Casper asks state for $2.7 million if Converse County solar farm is built

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council agreed to ask the state for about $2.7 million to offset expected costs to public infrastructure if a solar installation ends up getting built in Converse County.

The council unanimously approved the memorandum of understanding with other county and municipal entities, establishing that figure by consent at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

The company DUTC bn LLC has applied to the state Department of Environmental Quality to build a 499-megawatt, 4,700-acre solar panel installation about 1.5 miles northeast of Glenrock, the memo to the council from the city manager and attorney said.

The Industrial Siting Council, part of the state DEQ, typically allows counties and municipalities within a certain radius of a major industrial project to keep a greater percentage of the sales-and-use taxes that would otherwise go to the state to cover possible hidden costs to public infrastructure from the influx of workers.

A previous county commissioner said those impacts can include extra fire-EMS and police services, environmental impacts, unpaid deductibles for hospital visits and loss of lodging tax revenue when long-term construction workers stay longer than 30 days and effectively become renters.

Casper, Mills, Evansville, Bar Nunn, Rolling Hills, Glenrock and Douglas all expect to see impacts and their attorneys all collaborated on the MOU, which still must stand for review by the Industrial Siting Council, the memo said.

If the Dutchman Renewable Energy Project is approved by the state, the assumed 29-month construction period will begin in March 2026 and the installation would be operational by 2028.