‘I believe in solar’: Mayor Gorton discusses Haley Pike solar farm project [Video]

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — When Mayor Linda Gorton testified against the East Kentucky Solar Energy proposal her testimony was not against the idea of creating more solar energy sources for Lexington.

“Our farmland is a 2.3-billion-dollar economic impact on our economy,” the mayor said Tuesday morning from her downtown office. “I just think that is a poor use of prime, productive farmland. I believe in solar.”

That proposal, the mayor feels, would’ve been a detriment to farmers, and ultimately consumers, as it would’ve eliminated valuable farmland by installing solar panels in its place.

To proceed with a grand scale solar project for Lexington, while protecting the county’s agriculture business, the city recently initiated a study of the landfill attached to the old Haley Pike Waste Management facility in the southeastern part of town. Phase-1 was recently completed.

“I knew other cities were doing solar on landfills, so I wanted …