Belleville Faces Lawsuit Amid Solar Farm Plans At Mount Hope Cemetery
BELLEVILLE – Belleville residents are taking legal action in an attempt to stop 19 acres of woods from being cleared to build a solar farm at a historic cemetery. Last year, under former Mayor Patty Gregory, the City of Belleville purchased the historic Mount Hope Cemetery in foreclosure for $1 and entered into a lease agreement with solar developers to clear-cut 19 acres of woods at the cemetery to build a solar farm. Jesse Berger with the Save Mount Hope Committee started a Change.org petition to stop the city from following through with the solar farm project, as construction is expected to begin this month. He and other committee members have since launched a GoFundMe to raise money for legal fees as they challenge the city with a lawsuit recently filed in St. Clair County court. “The project will materially interfere with the sanctity of Mount Hope, the quality of our local environment, and the future of Belleville. Until the damage is done, there is still
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