[Jane Mann] is a retired Northampton science teacher and is concerned that photosynthesis, which depends upon sunlight, would not happen and would keep the vegetation from growing. She said she has observed areas near solar panels where vegetation is brown and dead because it did not receive enough sunlight.She also questioned the high number of cancer deaths in the area, saying no one could tell her that solar panels didn't cause cancer.
Mann's husband warned that the entire town would be devastated by the panels stealing all the sun's energy. There were other concerns that the farms would drive down property values, depress the economy of the town, and that people would sell off their land to solar developers and leave the area.
In the end, even with some supporters coming forward, the solar farm's permit was denied by a vote of 3 to 1. A later vote placed a moratorium on any future solar farms in the area.