ALAMOSA — Korsail Energy’s proposed 900-acre solar energy site – Cornflower Solar – again had its 1041 application denied by the Alamosa County Commissioners during a public hearing on Wednesday, April 9, a decision that will directly impact the local community. The proposed site was about two miles west of Alamosa. 

Korsail, a Denver-based solar electric production and storage firm, went before the Alamosa County Commissioners on Wednesday for approval of a portion of the permitting process known as a 1041. That process, named after the House Bill 1041, is a state law that gives local governments the authority to regulate the impacts of certain development projects.

1041 regulations are delegated powers from the State of Colorado to local jurisdictions to regulate matters of statewide concern, including the development of transportation and utility infrastructure. 1041 regulations can also be used to protect specific geographic areas with historical, cultural, or natural resources of statewide importance. 

The decision came after hours of testimony that included Korsail Energy CEO Brandon Conard, consultants to Korsail, comments by Richard Hubler, Alamosa County Land Use Director, and mostly negative public comment regarding the location of the proposed site. 

In voicing opposition to the project, Chris Canaly with the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council said in part, “Location, location, location.” 

Except for the property owners who would lease their property to Korsail, Mr. and Mrs. Burns, all the public comment was opposed to the project. 

Hubler was emphatic in his position and said he, "strongly recommend denial of the application. 

Commissioner Lori Laske moved forward and said, "Under the note that a 1041 requires that every criterion be met, based on staff report and our third-party evaluator indicating that three of the items were not met and three of them were only partially met, the information supplied alleviated some of that, but in my mind did not completely dissolve it and with the feedback from our citizens that are directly in the area, I make a motion to deny the application." 

Commissioners Laske and Arlan Van Ry voted yes to deny, with Chair Commissioner Vern Heersink voting no and then stated, "That concludes this part of the meeting; the application has been denied.” 

After the commissioners made their decision, Korsail CEO Conardd was asked to comment for this article and said, "No, I'm just trying to process." 

The Valley Courier will have expanded coverage regarding this developing story in our Saturday print edition.