(Bloomberg) —

The city of Houston has received approval to move forward with plans to convert a former landfill into a 50-megawatt solar farm.

Mayor Sylvester Turner made the announcement Friday, saying the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality OK’d the city’s proposal to build a solar array in Sunnyside, a historically black neighborhood in southeast Houston. The farm, which will generate enough energy to power 5,000 to 10,000 homes, will be the largest urban solar project in the U.S., according to Turner.

“In Houston, we have re-imagined this space with an environmental-justice lens,” Turner said during a press conference. 

The city has been in discussion for years on ways to redevelop the Sunnyside landfill that closed in 1970. The 240-acre solar project will provide renewable energy to nearby residents and create jobs in the community. Turner said he hopes to break ground next year and be fully operational in July 2023.

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