Solar power plant may replace a Sunnyside cow feedlot

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. – After 10 years of searching, the City of Sunnyside has found a possible business to make use of a 147 acre cattle lot.

You can imagine a feedlot that size when the cows were there, the smell that traveled with it.

“I’ve been told it had 50,000 cattle, and it caused quite a bit of dust, quite a bit of stench,” said Sunnyside City Manager Don Day.

A thick odor many locals can still remember evilly roaming the town with thousands of flies traveling with it.

“It was terrible because it was so close to the town that it was an everyday thing.” said local Felix Garza.

Since the lot was sold, locals say the town is starting to feel and smell a bit more like how Sunnyside should. Now a new kind of reusable energy may be taking it’s place.

OneEnergy Renewables has claimed dibs on a five year contract to purchase as much as 80 acres of land.

City Manager Don Day says the solar power company is using that time to test the soil and see if the property fits their needs, and if they are able to sell the power they produce.

Day says if the solar power plant agrees, the lot will finally start paying back the financial burden that came with the city buying the $2.5 million feedlot.

“The city has been paying for that property over the last ten years. The city took out a bond to pay for it, and has been paying interest on that property to the tune of about $270,000 a year,” said Day.

During the five year lease, OneEnergy Renewables will pay the city $2,000 for the first year, then raise one grand for the next four years.

A 26 year-long contract will be signed and a possible 10-year renewal after if the solar company decides to use a portion of the feedlot.

Nearly 80 acres will remain if the deal is sealed with OneEnergy Renewables. The city is still looking for another buyer to purchase the remaining acres.