BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—On June 6, 2025, the Crawford County Commissioners voted to adopt a countywide ban on new solar development, despite a written request from Dallas Township Trustees asking to be excluded from the restricted area, and numerous individuals offering their voices of support at the hearing. By forcing a ban on solar, the Commissioners stripped landowners of their property rights and put Wombat Solar and its supporters in a position to pursue alternative options to keep the project viable.
In accordance with Ohio law, Wombat Solar supported the creation of the Citizens Against Government Overreach (CAGO), a ballot issue committee formed to give Crawford County voters the chance to decide the issue, rather than a small group of elected officials. CAGO engaged a third-party firm to conduct the required petition signature collection. Unfortunately, that firm’s personnel provided petition signatures that the Crawford County Board of Elections considered to be of questionable origin. Therefore, not enough valid signatures were collected to qualify the initiative for the ballot, prompting CAGO to withdraw the petition.
While the petition that was submitted fell short of Wombat Solar and CAGO’s standards, the commitment to the community, landowners, and project supporters remains unwavering. Wombat Solar and CAGO’s business practices firmly adhere to the principle that even the perception of impropriety is unacceptable and will continue to demonstrate these values in word and deed.
“From the beginning, Wombat Solar has proposed solutions that respect township choice, preserve landowner rights, and allow Crawford County to define appropriate boundaries for development,” said Wes Smith, Developer for Wombat Solar. “It is deeply disappointing that the Commissioners rejected a win-win compromise and, in doing so, forced a process that created unnecessary division in this community.”
Wombat Solar continues to evaluate all available options to advance the project and will remain engaged with local stakeholders to find a path forward that honors the rights of supportive landowners and addresses community needs.