The Vernon Parish Police Jury unanimously voted on Aug. 10 to adopt a resolution establishing a temporary moratorium on the development, establishment and construction of solar farms in unincorporated areas of Vernon Parish. The special meeting was called by District 5 Police Juror Cody Hostetler. Following the special call meeting, the police jury held its regularly scheduled Committee Meeting.
Several residents from the Pitkin and LaCamp areas spoke to the police jury about concerns regarding a proposed 10,000-acre solar farm project in the Hineston area of Rapides Parish and the Pitkin/LaCamp area of Vernon Parish. The proposed project is being developed by Treaty Oak Clean Energy of Austin, Texas. The project includes approximately 4,600 acres of solar array and a substation in Phase 1, approximately 5,700 acres of solar array in Phase 2 and a nine-mile generation interconnect aerial utility line in Phase 3.
Residents asked the police jury to reevaluate the current ordinance.
Nancy Whitlock, a nearby multigenerational property owner, presented a PowerPoint presentation featuring multiple articles about endangered species reported to live near the proposed solar farm area. The articles were written in concern for the species following hurricane damage to the same forested area now proposed for the solar farm. Whitlock expressed concerns about eagles known to frequent the area, as well as pine snakes, bears and other species. She also expressed concerns about industrial fires associated with solar farms. Whitlock said most nearby fire departments are volunteer-only and may not be prepared for an industrial fire. The potential erosion from removing 10,000 acres of forested land and its effect on her farm was also a concern.
Stacy Merchant, a nearby homeowner, expressed concerns about noise and light pollution, decreased property values and possible harm to his cattle.
Julie Richmond Sauer of Pitkin expressed concerns about habitat loss from clearing Tier 1 property described as “rare and highly valued” undeveloped property, referencing comments by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries General Counsel Cole Garrett during an archived Louisiana House of Natural Resources presentation from April 23, 2025.
Concerns were also raised about providing a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, to an out-of-state company with little to no full-time jobs associated with the project for local residents. A copy of a devaluation study titled “Solar Farm’s and Property Value Reduction,” by Dr. Greg Upton and Dr. Sarang Talpur, dated October 2024, was also provided to the police jury.
Other topics discussed included wildlife corridors, vegetative buffers and decommissioning bonds. Residents requested that decommissioning bonds be assessed every three years rather than under the current five-year schedule.
Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn discussed a situation involving clearing his personal property in which state department personnel inspected the property to ensure it was safe for wildlife. He also clarified some of the state laws associated with solar farms. Residents said they had observed no similar physical assessments on their side of the proposed 10,000-acre site of undeveloped, forested property.
Many residents near the proposed industrial site attended the meeting and supported the temporary moratorium.
An article published in the Rapides Parish Journal on July 20, 2026 shared some of the following information in regards to the proposed solar project:
The proposed solar project is being developed by Treaty Oak Clean Energy of Austin, Texas, and would cover approximately 10,000 acres in the Calcasieu River watershed south and west of Hineston. The project includes approximately 4,600 acres of solar array and a substation in Phase 1, approximately 5,700 acres of solar array in Phase 2 and a nine-mile generation interconnect aerial utility line in Phase 3.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District previously stated that its preliminary study found no impact on jurisdictional wetlands and minimum impact on the Louisiana pine snake and Northern long-eared bat. A Clean Water Act permit is required because of impacts to waters associated with the Calcasieu River watershed.