Original Post Made By: Facebook User David Herman, in the Facebook Group: Stop Solar Farms
October 25, 2020
Do we have anyone from NY state that might have zoning info that can help respond to the following email we received.
"Please help our small town stop the solar companies from coming to our precious farm community.
We have a board meeting this Tuesday at 7 pm.
"They want to put solar panels on 200 acres of perfectly good farmland.
"This would be just to start. All the residents have wells and at the bottom of the hills are stocked trout streams.
"I fear that our water will be contaminated by the chemicals from the solar panels.
Please help."
Help Needed in Small NY Town
Re: Help Needed in Small NY Town
Todd McCauslin
John Droz has an excellent email update sign-up and a very detailed website, including draft solar ordinance recommendations from NY.
Click the following link to read the article: http://wiseenergy.org/?fbclid=IwAR1SoR0 ... GOE1N2OxuM
Click the following link to read the article: http://wiseenergy.org/?fbclid=IwAR1SoR0 ... GOE1N2OxuM
Re: Help Needed in Small NY Town
Julie Aikens Langan
We are dealing with an issue like this too. Scenic rural upstate New York with homes in the mountains, tucked away, overlooking the valley ! One person decides to manipulate the land and purchased parcels to specifically put panels on. He's been planning this for years and never said a word. We now have been fighting it for 1 1/2 years with no end in site. The Town Board last month eliminated Level 3 and 4 which is the ones where they sell back to the grid. We now have this one application left, grandfathered, that they are dealing with. Placement on a hill, with known sink holes and karsts, located between two stone quarries that shake the ground to the core when they blast. Mind you the solar company had no clue what a karst was - he's just there to make his money and run. How long do you think the anchors will last holding these to the ground. What is the rate at which these panels will crack and be useless ! Water from the area will drain into our town. They are cutting 23 acres of trees down to put in approx 28 acres of panels. They say they will not put herbicides but the solar company that is "selling" it at the Town Board meetings are the "Engineers". they design and build. It is then sold to an "investor." Who knows what they will do. All of this will run into our village along with the fact that if they take down all those trees the runoff will be worse and our village is subject to another major flood. So, keep up the fight. We are not against solar but New York State has become the magnet for solar due to our idiot Governor. Our hard earned taxpayer dollars are paying for incentives to site them wherever and whenever. There is a time a place for them but the siting has to be corrected and the technology needs to come a long way before timing is right. You should also be concerned about if a fire starts. Most small communities do not have the proper training in case of a fire of this type. There are many things the board could do to try and deter them from siting them in areas that others property is affected. Our Town is requiring a "cash" bond for decommissioning rather than a "bond." (something insured - not sure). This company has to put cash down. Decommissioning is a joke as the land cannot be turned back into farmland, ever. They sell these things a "temporary." Temporary is a garage sale, a tent set up for a wedding, a flea market. These things are NOT temporary. They are permanent. Try and get a moratorium put on. Put things in there that the landowner must own the land for at least 10 years prior to the applications. We've had downstaters that purchased whole farms and then never did anything with them. Only to find their thoughts were to site solar and get rich. There is a website somewhere in your state that shows "applications" and the status of them. You may be surprised at the properties that have submitted initial interest that may have backed out or not become public yet. Our Comprehensive Plan specifically protects "views" and the historic places. The solar companies will twist and turn it all around to suit their "interpretations" but it's right there ! Maybe something that parcels cannot be combined with the intention of making an area large enough for specifically solar. The land must have had an Ag exemption prior to the application ? Have the board specifically decline Level 3 and 4. Have them not accept battery storage. There's quite a few things you can do if the board is willing to cooperate. Someone should create a zoom meeting amongst people. We have a few very wise, perceptive people in our group. We are fighting to keep our valley scenic and rural without being overrun by money grubbing quick talking business people. These will be the ones that retire to another state and live in their serenity while NYS goes down the tubes.
We are dealing with an issue like this too. Scenic rural upstate New York with homes in the mountains, tucked away, overlooking the valley ! One person decides to manipulate the land and purchased parcels to specifically put panels on. He's been planning this for years and never said a word. We now have been fighting it for 1 1/2 years with no end in site. The Town Board last month eliminated Level 3 and 4 which is the ones where they sell back to the grid. We now have this one application left, grandfathered, that they are dealing with. Placement on a hill, with known sink holes and karsts, located between two stone quarries that shake the ground to the core when they blast. Mind you the solar company had no clue what a karst was - he's just there to make his money and run. How long do you think the anchors will last holding these to the ground. What is the rate at which these panels will crack and be useless ! Water from the area will drain into our town. They are cutting 23 acres of trees down to put in approx 28 acres of panels. They say they will not put herbicides but the solar company that is "selling" it at the Town Board meetings are the "Engineers". they design and build. It is then sold to an "investor." Who knows what they will do. All of this will run into our village along with the fact that if they take down all those trees the runoff will be worse and our village is subject to another major flood. So, keep up the fight. We are not against solar but New York State has become the magnet for solar due to our idiot Governor. Our hard earned taxpayer dollars are paying for incentives to site them wherever and whenever. There is a time a place for them but the siting has to be corrected and the technology needs to come a long way before timing is right. You should also be concerned about if a fire starts. Most small communities do not have the proper training in case of a fire of this type. There are many things the board could do to try and deter them from siting them in areas that others property is affected. Our Town is requiring a "cash" bond for decommissioning rather than a "bond." (something insured - not sure). This company has to put cash down. Decommissioning is a joke as the land cannot be turned back into farmland, ever. They sell these things a "temporary." Temporary is a garage sale, a tent set up for a wedding, a flea market. These things are NOT temporary. They are permanent. Try and get a moratorium put on. Put things in there that the landowner must own the land for at least 10 years prior to the applications. We've had downstaters that purchased whole farms and then never did anything with them. Only to find their thoughts were to site solar and get rich. There is a website somewhere in your state that shows "applications" and the status of them. You may be surprised at the properties that have submitted initial interest that may have backed out or not become public yet. Our Comprehensive Plan specifically protects "views" and the historic places. The solar companies will twist and turn it all around to suit their "interpretations" but it's right there ! Maybe something that parcels cannot be combined with the intention of making an area large enough for specifically solar. The land must have had an Ag exemption prior to the application ? Have the board specifically decline Level 3 and 4. Have them not accept battery storage. There's quite a few things you can do if the board is willing to cooperate. Someone should create a zoom meeting amongst people. We have a few very wise, perceptive people in our group. We are fighting to keep our valley scenic and rural without being overrun by money grubbing quick talking business people. These will be the ones that retire to another state and live in their serenity while NYS goes down the tubes.
Re: Help Needed in Small NY Town
Betty Baker
Julie Aikens Langan
Fantastic post regarding a devastating and widespread problem. Thank you for sharing your issues and knowledge!
Julie Aikens Langan
Fantastic post regarding a devastating and widespread problem. Thank you for sharing your issues and knowledge!
Re: Help Needed in Small NY Town
Julie Aikens Langan
Betty Baker
Please contact Lynne below. Terrific resource. Very knowledgeable.
Betty Baker
Please contact Lynne below. Terrific resource. Very knowledgeable.
Re: Help Needed in Small NY Town
Lynne Bruning
Please contact me LynneBruning at Gmail
Please contact me LynneBruning at Gmail