SAM Board Fast-Tracks Solar Deal Under Federal Deadline

The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside board opened a public hearing on a proposal to install solar panels and battery storage at its wastewater treatment plant — then ran headlong into a tangle of unresolved land rights, incomplete environmental review, and a July 4 IRS deadline that could make or break nearly $3 million in projected energy savings. In a separate flash point, a longtime resident challenged the coastside's fragmented sewer governance, demanding three districts merge into one.

• Board unanimously authorizes GM to negotiate a 25-year solar power purchase agreement with Coldwell Energy, racing a July 4, 2026 federal deadline

• Industry neighbor supports solar but warns of battery noise, fire risk, and tree-shading problems

• Resident challenges $2.9 million in litigation costs across three separate sewer districts, demands consolidation

• Chair reports state lawmakers eyeing special district revenues for high-speed rail and other spending

The basics: Coldwell Energy is proposing to install rooftop solar, three carport solar structures, and a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery system at SAM's wastewater treatment plant — all within the existing facility fence line. Under a 25-year power purchase agreement, SAM would pay no upfront capital and lock in a fixed 3% annual price escalator. The system would cover roughly 25% of the plant's electricity needs, saving an estimated $20,000 per year and just under $3 million over the contract's life.