Virtual Public Statement Hearing Set Regarding Greene County Solar Farm

ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold a virtual public statement hearing on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, regarding Flint Mine Solar, LLC’s (Flint Mine) authority to construct and operate a solar farm in the Towns of Coxsackie and Athens, Greene County.

By order dated August 4, 2021, the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) granted Flint Mine authority to construct and operate a solar farm in the Towns of Coxsackie and Athens, Greene County (the project). In doing so, the Siting Board determined that the project meets all the statutory requirements for certification under Article 10 of the Public Service Law (PSL), including a finding that the project will serve the public interest.

Prior to beginning construction on the project, Flint Mine must obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) pursuant to PSL §68, which would ensure that Flint Mine is properly registered to do business in New York State, that it has received the consent of appropriate municipalities to proceed with the project, and that it is financially capable of doing so. Accordingly, Flint Mine filed a petition on September 23, 2021, and an amended petition on February 23, 2022, requesting that the Commission issue an order granting a CPCN pursuant to PSL §68 and finding that Flint Mine is entitled to a lightened regulatory regime as a participant in the wholesale electric market.

As the scope of the Commission’s review of the petitions filed by Flint Mine on September 23, 2021, and February 23, 2022, is narrow and focuses on questions involving the readiness and feasibility of Flint Mine to begin project construction, this proceeding will not duplicate the public need and environmental compatibility issues previously considered and decided by the Siting Board.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that comments are sought on the petitions filed by Flint Mine on September 23, 2021, and February 23, 2022. Comments may be submitted at a public statement hearing that will be held virtually before the assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) on:

DATE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2022

TIME: 1:00 P.M.

Electronic Access: www.webex.com

Event Number: 2344 687 2916

Password: June8-1pm

Phone-Only Access: 518-549-0500

Access Code: 2344 687 2916

Any person wishing to provide a public statement on the record at the hearing must pre-register to do so by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

To register electronically: Participants who would like to provide a statement and will log in to the hearing electronically must register to do so by visiting www.webex.com by the date and time indicated above, where they should click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, enter the event number listed above, and provide all requested information.

When logging in to the hearing on the appropriate date and time, participants will be asked to “select audio system.” It is recommended that participants opt to have the system “call me” or “call using computer.” The “call me” option will require that participants enter their phone numbers.

To register by phone: Any participant who is not able to log in to the hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants wishing to provide a statement must register to do so by calling 1-800-342-3330 by the date and time noted above, where they should follow the prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide the following information: first and last name, address, and phone number.

On the date and time of the hearing, all call-in users should dial 518-549-0500 and enter the access code listed above.

All participants will be muted upon entry into the hearing. The ALJ will call on each person who has requested to provide a statement to speak. The hearing will be held open until everyone who has registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements to submit comments into the record have been made. Time limits may be set for each speaker, as necessary. It is recommended that lengthy comments be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. A verbatim transcript of the hearing will be made for inclusion in the record of this case.

Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should call the Department of Public Service’s Human Resources Management Office at 518-474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this notice.

Other Ways to Comment:

For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at the public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide your comments. Comments should refer to Case “21-E-0502.” Although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding, they are requested by June 14, 2022.

Internet or Mail: Go to www.dps.ny.gov, click on “Search,” enter “21-E-0502” in the “Search by Case Number” field, and then click on “Post Comments” at the top right of the page. Alternatively, comments may be mailed to the Honorable Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. All written comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission and may be accessed on the Department of Public Service website by searching the case number, as described above, and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab.

Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24 hours a day. These calls are not transcribed verbatim, but a summary is provided to the Commission.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a procedural conference will be held immediately following the public statement hearing, as part of the same teleconference. The principal purposes of the procedural conference are to identify any potential parties and provide interested persons an opportunity to present and explain any proposals regarding the procedures they believe should be followed in this case by the ALJ and Commission, including, but not limited to, whether any issues of fact presented by the petition or public comments warrant an evidentiary hearing. Other procedural issues may also be addressed.

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