Township Supervisors Eric Newcomer, chair, and Harley Fry II are expected to issue a verbal decision on June 25 at a public meeting at 5 p.m.

The two men then have more time to issue a written decision by July 11 for the township, which as of the last 2020 U.S. Census had a population of 3,575, give or take what occurred in the last six years.

Township Supervisor Gary Phillips has recused himself when statements he made on a social media site were considered by Wiser to reveal a bias against the project. He told the Sun-Gazette last year that he can’t be permitted to take part in any future actions by the board, either.

Solicitor for the township, J. Michael Wiley, also explained the next steps for the board.

Theresa Tarquinio of Muncy explains her concerns about a proposed solar farm in Muncy during a conditional use hearing in Muncy late Wednesday evening. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The project is a proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) of five barns housing 350,000 free-range chickens and a 52,000-panel solar energy facility.

The project is a joint venture of the Wagner and Bollinger families of Lancaster County on the property zoned for primarily for agricultural conservation with a small amount of residential use along Clarkstown Road, bordered by Fogelman Road and Muncy Exchange Road.

The CAFO would be managed in an operation by AgVentures, and the solar installed by Bollinger Solar LLC.

The project is highly opposed by members of Muncy Area Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, a grassroots citizens’ group paying for legal advice and witnesses who have presented testimony over these past 407 calendar days since the start of the hearings. There have been periodic hearings at Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Co. and more recently at the township building on Route 442.

The coalition witnesses and other persons have expressed fear, concern and outrage, mainly stating that this kind of agriculture and energy operation is too close to the community next to the borough of Muncy and would be a better fit in a more rural setting.

They cite how it would negatively impact their health, safety and welfare.

They have cited fear of pervasive odor, noise, water contamination and draw, dust, flies, biohazards for human and animals, increased traffic, property diminution, glare from solar panel, improper access to fight fires, proximity of the site to Ward L. Myers Elementary School and its playgrounds, parks, RJ. Patrizio Community Pool, numerous churches, a nursing care facility, houses, businesses, issues related to volatile organic compounds in air and water, their food and flower gardens, and how the application plan is deficient in terms of meeting requirements of the township stormwater and land development ordinance.

The applicant counsel Samuel E. Wiser Jr. and Attorney Zachary DuGan, for the coalition, agreed in the hearing before to provide the board with written closing remarks.

The closing remarks by the public were meant to be summations, not any new testimony or rehashing what the board has heard or seen in prior hearings.

Future articles focused on the closing remarks are under development.