WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau Water Works Commission has voted to allow staff to continue exploring design and funding options for a potential solar array near the new drinking water treatment plant on Bugbee Avenue but stopped short of approving the actual building of the panels.
Public Works Director Eric Lindman says he’s heard the feedback from the residents and the only way to address their concerns while keeping the utility’s funding and grant options open for the project is to keep moving forward. “I do think the only way we are going to address their concerns is to move forward with some sort of design for the facility and to start sizing that,” said Lindman. “To put the project on hold for a year and a half to two years waiting for the plant to come online; I’m not convinced that is going to be in the utility’s best interest especially with infrastructure dollars coming and the potential for ARPA dollars.
“To have a project that will be close to shovel-ready, to at least apply for funding, would be a benefit to the rate-payer city-wide,” he added.
Those on the commission including John Robinson and Jim Force said that the proposal remains a worthwhile idea but to move forward now would be foolish given the potential for federal funding for solar tied into the Build Back Better bill making its way through Washington.
Wausau Mayor and Commission Chair Katie Rosenberg added that she would like to see more input from residents in the neighborhood, who have been concerned about the size of the project and don’t want to lose trees near where the plant is being built.
“I do think that we’ve gotten good feedback,” added Lindman, referring to two previous public information meetings held at NTC and various other forms of written feedback received by the utility.
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The voice vote to approve continued planning, but no actual construction, on the array while also exploring outside funding and soliciting additional input from the neighborhood was unanimous. Mayor Rosenberg promised to start assembling criteria for a neighborhood work group immediately, which could be approved at the next Water Works Commission meeting.
