Southern Swiss region rejects a plan to fast-track big solar parks on Alpine mountainsides

GENEVA (AP) — Voters in a southern Swiss region have rejected a plan to allow large solar parks on their sun-baked Alpine mountainsides as part of the federal government’s push to develop renewable energies. Sunday’s referendum in the Valais canton centered on economic and environmental interests at a time of rising concerns about climate change. The canton wrote on its official website that 53.94% voted against the proposal. “Not-in-my-backyard”-style opposition to the plan over a presumed blight on bucolic Swiss mountain vistas had made for some unusual political allies in the Alpine country. A rejection does not torpedo solar parks entirely if the private sector wants to develop them.