R-Y, 25 L-A-Y-M-A-N. 20 1 MS. SEE: And your address, please? 2 MR. LAYMAN: 8916 County Road 30, Galion, 3 Ohio. 4 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 5 project area? 6 MR. LAYMAN: I do. 7 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 8 MR. LAYMAN: I thank you very much for being 9 here today. I'd like to say I have a very, very deep 10 appreciation of the value of farm land, being raised on 11 a farm in Union County. I served four years in the Air 12 Force, four years in college and four years as an 13 employee in manufacturing, and after that my wife and I 14 was able to purchase some land in the early '70s. 15 I continued to work off farm, farming at 16 night and on weekends, expanded the acreage, and raised 17 a daughter that does not live in the area and has no 18 interest in farming. 19 Going forward 50 years with both myself and 20 my wife in our 80s, I decided to leave a legacy for the 21 next generation. This decision did not come easy. I 22 spent many sleepless nights weighing the effects on the 23 neighbor's properties, our relationships, disturbance of 24 the farm land. 25 The landowner has every right to dispose of 21 1 their property within the boundaries of the law. The 2 decision to lease the land for solar production is my 3 way of giving some future heir a start in agriculture. 4 The solar farm will significantly help the 5 tax base in Morrow County, which currently has very 6 little manufacturing. This will lead, hopefully, to 7 better schools and better roads. I fully support the 8 Blossom Solar project. 9 MS. SEE: Thank you. Any cross examination? 10 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 11 MS. SEE: Thank you. Next witness is 12 Jeanette Kincaid. Ms. Kincaid, if you could raise your 13 right hand? 14 15 JEANETTE KINCAID, 16 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 17 18 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 19 record. 20 MS. KINCAID: My name is Jeanette Kincaid. 21 J-E-A-N-E-T-T-E, K-I-N-C-A-I-D. 22 MS. SEE: Your address? 23 MS. KINCAID: 8376 County Road 30, Galion, 24 Ohio, 44833. 25 MS. SEE: Please go ahead with your 22 1 testimony. 2 MS. KINCAID: Thank you for the opportunity 3 to testify in support of Blossom Solar. My name is 4 Jeanette Kincaid, and my family owns land in the project 5 area. 6 My roots run deep in Morrow County, Ohio. 7 My maternal and paternal grandparents have all farmed in 8 this community, and I now enjoy the privilege of raising 9 my family in Morrow County. 10 We raise beef, chickens, and the standard 11 Ohio crops such as corn, soybeans, hay, and wheat. As 12 I'm sure you are aware, the cost of crop production has 13 dramatically increased in the last 12 months. 14 According to an article produced by the OSU 15 Extension office in May of this year, the cost of corn 16 production will be 44 percent higher in 2022 than in 17 2021. Likewise, soybean production cost has risen by 40 18 percent, and wheat production cost has increased by 50 19 percent. This has a significant impact on small farms 20 such as ours. 21 Open Road Renewables approached us in 2021 22 to lease our land as a solar farm. This project 23 provides numerous benefits to our land and our economy, 24 and Blossom Solar's investment in our youth and the 25 local community. Along with the much-needed upgrade to 23 1 our county and township roads, our school district will 2 receive over $500,000 annually. 3 The Blossom Solar project would give an 4 immense amount of resources and opportunities that could 5 be given to future generations at no extra cost to 6 direct residents. Blossom Solar's support continues 7 through opportunities provided at vocational schools and 8 numerous jobs generated during the construction of the 9 solar project. 10 This project creates up to 400 direct jobs 11 during construction, along with the road use and 12 maintenance agreement with the county. This will 13 strengthen and upgrade roads to current or better 14 condition after construction. 15 While the benefits to my community are 16 important to me, being able to provide for my family 17 while preserving our land for future agricultural use 18 tops my list of pros. Having the peace of mind of a 19 guaranteed income to support the rest of our farming 20 endeavors is priceless. 21 For our small farm, the solar project will 22 not erase our entire agricultural footprint. Still, it 23 will improve it so we can upgrade our equipment and 24 facilities to continue providing quality beef for our 25 local consumers. 24 1 Our country, state, and community must 2 invest in sustainable power sources while maintaining 3 our rural land, culture, and family values. I 4 appreciate your consideration on this matter, and thank 5 you for allowing me to testify in support of this 6 project that will provide power for the future as we 7 preserve the past. Thank you. 8 MS. SEE: Any cross examination for the 9 witness? 10 MS. NORDSTROM: None, thank you. 11 MS. SEE: May I ask, did you also file 12 comments on the docket? 13 MS. KINCAID: Yes. 14 MS. SEE: Thank you. Nathan Kincaid? 15 16 NATHAN KINCAID, 17 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 18 19 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 20 record. 21 MR. KINCAID: Nathan Kincaid. N-A-T-H-A-N, 22 K-I-N-C-A-I-D. 23 MS. SEE: And your address? 24 MR. KINCAID: 8376 County Road 30, Galion, 25 Ohio, 44833. 25 1 MS. SEE: And do you live in the project 2 area? 3 MR. KINCAID: I own property. 4 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 5 MR. KINCAID: Good evening. Thank you to 6 the Ohio Power Siting Board for being here tonight in 7 Morrow County to hear from the community. I am here to 8 offer my support of Blossom Solar and ask you to approve 9 this project. 10 My name is Nathan Kincaid and I am a 11 third-generation family farmer. We raise beef, chicken, 12 row crops such as corn, soybeans, hay, and wheat. Our 13 farm has been a part of our family since 1965. My 14 father became an active farmer while I was young, and I 15 added farm ownership to my main responsibilities many 16 years ago. 17 I've seen and felt firsthand the time, 18 dedication, and love it takes to keep a farm running. 19 Like many other small farmers, I have a full-time job, 20 as does my wife, my father, and we tend to farm 21 responsibilities with the remaining hours of the day. 22 Many of those hours are spent tending fields, which is 23 weather dependent, thus potentially limiting time to 24 plant or harvest crops. Often dinner and sleep are 25 sacrificed to ensure that the farm continues to 26 1 function. 2 Some may say, why do you do that to 3 yourselves when there is no guarantee of a good outcome? 4 I get to work side by side with my children and spend 5 time with my wife. I get to take care of the land that 6 I love. 7 When Open Roads Renewables proposed their 8 solar project to us, I recognized the opportunity to 9 preserve and improve my family's land so that it could 10 continue to provide for my children and my local 11 community. 12 The community benefits include road 13 maintenance and school and county funding, along with 14 providing township and county EMS with training and any 15 needed equipment, partnering with vocational schools, 16 and funding for training for scholarships. 17 There are many other advantages to having 18 solar in our community. It improves air quality by 19 having pollinator-friendly plants between the panels, 20 which also has health benefits and increases crop 21 yields. With solar panels, there is no odor or air 22 pollution, dust, discernible movement, quiet, not 23 operating at night, minor traffic, and a low profile 24 will also be screened with landscaping. 25 Providing jobs to our area is greatly 27 1 needed, as many cannot afford to travel to large cities 2 to find gainful employment. Open Roads Renewables is 3 also committed to maintaining and improving vegetation 4 habitats around its projects, so our community can 5 continue to enjoy the benefits of hunting and various 6 tree products. 7 Also, what is rarely shared but everyone 8 should know, is that solar projects leave the land in a 9 better place than pre-construction -- higher organic 10 matter and better tilth. There is little to no 11 long-term impact on the ground. Thirty years in solar 12 is similar to USDA's Conservation Reserve Program -- 13 CRP. 14 In conclusion, I can literally and 15 figuratively breathe easier knowing that my lease land 16 will be well cared for as I focus on the remaining 17 aspects in our farm. I look forward to investing more 18 time in my children's academic and agricultural 19 education with the peace of mind that this solar project 20 will provide. 21 Thank you for the opportunity to share how 22 vital the Blossom Solar project is to my family and me. 23 We are all planning for the future as best as we can, 24 and this will be a step in the right direction for our 25 community. Thank you. 28 1 MS. SEE: Any cross? 2 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 3 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 4 MS. SEE: Thank you, sir. Debbie Nightwine? 5 Could you raise your right hand, ma'am? 6 7 DEBBIE NIGHTWINE, 8 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 9 10 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 11 record. 12 MS. NIGHTWINE: Debbie Nightwine. 13 D-E-B-B-I-E, N-I-G-H-T-W-I-N-E. 14 MS. SEE: And your address? 15 MS. NIGHTWINE: 4611 Iberia-Bucyrus Road, 16 Galion, Ohio. 17 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 18 project area? 19 MS. NIGHTWINE: I live in the area. 20 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 21 MS. NIGHTWINE: I appreciate the opportunity 22 to testify to support Blossom Solar. Our home has a 23 Galion address. The proposed Blossom project will be 24 northeast of my home and nearby. I will see these 25 panels every day. 29 1 I moved into the home in 1996 with my two 2 children and husband. We have 30 acres and I lease half 3 of this for farming. I favor the solar project mainly 4 due to providing a renewable, clean energy source and 5 not using more fossil fuels. 6 Right now, Ohio has three percent renewable 7 energy, whereas the county average is 20 percent 8 renewable. As a nurse, I know that fossil fuel sources 9 of energy create bad air quality. We need to rely on 10 more renewable energy for our energy needs. 11 And also, the project will make our 12 community healthy by reducing farming fertilizers and 13 other chemicals that impact our streams and water. In 14 the summers, when we moved here, we would have to run 15 into the house when they would spray the fields because 16 the wind in the area is constant, and so I feel like 17 reducing pesticides will help with our air quality and 18 the soil. 19 Another reason I support the Blossom Solar 20 is to use the limited herbicides that I already said. 21 The project's landscaping will enhance the area's air 22 and water quality and health, in contrast to farmers 23 working the fields season after season. 24 The Blossom will plant pollinator bee and 25 butterfly-friendly plants and trees and shrubs. We used 30 1 to have the field full of lightning bugs when we first 2 moved in the area, and in the past years they've gone 90 3 percent away. So you can see a real impact on our 4 pollution in the area. 5 MS. SEE: Any cross examination for this 6 witness? 7 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 8 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 9 MS. SEE: Thank you. Heather Nightwine? 10 Ms. Nightwine, please raise your right hand. 11 12 HEATHER NIGHTWINE, 13 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 14 15 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 16 record, and provide us your address. 17 MS. NIGHTWINE: Heather Nightwine. 18 H-E-A-T-H-E-R, N-I-G-H-T-W-I-N-E. 4611 Iberia-Bucyrus 19 Road, Galion, Ohio, 44833, Tully Township, Marion 20 County. And we are -- I'm Debbie's daughter. We are 21 neighbors of the project. We are the southwestern 22 corner of the project. 23 My main thing -- well, I am in support of 24 the project, because renewables -- we really need to get 25 our feet wet. We really need to get moving on it, and 31 1 it seems, based on the maps, that there are considerable 2 amount of projects either started or running already, 3 and I have not heard any horrible news across the state 4 yet, so that's really good news. 5 And we need to get away from fossil fuels. 6 There are downsides to this, but I feel that the 7 positives outweigh the downs. My view will change, but 8 that's okay. The view changed for everybody when they 9 started putting electric poles across the country down 10 every street when electricity was invented and 11 implemented. 12 And that changed the landscape as well, and 13 there are giant electric poles off in the distance from 14 my view, and they're beautiful. They probably didn't 15 think that way back in the day, but I think it's homey. 16 I know this will be different, but it's 17 something that I can sacrifice my view for the better of 18 our local community, our country, our entire planet, 19 because we need to take drastic steps. And I can get 20 over the little flaws in anything that comes up as long 21 as we stop killing our planet. That's about all I have 22 to say. 23 MS. SEE: Okay. Any cross? 24 MS. SANYAL: No. 25 MS. SEE: Thank you very much, Ms. 32 1 Nightwine. Alexander Threadgill? Mr. Threadgill, 2 please raise your right hand. 3 4 ALEXANDER THREADGILL, 5 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 6 7 MS. SEE: Please state and spell your name 8 for the record, and provide your address. 9 MR. THREADGILL: Alexander Threadgill. 10 A-L-E-X-A-N-D-E-R, T-H-R-E-A-D-G-I-L-L. 11 MS. SEE: Your address, please, sir? 12 MR. THREADGILL: 8604 County Road 30, 13 Iberia, Ohio. 14 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 15 project area? 16 MR. THREADGILL: Yes, I do. I live here. 17 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 18 testimony. 19 MR. THREADGILL: My name is Alexander 20 Threadgill. I have lived in Iberia for six years and I 21 attend Northmor Junior High. In school I am on the 22 academic challenge team, and I am in a cross country 23 runner. I also volunteer in the Sound the Alarm 24 campaign for Red Cross, and I have worked with the Keep 25 Morrow County Beautiful group and Green Crusaders. I 33 1 have actively participated in my 4-H club for four 2 years, and I am a beekeeper. 3 I am here speaking today because I am going 4 to grow up into an evolving world and I want to make 5 sure that it has a safe and reliable source of energy 6 that does not harm the future. I feel solar power is 7 the way to go. 8 When comparing coal and solar energy, coal 9 produces 59 percent of CO2 emissions for all of the 10 power generation in the U.S. Solar power, however, only 11 produces 50 grams of CO2 every time it was produced. 12 There are almost no emissions or pollutants, other than 13 the process of producing the panels themselves, that are 14 going to be recycled at the end of the project. The 15 metal rods they use, too, to place the panels can be 16 easily removed, so the land will be usable in the next 17 40 years. 18 Something else I personally enjoy is that 19 they use native plants under and around their panels. 20 Having large areas of native plants help our 21 pollinators. While bees are a primary pollinator, 22 secondary pollinators rely on a native and diverse 23 ecosystem. 24 This product will not only help us by making 25 clean energy with little emissions, but it can also help 34 1 the crops we grow to produce better by having healthier 2 pollinators. 3 I really hope this project gets full 4 approval and support from both the community and the 5 Siting Board. Thank you for your time. 6 MS. SEE: May I inquire how old you are, 7 sir? Mr. Threadgill, how old are you? 8 MR. THREADGILL: 13. 9 MS. SEE: Very well done. 10 MR. THREADGILL: Thank you. 11 MS. SEE: Very well done. Any cross 12 examination for this witness? 13 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 14 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 15 MS. SEE: Next witness is Belladonna 16 Threadgill. Ms. Threadgill, please raise your right 17 hand. 18 19 BELLADONNA THREADGILL, 20 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 21 22 MS. SEE: Please state and spell your name. 23 MS. THREADGILL: Belladonna Threadgill. 24 B-E-L-L-A-D-O-N-N-A, T-H-R-E-A-D-G-I-L-L. 25 MS. SEE: And I'm going to need you to speak 35 1 up, okay? Your address the same as Alexander 2 Threadgill? 3 MS. THREADGILL: Yes. 4 MS. SEE: Okay. May I ask how old you are, 5 ma'am? 6 MS. THREADGILL: I'm 11. 7 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 8 project area? 9 MS. THREADGILL: Yes, I live here. 10 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 11 testimony. 12 MS. THREADGILL: Hello. My name is 13 Belladonna Threadgill, and I'm 11 years old and in sixth 14 grade at Northmor Elementary. I am active in Morrow 15 County -- Keep Morrow County beautiful and Morrow County 16 Recycling for the last three years. I've helped the 17 community with clean-ups, recycling events, painting 18 community buildings, and landscaping projects here in 19 Morrow County. 20 I've also been in 4-H for three years and 21 also served as the environmental officer in my club. As 22 environmental officer, I have helped my club plan and do 23 clean-ups in the community and helped with 24 beautification projects at the Morrow County 25 fairgrounds. 36 1 There are so many things I can say about 2 what the Blossom power project can do for us, like how 3 jobs will help, or the fact that they maintain the 4 roads. But I would like to talk about how Blossom Solar 5 can help the environment. 6 Solar power has a very important role in 7 reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing climate 8 change, which is critical for protecting humans, 9 wildlife, and ecosystems. Solar power can improve air 10 quality because it doesn't cause as much pollution as 11 other power sources. 12 Blossom Solar can help us in the future by 13 reducing energy costs and giving my school the 14 opportunity to provide a better education from the money 15 that they will provide through the PILOT program. 16 Blossom Solar and projects like this have a 17 lot to offer for next generations to come. I know that 18 I want to live in a community that is safe and clean so 19 my kids have a nice place to grow up. Having a clean 20 source of power that gives back to the community will 21 make a better place for not only me, but for my kids, 22 too. I can't wait to see what happens in the future. 23 Thank you for your time and consideration. 24 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? Thank you 25 very much. Very well done. May I ask if you have a 37 1 copy of your statement? 2 MS. THREADGILL: Yes. 3 MS. SEE: You could leave it up here, 4 please. 5 Next witness is it Dixie Shinaberry. Ms. 6 Shinaberry, if you could raise your right hand? 7 8 DIXIE SHINABERRY, 9 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 10 11 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 12 record, and give us your address. 13 MS. SHINABERRY: Dixie Shinaberry. 14 D-I-X-I-E, S-H-I-N-A-B-E-R-R-Y. 694 Westview Drive, 15 Mount Gilead, Ohio. 16 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 17 project area? 18 MS. SHINABERRY: No. 19 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 20 testimony. 21 MS. SHINABERRY: First of all, I want to 22 thank the Ohio Power Siting Board for allowing us this 23 opportunity to speak and coming to Washington Township. 24 My name is Dixie Shinaberry. I'm also the county 25 recorder. 38 1 I'm here to share my observations about Open 2 Roads Renewables and their presence in Morrow County. 3 As a life-long resident and elected official, I feel 4 that when companies want to do business within our 5 community, they need to be involved and present. Open 6 Roads Renewables has exceeded that standard, in my 7 opinion. They went way beyond the call. 8 Just one of the contributions -- some of the 9 contributions include opening an office locally means 10 they are available to the community. They have 11 volunteered at the Morrow County fair, sponsored the 12 fair, and supported our 4-H kids at the livestock sale. 13 They have not only sponsored local events 14 but also showed up for the entire event and engaged with 15 our residents to educate and answer questions. They 16 provided meals for our senior citizens. 17 And on a side note, I sponsor courthouse 18 lunches. They have even attended the lunches and 19 brought food for the lunches, and they got to 20 communicate with the employees at the courthouse. 21 They have provided -- they sponsored a kids 22 camp and participated in teaching our kids about solar 23 energy, drones, and the environment. This is only a 24 snapshot of how they have dug in here in Morrow County, 25 and it should be an example. 39 1 Working with Open Roads Renewables and its 2 outstanding staff has been very rewarding. Thank you 3 for allowing me to share these observations with you, 4 and I fully support this project. 5 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? 6 MS. SANYAL: No. 7 MS. SEE: Thank you very much. Susan 8 Tavenor? Ms. Tavenor, if you'd raise your right hand? 9 10 SUSAN TAVENOR, 11 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 12 13 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 14 record, and provide us your address. 15 MS. TAVENOR: Susan Tavenor. S-U-S-A-N, 16 T-A-V-E-N-O-R. 7326 State Route 19, Mount Gilead, Ohio. 17 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 18 MS. TAVENOR: Thank you. I want to express 19 my support for the Blossom Solar project and for 20 renewable energy. My husband and I have lived in Morrow 21 County for almost 14 years now, and our youngest son 22 graduated from Northmor High School. 23 I've heard presentations from the Open Road 24 at the Morrow County chamber earlier this year, and I 25 was impressed with its plans and how a solar project 40 1 would be implemented in Morrow County. 2 The fact that the PILOT has been approved by 3 the Morrow County commissioners is a positive aspect of 4 this project. The fact that the PILOT word stands for 5 payment in lieu of taxes, I think, shows significant and 6 sustainable revenues for our county, and, as mentioned 7 by almost everyone who's come up here, for the schools, 8 including Northmor High School. 9 I live in the resident area that is Northmor 10 High School, and in looking at the brochures and the 11 information that's been passed out, the 41 conditions 12 that they've put together -- I think one of the most 13 impressive ones is that 80 percent of the workforce for 14 this project will be residents of Ohio. 15 So thank you very much for giving me a 16 chance to speak. 17 MS. SEE: Okay. Any cross? 18 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 19 MS. NORDSTROM: No, your Honor. 20 MS. SEE: Thank you very much, Ms. Tavenor. 21 Next witness on the list is Heather Nightwine. 22 MS. NIGHTWINE: No. My mom -- she must have 23 signed my name under hers. 24 MS. SEE: Okay. Carl Neutzling? Clarify 25 the last name for me? 41 1 (Remarks were made off the record.) 2 3 MS. SEE: Sir, can you please raise your 4 right hand? 5 6 CARL NEUTZLING, 7 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 8 9 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 10 record, and provide us your address. 11 MR. NEUTZLING: Carl Neutzling. C-A-R-L, 12 N-E-U-T-Z-L-I-N-G. 13 MS. SEE: And your address? 14 MR. NEUTZLING: 2850 Alta West Road, 15 Mansfield, Ohio. 16 MS. SEE: Do you live or work in the project 17 area? 18 MR. NEUTZLING: I do not. 19 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead. 20 MR. NEUTZLING: Members of the Power Siting 21 Board, I appreciate you being here tonight to take the 22 feedback from the community. 23 My name is Carl Neutzling and I am the 24 business manager of IBEW Local 688, which represents 25 seven counties in Ohio, including Morrow County. 42 1 As the nation's largest union of energy 2 professionals in the nation, we have been a leader 3 electrifying our nation, whether it's coal, natural gas, 4 wind, or solar. Our energy supply should be diverse and 5 provide opportunities for our workforce. Utility-scale 6 solar meets that demand. 7 The payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, has 8 already been approved. The previous speaker spoke about 9 it also. It's been approved by the county commission, 10 which will guarantee 80 percent of the work will be done 11 by Ohioans. 12 As you undoubtedly know, utility-scale solar 13 is already putting Ohioans to work and building 14 utility-scale solar projects in Ohio. This is an 15 incredible opportunity for our members who seek 16 high-wage jobs to better our families and communities. 17 We are able to use our technical expertise 18 as electricians to build the best-in-class utility 19 infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing energy 20 demands. Our members work in coal plants, and now we 21 work in solar. We understand the need for additional 22 electric generation capacity. 23 We have an emphasis on re-training displaced 24 workers and opportunities for apprenticeships, both of 25 which are equally critical, so we don't leave workers 43 1 behind in this changing economy. 2 We appreciate the inclusive nature and 3 robust community engagement that Open Roads Renewables 4 employs in their project development. We believe that 5 they are a true community partner, and look forward to 6 making this project a reality. 7 We encourage the OPSB to approve this 8 project. Thank you for your time this evening. 9 MS. SEE: Thank you. Any cross? 10 MS. SANYAL: No. 11 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 12 MS. SEE: Thank you. Brian McPeak the 13 Second? Sir, if you could raise your right hand? 14 15 BRIAN McPEAK, II, 16 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 17 18 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 19 record, and give us your address. 20 MR. McPEAK: Brian McPeak. B-R-I-A-N, 21 M-C-P-E-A-K. 383 Apple Lane, Mansfield, Ohio. 22 MS. SEE: And are you the second? 23 MR. McPEAK: Yes. 24 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 25 MR. McPEAK: Yeah. I'm the president of the 44 1 International Brotherhood of Electrician Workers, Local 2 688. We represent seven counties, Morrow being one of 3 them, around 250 electricians. I support the project. 4 This is, you know, good jobs -- good union jobs, good 5 paying jobs, good revenue for the area. 6 MS. SEE: Any cross? 7 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 8 MS. SEE: Thank you, sir. John W. Cole. 9 Mr. Cole, if you could raise your right hand. 10 11 JOHN W. COLE, 12 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 13 14 MS. SEE: Please state and spell your name 15 for the record, and give us your complete address. 16 MR. COLE: John W. Cole. J-O-H-N, W, 17 C-O-L-E. My address is 1060 Poe Road, Bucyrus, Ohio, 18 44820. 19 MS. SEE: Okay. And do you live or work in 20 the project area? 21 MR. COLE: I work in. 22 MS. SEE: Okay. 23 MR. COLE: I just want to go on record that 24 I fully support this endeavor. I think that renewable 25 energy is very important for our country and our 45 1 economy. That's basically it. 2 MS. SEE: Okay. Any cross? 3 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 4 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 5 MS. SEE: Thank you very much, Mr. Cole. 6 MR. COLE: Thank you. 7 MS. SEE: Tom Cole. If you could raise your 8 right hand, sir? 9 10 TOM COLE, 11 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 12 13 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 14 record, and state your address as well. 15 MR. COLE: James T. Cole. J-A-M-E-S, T -- 16 Tom -- Cole, C-O-L-E. 720 Hess, H-E-S-S, Street, 17 Galion, Ohio, 44833. 18 MS. SEE: And do you work or reside in the 19 project area? 20 MR. COLE: I live three miles from the 21 project area. I'm a property owner of the project area. 22 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 23 MR. COLE: Hello. My name is Tom Cole. I'm 24 here in support of the Blossom Solar project in Morrow 25 County. I'm a property owner with parts of my property 46 1 included in the proposed project. 2 My property has been farmed for many years. 3 Solar will allow a welcome break for the ground. The 4 ground will have 30 or so years to rest with solar power 5 in the terms of the lease. Also, Blossom will use 6 limited herbicides and have native turf grass and 7 pollinator cover. 8 The land can be placed back into agriculture 9 when the project is decommissioned, or used for whatever 10 the best option is at the time, and the land will be 11 better after the rest. 12 As a property owner, I should be able to 13 make choices on the use of my land. Having solar may 14 allow me to have the finances to invest in the equipment 15 to start farming the remaining ground with my sons soon, 16 and if I choose to, once the leases are up, be able to 17 expand into farming the entire property. 18 I'm thankful that Open Roads Renewables 19 takes measures to preserve and protect the land where 20 the solar will be put. I grew up in the solar project 21 area and was blessed with the opportunity to buy a few 22 properties over the years, but I have not been able to 23 farm the ground myself due to the cost associated with 24 farming after buying property. So I would not stand in 25 the way of other persons with an opportunity like this 47 1 to exercise their rights to use their property as they 2 see fit. 3 Beyond the individual rights and benefits 4 that influence my support, there are great benefits for 5 the local school district, the county finances, and many 6 departments as well. Benefits like a road use 7 maintenance agreement will be put in place with the 8 county to strengthen and upgrade roads to a current or 9 better condition during the project. Blossom will 10 provide 1.3 million dollars annually distributed through 11 the local schools, the county, and local services. 12 While this one solar project will not 13 fundamentally change Morrow County, the sum of this and 14 other investments in the county can significantly help 15 the county and future residents for years to come. 16 Please support this endeavor for the 17 individuals directly involved and the benefits of the 18 county and future residents. Thank you for your time 19 and consideration. I urge you to support Blossom Solar. 20 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? 21 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 22 MS. SEE: Sir, may I ask, are you the same 23 Tom Cole that filed comments on the docket? 24 MR. COLE: I am. 25 MS. SEE: Okay. Thank you. Justin Cole? 48 1 Could you raise your right hand, sir? 2 3 JUSTIN COLE, 4 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 5 6 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 7 record. 8 MR. COLE: Justin Cole. J-U-S-T-I-N, 9 C-O-L-E. 10 MS. SEE: And your address? 11 MR. COLE: 720 Hess Street, H-E-S-S, Galion, 12 Ohio, 44833. 13 MS. SEE: Do you live or work in the project 14 area? 15 MR. COLE: I work in the project area, and I 16 am the son of Tom Cole. 17 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 18 MR. COLE: Good evening. Thank you to the 19 Ohio Power Siting Board for being here tonight to hear 20 from the community. My name is Justin Cole. My dad is 21 Tom Cole. He has land in the proposed Blossom Solar 22 project. 23 When my dad told me about the project, I 24 just thought it made sense. Not only would the project 25 help our family financially, but it's also good for our 49 1 community. Building a solar farm would give jobs to our 2 hardworking Ohio construction workers, plus this project 3 would bring huge amounts of tax money to our area. 4 I'm a junior in high school. When I 5 graduate, my plan is to become a diesel tech. My 6 long-term goal for this is to farm our family's land. 7 The part of our land that would be in the project would 8 get a break from years of farming, and hopefully I could 9 take care of that land after deconstruction. 10 This is something special about the solar 11 project. If that land were to go to houses, then the 12 land would never be farmed again. Instead, Blossom 13 Solar project protects the land for my family. 14 This summer I helped get the word out about 15 Blossom Solar at events like Freedom Fest, a part of 16 Morrow County Citizens for Solar. I really want to show 17 the community that this project is a good thing. 18 As a young person, I believe in fighting 19 hard for my generation's future. Blossom Solar is a big 20 win for secure, clean, American-made energy. Please 21 approve the Blossom Solar project. Thank you for your 22 time. 23 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? 24 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 25 MS. SEE: It's good to see so many young 50 1 people interested in the project, no matter what their 2 opinion. 3 Next witness is Linda Veil. Ms. Veil, could 4 you raise your right hand? 5 6 LINDA VEIL, 7 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 8 9 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 10 record, and also give us your address. 11 MS. VEIL: Linda Veil. L-I-N-D-A, V-E-I-L. 12 And it's 3662 County Road 31, Galion, Ohio, 44833. 13 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 14 project area? 15 MS. VEIL: Yes, I do. I live in it. 16 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 17 MS. VEIL: I'm here to support Blossom Solar 18 and ask that you approve the project, from the 19 standpoint of someone who will be within the project 20 area -- the Blossom Solar project catty corner to the 21 back of my property. And Open Road Renewables team has 22 been helpful and always willing to communicate. 23 I have lived in my house since 1975 and I 24 love the peacefulness of our property and being able to 25 watch the birds. As a mother, I've raised two children 51 1 who went to Northmor Schools, and my husband was one of 2 the first classes to graduate from there. 3 Our history runs deep in this community, and 4 I would always like to see my community improve, 5 especially regarding education. This project will bring 6 resources that will improve the community. We will have 7 more funding for our fire department, our schools, and 8 roads. 9 The Blossom Solar project is an excellent 10 financial decision for Washington Township. With 11 Blossom Solar, this community will be up with the times. 12 Positive growth and change are always good. And as a 13 longstanding member of this community, I support the 14 Blossom Solar project. Thank you for the opportunity to 15 do this. 16 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? Ms. Veil, 17 may I inquire -- did you also file comments in this 18 docket? 19 MS. VEIL: I did. 20 MS. SEE: The very first one to file 21 comments. 22 MS. VEIL: Oh, I was? 23 MS. SEE: I believe. Thank you very much. 24 MS. VEIL: Thank you. 25 MS. SEE: Larry Veil. Did you wish to offer 52 1 testimony, sir? 2 MR. VEIL: I'll pass. She already said 3 everything I could have. 4 MS. SEE: Okay. I would remind you that if 5 your name is called and you no longer wish to offer 6 testimony, you can certainly pass. Gordon -- County 7 Road 30? 8 MR. McCOWEN: I'm going to pass. 9 MS. SEE: You're going to pass? And sir, 10 your last name? 11 MR. McCOWEN: McCowen, M-C-C-O-W-E-N. 12 MS. SEE: Bonnie Beiler? Hello, Ms. Beiler. 13 Could you raise your right hand, please? 14 15 BONNIE BEILER, 16 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 17 18 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 19 record, and provide us your address. 20 MS. BEILER: Bonnie Beiler. B-O-N-N-I-E, 21 B-E-I-L-E-R. 8005 Township Road 38, Galion, Ohio, 22 44833. 23 MS. SEE: Hope I'm forgiven for 24 mispronouncing your last name. 25 MS. BEILER: That's okay. 53 1 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 2 project area? 3 MS. BEILER: I own property in the project 4 area. 5 MS. SEE: Okay. And go ahead with your 6 testimony. 7 MS. BEILER: My name is Bonnie Beiler, and I 8 would like to thank the Ohio Power Siting Board for the 9 opportunity to testify in support of Blossom Solar. 10 I am a homeowner within the impacted project 11 area near the Blossom Solar site in Washington Township, 12 Morrow County. I am here today to express my support of 13 the project and share more about the benefits to our 14 area. 15 I will continue to own land in Washington 16 Township after the project is built. I believe the 17 Blossom Solar project will produce clean, renewable 18 energy and bring hundreds of jobs to our area during 19 construction. This will be valuable, as our community 20 is far from large city operations, and has the 21 opportunity for up to 400 jobs, such as electrical, 22 engineering, construction, and installation work. 23 I am also a retired Northmor Local School 24 District teacher and still tutor and substitute there. 25 Blossom Solar will provide 1.3 million annually for 54 1 local schools, county, and local services. The tax 2 dollars generated from this project will significantly 3 benefit our school, Morrow County, and Washington 4 Township. 5 I will live within the impacted area and 6 support the way Open Road Renewables works within our 7 community and landowners. This project will better our 8 townships and county for future generations. 9 Thank you for the opportunity to share my 10 thoughts and support for the Blossom Solar project, and 11 I encourage this Board to approve the project. 12 MS. SEE: Any cross? 13 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 14 MS. SEE: Thank you, Ms. Beiler. Ms. 15 Beiler, you also submitted comments to the docket, did 16 you not? 17 MS. BEILER: Yes, ma'am. 18 MS. SEE: Thank you. Larry Strong? Mr. 19 Strong, if you could raise your right hand? 20 21 LARRY STRONG, 22 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 23 24 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 25 record, and also give your address. 55 1 MR. STRONG: Larry Strong. L-A-R-R-Y, 2 S-T-R-O-N-G. Address, 8005 Township Road 38, Galion, 3 Ohio. That is 44833 -- the old address, with the new 4 home purchase next to the solar project -- 4413, State 5 Road 309, Galion, Ohio, 44833 also. 6 My name is Larry Strong. I appreciate this 7 opportunity to testify in support of the Blossom Solar 8 project. I'm a retired CenturyLink employee of 40 years 9 of service. I presently live near the Blossom project, 10 and I stated that I purchased a house nearby. Closing 11 will be soon on that. 12 I know, based on studies done on the 13 property values of properties, the project will not 14 negatively impact the real estate value of homes in the 15 area. Open Roads Renewables states that they will use 16 limited herbicides and natural turf grasses and 17 pollinators for ground cover with the project. The land 18 will be placed back into agricultural use after the 19 project is decommissioned. 20 Blossom will provide 1.3 million annually to 21 the school, the county, and local services, not to 22 mention that Blossom will be partnering with local joint 23 vocational schools, providing ongoing support for 24 training. 25 I am in support of the approval of the 56 1 Blossom Solar project, and the tax dollars, new jobs, 2 and overall community support will be very much -- help 3 our community for years to come. I believe true 4 community is a partnership like this. It is 5 collaborative and supportive. 6 It is my hope the Open Roads Renewables 7 project can construct this project and continue to 8 provide and cooperate support for our community. Thank 9 you for the opportunity to share this vital Blossom 10 project, and its residents, and I hope to see the value 11 of approving this project. 12 MS. SEE: Any cross? 13 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 14 MS. SEE: Thank you very much, Mr. Strong. 15 And Mr. Strong, may I ask -- I believe I saw comments 16 from you on the document as well? 17 MR. STRONG: Yes. 18 MS. SEE: Thank you. Steve Irwin? Mr. 19 Irwin, please raise your right hand. 20 21 STEVE IRWIN, 22 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 23 24 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 25 record. 57 1 MR. IRWIN: Steve Irwin. S-T-E-V-E, Irwin, 2 I-R-W-I-N. 3 MS. SEE: And your address, sir? 4 MR. IRWIN: 623 U.S. Highway 42, Mount 5 Gilead. 6 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 7 project area? 8 MR. IRWIN: I do not live within the project 9 area, but live within Northmor. 10 MS. SEE: And that is within what county and 11 township? 12 MR. IRWIN: Cardington Township, Morrow 13 County. 14 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 15 testimony. 16 MR. IRWIN: Good evening. My name is Steve 17 Irwin. While I do not live within the project area, I 18 do live within the Northmor School District. 19 My understanding is that if this project is 20 approved, the school district will receive funding. My 21 hope is that these funds are allocated wisely for the 22 future. 23 I do not have a position on whether or not 24 this project should be approved by the Board, but wanted 25 to highlight an area of potential concern. 58 1 While I am speaking on my own behalf this 2 evening and not as a representative of any organization, 3 I do have applicable experience. I have worked on 4 renewable energy projects as a developer, was previously 5 employed by the Ohio Power Siting Board, and also worked 6 at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which is a 7 voting member of the Board. 8 Staff Recommendation Number 38 addresses the 9 potential existence but unknown location of a previously 10 plugged oil and gas well, identified as API number 11 34-117-2-3593-00-00. Recommendation Number 38 would 12 require the applicant to observe a minimum setback of 25 13 feet between all project infrastructure and the well. 14 In my experience, a 25-foot setback is woefully 15 inadequate and should be expanded. 16 The Division of Oil and Gas Resources 17 Management, which has sole and exclusive authority to 18 regulate oil and gas in Ohio, keeps record of all wells 19 drilled and plugged since the implementation of 20 regulation in the state of Ohio. 21 Notable for this discussion is that these 22 regulations were first put in place after the oil boom 23 that occurred in this county in the 1960s. The Division 24 records show that Well Number 3953 was drilled in 1985 25 and plugged in the same year by the Texas Gas 59 1 Exploration Corporation. 2 While there should be no issue with the 3 plugged well, if an issue were to arise -- and they 4 do -- a 25-foot setback would significantly limit 5 options to remedy the issue. Moreover, should the well 6 require maintenance work, the work would likely be 7 conducted by the Division of Oil and Gas's Orphan Well 8 Program. 9 Since the state may bear the financial 10 responsibility for any future work that could arise from 11 the now abandoned well, the state -- the same entity 12 that is considering the amount of the setback -- Would 13 be wise to increase the distance. 14 Although plugging rigs have been placed in 15 gymnasiums, on lake slopes next to nuclear power plants, 16 and in tight areas, a little prevention could save 17 headache and significant dollars down the road. 18 I would also note that the Ohio Farm Bureau 19 Federation and the Ohio Environmental Council, both who 20 have intervened in this case, are keenly aware of the 21 challenges that come when an abandoned oil well requires 22 work and is located in tight access. 23 It is in the state's own best interest to 24 observe a larger buffer. Thank you for allowing me to 25 provide this input. 60 1 MS. SEE: Any cross examination for this 2 witness? 3 MS. SANYAL: I may have a couple, your 4 Honor. 5 MS. SEE: Go ahead, Ms. Sanyal. 6 MS. SANYAL: Mr. Irwin, you're speaking as a 7 member of the public today, right? 8 MR. IRWIN: Correct. 9 MS. SANYAL: And you're not currently 10 employed by the Department of Natural Resources? 11 MR. IRWIN: That's correct. 12 MS. SANYAL: That's all, your Honor. 13 MS. NORDSTROM: Nothing further. No, your 14 Honor. We don't have cross. 15 MS. SEE: And just to be clear, Mr. Irwin, 16 you are no longer employed by the Ohio Power Siting 17 Board, are you? 18 MR. IRWIN: That is correct. 19 MS. SEE: And for a matter of transparency, 20 I worked with and do know Mr. Irwin. Thank you very 21 much. 22 MR. IRWIN: Thank you for the opportunity. 23 MS. SEE: Next witness is Matt Smith. 24 25 61 1 MATTHEW SMITH, 2 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 3 4 MS. SEE: You can have a seat if you like. 5 Please state and spell your name for the record, and 6 also give us your address. 7 MR. SMITH: My name is Matthew Smith. 8 M-A-T-T-H-E-W, S-M-I-T-H. Address would be 647 Ashwood 9 Drive, Mansfield, Ohio. 10 MS. SEE: And do you live or work in the 11 project area? 12 MR. SMITH: I am the manager of Firenze 13 Valley Farms. We are adjacent to the project area, 14 located at 6490 County Road 57, approximately 550 acres. 15 MS. SEE: Tell me the name of the farm 16 again? 17 MR. SMITH: Firenze, F-I-R-E-N-Z-E. I 18 didn't pick the name. 19 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony, sir. 20 MR. SMITH: Thank you to the Ohio Power 21 Siting Board for the opportunity to talk to everyone 22 this evening. It's very important to get the input for 23 this. 24 Certainly -- again, my name is Matthew 25 Smith, landowner down the road. I also have a 62 1 background in renewable energy and the distribution of 2 renewable fuels, and I have worked with the city of 3 Shelby on their two-and-a-half megawatt field. And on 4 my family farm, I have a 25-kilowatt solar ray now in 5 its tenth year of operation. Ten years. I think the 6 payback is getting close. 7 In any event, in addition to that, I have 8 served as the chairman of Peco II Power Equipment 9 Company in Galion, Ohio. We were a power conversion for 10 the telecommunications industry. So again, part of that 11 background in electrification. 12 And I also serve as a trustee of the North 13 Central State Community College, and part of the work at 14 the Community College is workforce development, training 15 these new jobs for the future. So I'm trying to look 16 out over these new jobs, and how do we educate those 17 people? So that's a big part of what we're doing today. 18 Again, I'm working with, also, the Ohio 19 Environmental Council on their programs here to make the 20 pledge, the Ohio 30 by 30, so 30 percent reduction in 21 our carbon footprint by municipalities. And as I talk 22 to mayors about it, where they get their power from, and 23 sources like solar fields in the future could be part of 24 that mix -- so how about that? That's 30 percent by 25 2030. President Biden is 50 percent by 2030. These 63 1 projects will help. 2 I'm a big proponent, because I live here, of 3 landowner rights. Number one, landowner rights. And 4 this project offers the landowners their rights. And I 5 want to go on record, that's the most important to me as 6 a person here. 7 You've heard of the economic benefits. 8 They're impressive. They're impressive. We're learning 9 all about that. 10 Again, as we look forward to the future, 11 electrification is the future. I am training the 12 workforce for it. I just came from the Ohio Energy 13 Conference today. Again, learning about how we have to 14 change an entire grid is coming down. 15 When I was the Peco II guy, we made battery 16 chargers. I wish today I was making car chargers. 17 That's the future. 18 In any event, thank you for allowing me to 19 give my testimony in support of the Blossom Solar 20 project. 21 MS. SEE: Any cross examination? 22 MS. NORDSTROM: Just one, very quickly. 23 Sir, you mentioned Power Clean Future Ohio's 30 for 30 24 pledge, which is an affiliate of the Ohio Environmental 25 Council. You do not work for the Ohio Environmental 64 1 Council, correct? 2 MR. SMITH: No. I'm a volunteer. 3 MS. SEE: Sir, excuse me. Mr. Smith? You 4 have what appears to be there something about the 30 5 percent by 2030 in your hand? Could I ask that you 6 leave that, please? Would Counsel like to see? 7 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 8 MS. NORDSTROM: No, thank you. 9 MS. SEE: All right. Thank you very much. 10 MR. SMITH: Thank you. 11 MS. SEE: I note that no one else has signed 12 up to offer testimony tonight. Is there someone who 13 would like to offer testimony that did not sign up? 14 Sir? I see two hands. Could you both step forward, 15 please? Your name, sir? 16 MR. GILLESPIE: Ray Gillespie. 17 MS. SEE: Mr. Gillespie, please raise your 18 right hand. 19 20 RAY GILLESPIE, 21 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 22 23 MS. SEE: State and spell your name for the 24 record, and also state your address. 25 MR. GILLESPIE: Ray Gillespie. R-A-Y, 65 1 G-I-L-L-E-S-P-I-E. 4017 Sassafras Drive, Galion, Ohio. 2 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 3 MR. GILLESPIE: Good evening. Thank you to 4 the Ohio Power Siting Board for being here tonight in 5 Morrow County. 6 MS. SEE: Sir, do you live or work in the 7 project area, by chance? 8 MR. GILLESPIE: Live -- for being tonight in 9 Morrow County to hear from the community. I'm here to 10 offer my support of Blossom Solar and ask you to approve 11 this project. I am a neighbor of the project and will 12 be living right next to two solar fields. 13 We have experienced a lot of flooding in 14 this area due to existing drain tile issues. When Open 15 Road Renewables knocked on my door to introduce 16 themselves, they committed to fixing the flooding issue 17 for my neighbors and me. The fact that they came to my 18 door and are working to make a difference makes me want 19 to support this project. 20 The Blossom Solar project is a perfect 21 example of solar done right. The tax revenue generated 22 from this project provides much-needed support to our 23 schools, EMS, and fire department and roads. 24 By screening the project with trees and 25 native vegetation, neighbors to the project are 66 1 protected from seeing the panels. After construction, 2 the project is quiet, along with having no odor or air 3 pollution, no dust, not operated at night, minor 4 traffic, and no glare. 5 In addition, Open Road Renewables has proved 6 its commitment to helping neighbors of the project by 7 offering home solar. 8 This solar project is a step forward. 9 American energy needs are changing rapidly as we lose 10 many of our coal-fired power plants. We need new 11 sources of American energy. 12 Because solar input costs are falling yearly 13 and have decreased by 70 percent in the last decade. 14 Solar energy does not require any fuel input, and solar 15 is an economically desired power source. Overall there 16 is less reliance on out-of-state electric generation. 17 The Blossom Solar project helps to diversify 18 and secure our energy grid, and Open Road Renewables 19 does solar properly. I would love to see the Blossom 20 Solar project in Morrow County, and I urge you to 21 support the project. 22 MS. SEE: Any cross for this gentleman? 23 Thank you very much, Mr. Gillespie. 24 Sir, you indicated that you also want to 25 offer testimony? 67 1 MR. WILSON: Yeah. 2 MS. SEE: Your name, please? 3 MR. WILSON: Keith Wilson. 4 5 KEITH WILSON, 6 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 7 8 MS. SEE: Go ahead and have a seat. Please 9 state your name and your address, and let us know 10 whether or not you live or work in the project area. 11 MR. WILSON: My name is Keith Wilson. I 12 live at 12836 Roberts Road in Croton, Ohio, C-R-O-T-O-N, 13 43013. And I do not live or work in the project area. 14 MS. SEE: Okay. Go ahead with your 15 testimony. 16 MR. WILSON: I'm from Hartford Township, a 17 few miles down the road from here. I'm here to express 18 my support for the Blossom Solar project. 19 My family and I are part of the Hartford 20 solar project that is being developed by Open Roads in 21 Licking County. My family has been farming down in 22 Licking County for many generations. For the past 75 23 years we've been dairy farmers, in addition to growing 24 corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. 25 I can tell you that inflation and operating 68 1 costs have made life difficult for every business and 2 individual, and farmers are no exception. With 3 increased operating costs, it's becoming increasingly 4 difficult to operate a farm. 5 Projects like Blossom Solar can preserve 6 family farms by providing a predictable income for 7 farmers. It allows farms to weather the ups and downs 8 of grain, livestock, and milk prices. Solar projects 9 allow small farms to continue farming to keep that land 10 in agriculture for future generations. 11 I know for us the solar project means we can 12 continue growing corn, soybeans, and hay on one part of 13 our farm, while the other part of our farm generates 14 clean energy from the sun for our community and region. 15 Solar projects like Blossom actually 16 preserve the farm land itself with a full 17 decommissioning process that allows the land to return 18 to its current state at the end of its operating life. 19 That means that land that has solar panels now can be 20 farmed in the future. 21 Solar can also improve soil quality by 22 reducing or eliminating chemicals that are used on 23 fields every year and reducing the runoff from those 24 chemicals. 25 It's my sincere belief as a farmer that 69 1 solar is an incredible use of farm land. If every 2 county in the state had just a few solar projects like 3 Blossom, we can make enough local energy to power the 4 majority of our homes and businesses. 5 Blossom Solar will provide over 100 6 megawatts of clean, local, renewable energy to the local 7 community and region, but equally important is the 8 investment in the communities that projects like this 9 can bring. 10 The PILOT program that's part of this 11 project allows the community to generate revenue every 12 year for the Northmor School District, Washington 13 Township, and Morrow County. These projects give back 14 to the community while they also create local jobs and 15 local energy. 16 Ohio is well behind many other states when 17 it comes to clean energy. We need cleaner, local energy 18 sources to supplement the energy we already produce as 19 our population grows. Without cleaner energy, our 20 environment will suffer, and our future generations will 21 not be as fortunate as we are. The sun can provide us 22 with unlimited energy and we have the technology and 23 know how to make that happen. 24 Solar projects like Blossom are good for 25 family farms, local communities, and the entire region. 70 1 I'm asking you at the Ohio Power Siting Board to please 2 approve Blossom Solar. Thank you. 3 MS. SEE: Any cross? 4 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 5 MS. SEE: Thank you very much, sir. Anyone 6 else that has not had the opportunity to offer 7 testimony? Come forward please, ma'am. Your name, 8 please? 9 MS. STIRM: Dorene Stirm. D-O-R-E-N-E, 10 S-T-I-R-M. 11 12 DORENE STIRM, 13 First having been duly sworn, testified as follows: 14 15 MS. SEE: And I need you to state and spell 16 your name again for me, and give me your address. 17 MS. STIRM: Dorene Stirm. D-O-R-E-N-E, 18 Stirm, S-T-I-R-M. 9699 Hurr Road, which is H-U-R-R, and 19 it's Galion, 44833. 20 MS. SEE: Okay. Do you live or work in the 21 project area? 22 MS. STIRM: Both. 23 MS. SEE: Go ahead with your testimony. 24 MS. STIRM: This was not planned, so it's 25 very impromptu. I don't have anything wrote up, and 71 1 this is -- I am opposed to this. 2 What I am hearing tonight -- Blossom Solar 3 did their homework, and a lot of what I'm hearing from a 4 lot of these people are the rote answers that I heard 5 when they came and talked to our family. I'm hearing 6 what they want us to hear to make this happen. I do not 7 feel that all of these are truths. 8 I grew up in this area. I farm in this 9 area. My question to everybody is, do you eat? And 10 where is your food going to come from when that farm 11 ground is gone? 12 I am not opposed to solar. I do not have 13 anything against it. I do have a problem with it being 14 on farm ground. We rely on that for our food, and where 15 are we going to get our food from when that is gone? 16 We lose thousands of acres every year in 17 this country to different kinds of structures and 18 building things, and losing it to this is not acceptable 19 to me. Farm ground is precious. We need that to 20 provide our food for us. 21 To me, solar energy is unreliable at best. 22 It is not storable. Sunshine is limited. We have had 23 several days where there is none. When that sun is not 24 out and we cannot have that solar energy running, it's 25 not storable. So we have to kick in the fossil fuels, 72 1 and fossil fuels get kicked in and out a lot with that. 2 It's not a reliable source of energy. Maybe at some 3 point in the future it will be, but right now it is not, 4 and losing the farm ground around here is not worth 5 that. 6 Everybody is talking about the jobs that are 7 going to get lost -- or, the jobs that are going to get 8 made, but I am going to tell you about the jobs that are 9 going to get lost for the farmers. Farmers depend on 10 this ground. This is how they make their living. 11 Yes, farming costs are up. They are up 12 tremendously. But they depend on this ground to farm, 13 and they depend on this ground to have the money to keep 14 doing it, to keep food on the table for their families 15 and keep the lights on and bills paid. 16 The ground here is highly erodible. I hope 17 that you drive these roads and you check this ground 18 that they have signed up and that they have lined up. 19 These farms are hills, and they are highly erodible. We 20 fight with the erosion on these farms every year. 21 We have had to work with the ASC offices and 22 Soil and Water and all of those offices to get things so 23 that we can farm those grounds and keep the ground from 24 being eroded away. Farmers do their best to make sure 25 those things are done. 73 1 Tile is expensive. Taking care of washouts 2 and things like that -- it takes money. Sometimes it's 3 hard to get your landowners that you're renting off of 4 to help work with you to get that done. It's a group 5 effort. It's things that need to be addressed. 6 Unfortunately, it is expensive. 7 I have issues with Blossom Solar. They have 8 promised to restore the ground when they are done. We 9 are talking about long contracts here with them. A lot 10 of people that are signing up won't be around when those 11 are done. They won't be here to make sure that that 12 ground gets put back the way it was. 13 And once you tamper with that topsoil on 14 top, you can't put that back the way it was. This 15 ground will not go back the way it was when this is 16 done. The loss that we are going to take in the farming 17 community and the topsoil is not worth it. 18 That's pretty much all I have to say about 19 it, and I will type something up for you and send it to 20 you to the same effect, because I do not have anything 21 at the moment. 22 MS. SEE: And that's fine. I want you to 23 understand, the things you have said are being 24 transcribed by a court reporter and it will be part of 25 the record in the case. 74 1 MS. STIRM: Thank you. 2 MS. SEE: Any cross examination for this 3 witness? 4 MS. SANYAL: No, your Honor. 5 MS. NORDSTROM: No. 6 MS. SEE: Thank you very much. With that, 7 the hearing is closed. I want to remind you that the 8 next step in the process is an evidentiary hearing 9 scheduled at the Board's offices -- I'm sorry, Ms. 10 Sanyal? 11 MS. SANYAL: I do have one clarification 12 question, your Honor. I know we've been collecting the 13 written -- 14 MS. SEE: Statements? 15 MS. SANYAL: Statements. How will we be 16 entering them into the record? Will they just be for 17 the court reporter's assistance for transcribing the 18 transcript? 19 MS. SEE: The statements that have been left 20 with me tonight are not part of the record. It is only 21 what you said while you were here speaking. These are 22 for reference. 23 Sometimes you may use an acronym that 24 everyone in the area knows, but it may not have been 25 clear as the court reporter was going through. Spelling 75 1 things correctly. 2 Anything that you did not say while you were 3 here but you may have in your statement will not be 4 added. Nothing will be taken away from what you 5 actually said, and nothing will be added. And they will 6 not be part of the -- they will not be part of the 7 docket -- I'm sorry -- the transcript, or attached 8 thereto, Ms. Sanyal. 9 MS. SANYAL: Thank you, your Honor. 10 MS. SEE: Yes? 11 AUDIENCE MEMBER: How long do you have to 12 submit statements online? 13 MS. SEE: Go ahead and submit your 14 statements to the case docket, and they will be 15 considered up until the point that the Board issues its 16 decision in the case. 17 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Okay. Thank you. 18 MS. SEE: Although I would encourage you to 19 go ahead and do it quickly. 20 Okay. If there is nothing else, I 21 appreciate you all coming out this evening, and we will 22 submit the transcript to the docket. Thank you all. We 23 are adjourned. 24 25 (Hearing concluded at 7:42 p.m.) 76 1 C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E 2 3 I do hereby certify that the foregoing is true, correct 4 and complete written transcript of the proceedings in 5 this matter, taken by me on the 15th day of November, 6 2022, and transcribed from my stenographic notes. 7 8 9 <%28198,Signature%> 10 EMMA JANE TROYER 11 Professional Reporter and Notary Public in and for the 12 State of Ohio 13 My Commission Expires: 01-09-27 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25