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Saluda County is being asked to approve Ordinance 15-25, a 30-year Fee In Lieu of Tax (FILOT) agreement for Orion US Land Holding Co LLC, known publicly as Project Octans. Renewable energy is important, but so is honesty, transparency, and responsible stewardship of our county’s future. This ordinance raises serious questions that must be answered before any vote is taken.

What the Ordinance Actually Does

Ordinance 1525 grants Orion a 30-year FILOT agreement and layers on Special Source Revenue Credits (SSRCs) that reduce the company’s tax payments to just $3,000 per megawatt (MWac) of solar capacity. For context, South Carolina’s standard industrial property tax structure typically results in $20,000–$30,000 per MWac per year in county revenue for utilityscale solar projects. By lowering the rate to $3,000, Saluda County is accepting an 85–90% reduction from what comparable projects pay elsewhere.

Ordinance 15-25 Saluda County – FILOT and MCIP Ordinance – Project Octans(62254826.4)Download

A single megawatt of solar capacity powers roughly 150–200 homes, meaning the county is receiving only a fraction of the revenue normally generated by infrastructure of this scale. Without this context, the $3,000 figure sounds harmless — but it represents a massive longterm loss for schools, emergency services, and county operations.

What We Now Know About the Land — and Why It Matters

The ordinance states that the land for Project Octans is “leased by the Company from the U.S. Department of Energy.” Yet Saluda County tax records list the owner as Robert F. Trotter, a private landowner. No federal ownership, federal easement, or federal lease appears in the county’s property records.

This discrepancy raises urgent questions:

  • Why does the Fee Agreement identify the U.S. Department of Energy as the “Lessor” when county records show a private owner?
  • Is the land federal or private — and who provided this information to Council?
  • If the land is private, why is federal language included in a binding 30-year tax agreement?
  • Was boilerplate language copied from another project without verification?
  • If the land were federal (DOE) and thus tax exempt, there would be no need for this FILOT agreement.

The project footprint is expected to cover 1,000–1,200 acres, a scale large enough to impact surrounding farmland, soil quality, and longterm land use. Before committing to a 30-year agreement, citizens deserve clarity about who owns the land, who benefits from the lease, and whether any federal pressure or incentives are influencing local decisionmaking.

Furthermore, after reviewing the FILOT document attached to this article, we noticed some major errors. For example, on page 12 the document defines “Multicounty Park” as a business park in Fairfield County. It appears that the Saluda County used a template from Fairfield County to create this one. If Saluda County officials cannot properly proofread a document, how can they be trusted to put together a sound deal that benefits the county?

The Trade Offs We Cannot Ignore

In exchange for these deep tax reductions, the company pledges to invest $152 million and create only three full-time jobs. The clawback provision terminates the agreement only if the company fails to invest $2.5 million — a minimal threshold for a project of this size.

Meanwhile, Saluda County would be locked into reduced revenue for three decades, with no guarantee of longterm community benefit.

Related Post: Saluda County Land Deal Raises Questions: Incompetence, Favoritism — or Something Worse?

Why This Matters for Every Citizen

This is not a debate about solar energy. It is a debate about truth, transparency, and responsible governance. When an ordinance contains conflicting information about land ownership — the foundation of any development agreement — it signals a deeper problem. If the basic facts are unclear or incorrect, how can citizens trust the financial projections, environmental assurances, or longterm commitments?

Saluda County deserves accurate information, honest leadership, and agreements that strengthen — not weaken — our future.

Call to Action

I urge every resident to attend the public hearing on March 9, 2026. Ask questions. Request documentation. Demand clarity. Our leaders work for us, and our voices matter.

Together, we can protect Saluda’s legacy, land, and people with vigilance, courage, and truth.

Written By Regina Sanders, Adult Sunday School Teacher, Civic Advocate, and Concerned Saluda Citizen