Solar Resource Page
Washington County Solar Projects
| Public Information Events Boralex is hosting an In-person Open House for the Fort Edward Solar Project
The Fort Edward Solar Project is a proposed 100 MW solar facility to be located within the town boundaries of Fort Edward and Argyle. Boralex is the developer and long-term owner and operator of this project and intends to be a contributing member of the community and good neighbor. This event will be an opportunity to discuss the proposed Fort Edward Solar Project, ask one-on-one questions directly to a member of the Boralex team and review informational posters. We are hosting this event to provide information, hear feedback from the community, and answer questions. The meeting will be an open house style event with informational posters and staff to answer questions one-on-one. There will be no formal presentation, so you can arrive whenever is most convenient for you during the three-hour period. Light refreshments will be available. Please let us know if you have any questions about the event itself. If you can’t make it, the posters will be added to the project webpage after the event on www.boralex.com/projects/fort-edward You can also call or email us anytime with questions. The contact information for the project team is provided below. We hope to see you there! Marc Stachiw Development Manager 403-880-4939 [email protected] Rochelle Rumney Manager, Environment & Community Relations 365-323-8500 [email protected] Melissa Mansfield Advisor, Public Affairs & Communication 518-339-7769 [email protected] .....................................................................................................................................................................................................Links to Active Boaralex Solar Project Pages: |
| Easton Solar Farm - Boralex |
| Fort Edward Solar Farm - Boralex |
| Bald Mountain Solar Farm (Greenwich) - Boralex |
NYS Solar Guidebook
NYSERDA's Guidebook is a first stop when seeking to learn about solar planning in New York State. Here you find information, tools and step-by-step instructions to support local governments managing solar energy development in their communities. The publication contains information about a range of solar energy topics.
Solar Basics - Solar Permitting/Inspecting - Roof Top Access/Ventilation - SEQR for Solar - Real Property Tax Law §487 - PILOT Toolkit - Land Use Tools/Large Scale Solar/Farmland Protection - Solar in Agricultural Districts - Land Owner/Solar Leases - Decommissioning - Model Solar Energy Local Law - Municipal Solar Procurement Toolkit
- NY-SUN
- NYSERDA
- ORES
- ARTICLE 10
- REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW SECTION 487 EXEMPTIONS (PILOT)
- MUNICIPAL SOLAR REGULATION
- MORE
NY-SUN , part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) , connects local municipal governments, homes and business with solar energy resources
- Local Government Resources: Training, tools, and assistance to help local governments and jurisdictions identify opportunities, mitigate barriers, and create solar programs
- Education: Information resources for homeowners & renters
- Resources: Incentives and Financing for Home and Business: Range of offerings to make going solar more affordable
- Community Solar Opportunity to participate in community solar projects for all New York Homes and Businesses:
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NYSERDA, promotes energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. NYSERDA provides resources to help local governments understand how to manage clean energy development in their communities. These resources include step-by-step instructions and tools to guide the implementation of clean energy.
NYSERDA works with local governments one-on-one to help them meet their clean energy goals. Free technical assistance is available to local governments on clean energy siting, permitting, property taxes, procurement, State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), or any other question a municipality may have.
NYSERDA's Technical Assistance and Workshop Page
To request a free training for your municipality or to ask questions email [email protected]
or fill out the Technical Assistance Form
Office of Renewable Siting (ORES)
Downloadable Fact Sheet
All large-scale, renewable energy projects 25MW or larger are required to obtain a siting permit from ORES for new construction or expansion.
Projects in the initial phases of the current Article 10 siting process through the State’s Siting Board may remain in Article 10 or opt to transfer into the new siting process.
New projects sized between 20 - 25 MW may also elect to apply for a siting permit.
NYSERDA Solar Siting Informational Page
Informational Webinar Presentations, Hearing Transcripts & Public Comments:
Helpful resources that answer questions about the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth & Community Benefit Act
Article 10 was enacted in 2011 to be a portion of the New York State Public Service Law. It is a general state law that is applicable in all of New York State. Article 10 empowers the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) to issue Certificates of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (certificate) authorizing the construction and operation of major electric generating facilities.
With the passing of New York’s Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act April 2020 certain large scale projects are directed through Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) Under this new regulatory structure
- new renewable energy projects greater than or equal to 25 MW will seek a permit through the Office of Renewable Energy Siting
- existing renewable energy projects in the Article 10 queue will continue to seek a permit through Article 10
- non-renewable electric generating facilities greater than 25 MW will continue to seek a permit through Article 10
- smaller facilities 24 MW and less are permitted at the local level
Read More information HERE
Real Property Tax Law Section 497 Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes PILOT
| Description: |
|---|
NYS RPTL § 487 exempts the value of a solar panel system from local property taxes.Under the law, any increase in the property value attributable to the addition of the solar panel system is exempt from property tax. The law allows any taxing jurisdiction (town, school, etc.) to “opt-out” of the tax exemption by adopting a local law or resolution, making the added value of a solar panel system fully taxable.
Alternatively, a taxing jurisdiction that does not opt-out can require a solar developer to pay an annual fee or “payment- in-lieu of taxes” as a replacement for the taxes it would have otherwise collected.
Under the law, PILOT amounts cannot exceed what the tax amount would have been without the exemption. Additionally, the law does not allow jurisdictions to partially opt out of the law to generate tax revenue from large solar projects while exempting the small systems of homeowners. Opting out of RPTL § 487 makes community solar projects financially unviable and makes homeowners’ rooftop systems more expensive. |
| Link to NYS Real Property Tax Law Section 487 |
| NYSERDA Pilot Toolkit Informational Video |
| Washington County Municipal 487 Exemption List |
Municipal Solar Regulation
| Municipality | Regulation | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Argyle (T) | Yes YR-2018 | Shelley McKernon, Town Clerk
(518) 638-8681
|
| Argyle (V) | No | Joyann Stimpson, Village Clerk
(518) 955-2766 |
| Cambridge (T) | Yes YR(s)- 2016; 2018 | Heather Greenawalt, Town Clerk
(518) 677-5532
|
| Dresden (T) | APA Regulations Apply | Marcinda Wilbur, Town Clerk
(518) 499-1813
|
| Easton (T) | Yes YR(s) - 2016; 2018 | Meghan Phalen, Town Clerk
(518) 692-2678
|
| Fort Ann (T) | Yes YR(s) 2016; 2018 APA Regulations Apply |
Barbara Winchell, Town Clerk
(518) 639-8929,
|
| Fort Ann (V) | No | Linda Blondin, Village Clerk
(518) 639-4416
|
| Fort Edward (T) | Yes YR(s) 2016; 2018 | Amy Mahoney, Town Clerk
(518) 747-5212
|
| Fort Edward (V) | Yes 2016 | Peter Amorosi, Village Clerk
(518) 747-4023 x1
|
| Granville (T) | Yes 2016 | Jenny Martelle, Town Clerk
642-1500, ext 4
|
| Granville (V) | No | Richard H. Roberts, Village Clerk
(518) 642-2640
|
| Greenwich (T) | Yes 2017 | Joanna Messina
518-692-7611 x100
|
| Greenwich (V) | No | Jane Dowling, Village Clerk
(518) 692-2755 x100
|
| Hampton (T) | Yes 2016 | Rebecca S. Jones, Town Clerk
(518) 282-9830
|
| Hartford (T) | Yes 2016 | Denise Petteys, Town Clerk
(518) 632-9151
|
| Hebron (T) | No | Dorothy Worthington, Town Clerk
(518) 854-3384
|
| Jackson (T) | Yes YR(s) 2016; 2017; 2022-2023 in progress | Town Clerk
(518) 518-677-0356
|
| Kingsbury (T) | Yes YR9(s) 2014; 2015; 2018 | Cynthia A. Bardin, Town Clerk
(518) 747-2188, x3001
|
| Hudson Falls (V) | Yes YR(s) 1990; 2014; | Ellen Brayman, Village Clerk
(518) 747-5426 Ext. 205
|
| Putnam (T) | APA Regulations Apply | Darlene Kerr
(518) 547 - 8317
|
| Salem (T) | Yes 2016 | Patricia Gilchrist, Town Clerk
(518) 854-3277
|
| White Creek (T) | No | Lisa Austin Cuddihy
(518) 677-8545
|
| Cambridge (V) | Yes | Lance Allen Wang
(518) 677-2622
|
| Whitehall (T) | No | Patti Gordon, Town Clerk
(518)499-1535
|
| Whitehall (V) | No | Stephanie LaChapelle, Village Clerk
(518)499-0871
[email protected]tehallny.org |
Programs
Link U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) InSPIRE Project
Link National Center for Appropriate Technology AgriSolar Clearinghouse
Link Cornell Atkinson Institute of Sustainability
Link University of Maryland, Cornell Univeristy, Oklahoma State Univeristy Research: Solar Energy Production on Agricultural Lands [Program Page in Development 2023]
Link American Farmland Trust Smart SolarSM Program &Farmers Powering Communities &Genesse River Demonstration Farms Network
Reports
- Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing An Abundant Future (2022)
- Smart Solar Siting on Farmland: Achieving Climate Goals While Strengthening the Future for Farming in New York (2022)
Guides
- Solar Leasing Guide for Agricultural Landowners (2022) [developed by AFT PNW program useful to NY]
Policy
- NYS Agricultural Technical Working Group (A-TWG)
- Guidelines for Solar Energy Project Construction Mitigation for Agricultural Lands (Revision 10/18/2019) [NYS Ag & Markets]
- Farmland Protection Working Group (NYS Ag & Markets)
Regulation
Training
- Municipal Leadership Training ~ scroll down page to Solar Specific Trainings & Resources