State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) on Wednesday announced his opposition to a proposed 4,500-acre solar energy complex in Stockton, joining a growing wave of local resistance to the project.

The solar farms are being developed by Nashville-based Silicon Ranch to power Meta’s data center under construction south of Montgomery.

The two facilities, known as Stockton I and Stockton II, would generate a combined 260 megawatts of electricity purchased by Alabama Power under 25-year agreements. All output is contracted to Dotier LLC, a Meta subsidiary.

Though the project falls in an adjoining Senate district, Elliott said Baldwin County needs to present a unified front.

“I passed legislation to ban mud dumping in Mobile Bay in order to protect the environment that makes Baldwin County such a special place to live, and for that same reason, I oppose the proposed solar energy complex in Stockton,” Elliott said. “While the project is not located in my Senate district, it is important for all of Baldwin County to stand tall together when our communities feel threatened and the public’s voices are not being heard by the bureaucrats in Montgomery.”

The proposed solar site sits near the 260,000-acre Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, the second-largest river delta in the United States. Often called “Alabama’s Amazon,” the wetlands area supports Baldwin County’s commercial fishing, shrimping, and crabbing industries and serves as a tourism draw.

“I am a proud MAGA supporter of President Donald Trump, and he has taught us the importance of listening to the people, not the politicians, when it comes to important issues affecting our homes and our quality of life,” Elliott said. “Alabama has more than 50,000 square miles of land, so there are plenty of other areas outside Baldwin County that could host this project without threatening wetlands that feed our commercial seafood industry and provide jobs to our friends, families, and neighbors.”

Residents have organized against the project under a group called “Stop Solar in Stockton,” and hundreds attended a community meeting earlier this week. Many said they were unaware of the project until after the PSC granted approval in December.

The Baldwin County Commission has said it lacks the authority to regulate land use on private property in unincorporated, unzoned areas under Alabama state law.

Elliott noted that the Legislature has provided Baldwin County residents with the ability to manage land use through planning districts and zoning, and that residents of Stockton or any other unzoned area can pursue land use controls through local referendum.

Silicon Ranch has said it plans to develop roughly 2,000 of the 4,500 acres and maintain the remainder in conservation. The company has said it does not disturb wetlands and designs projects to integrate with local ecosystems.

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may email him at [email protected].