Hadley Conservation Commission Continues Three Solar Farm Hearings to October

HADLEY -- September 10, 2025, Hadley Conservation Commission continued three dual-use agrivoltaic solar hearings and scheduled four site visits at its September 10 meeting. The commission voted unanimously to extend a stormwater enforcement order deadline at 300 Venture Way, originally issued May 30, 2025 and held by the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, to April 30, 2026. Two Notice of Intent hearings for Solar Collective projects at 133A Mount Warner Road (Plainville Farm, DEP file 1700305) and 143 Mill Valley Road (Parsons Farm, DEP file 1700306) were each continued to October 14; the Mill Valley Road project drew pointed skepticism over its placement in the Fort River's 200-foot riverfront area, with one commissioner saying "I don't see how they can be allowed at all within the 200-foot riverfront zone." A third solar expansion hearing at 88 Shattuck Road, where a wetland scientist defended a tighter 2025 delineation over a more conservative 2020 line, was also continued to October 14, with one commissioner disclosing he lives adjacent to the site and plans to recuse himself. The commission directed the applicant at 347 Russell Street to obtain a fresh wetland delineation after a site visit revealed a likely new isolated wetland attributed to MassDOT's Route 9 reconstruction work, and voted to extend an Order of Conditions at 56 River Drive to April 5, 2029.