242 MW Clean Energy Facility Forecasted to Bring Over $44.2 Million to Local Economy

Project Creates Over 135 Direct Construction Jobs, Local Governments to Receive PILOT Payments, Host Towns will Receive Host Community Benefits

Rigorous Review and Robust Public Participation Ensures Wind Farm Meets or Exceeds Siting Requirements

ALBANY — The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) today granted approval to Baron Winds LLC (Baron Winds) to build and operate a wind facility in Steuben County. The Siting Board’s decision follows a rigorous review and robust public participation process to ensure that the Southern Tier wind farm meets or exceeds all siting requirements.

“In keeping with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s ambitious goals for carbon reduction and for a clean-energy economy, we continue to develop clean energy resources in New York State to help all New Yorkers,” said Siting Board Chair John B. Rhodes. “Appropriately sited wind farms, such as Baron Winds, provide clean and renewable energy and are essential as we continue on the road toward a zero-carbon emission electric sector by 2040.”

The 242-megawatt (MW) Baron Winds project will consist of up to 68 high-capacity, 492-foot tall wind turbines, with associated electrical collection lines, access roads, meteorological towers, an operation and maintenance building, and a collection substation. Eleven of the turbines will be 2.625 MW and the remaining 57 will be 3.675 MW. The project will be located in the Towns of Cohocton, Dansville, Fremont and Wayland, in Steuben County and would interconnect to the state’s electrical grid along the New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in the Town of Cohocton.

The project will include the construction of approximately 16.5 miles of access roads to access the turbine locations, 31 miles of underground collection lines, a collection substation, a point of interconnection with the electric grid through the existing 230 kV Canandaigua switching station owned and operated by NYSEG, up to four permanent meteorological towers each approximately 328 feet tall, up to two temporary staging areas for construction, and a 4,000- to 6,000-square-foot operation and maintenance building.

The facility will be located on privately leased rural land that could continue to be used for farming, forestry and other comparable uses. As described by the developer, the project would have a major positive economic impact on the host communities, including creating 117 direct jobs in construction and construction-related services in the State, with workers earning a total of approximately $5.8 million. The applicant also estimated that the facility would generate 10 onsite jobs during the annual operation of the facility, with earnings of approximately $300,000 to $400,000. Finally, the applicant estimated that 22 construction jobs would be created specifically in Steuben County, with estimated earnings of $1 million.

The Siting Board examiners determined that the wind farm will be a beneficial addition to the electric generation capacity of the State and is consistent with the State’s energy policy and planning objectives. The facility will also serve the goals of improving fuel diversity, grid reliability, and modernization of grid infrastructure. Fuel diversity will be improved through generation of electricity with wind power rather than with fossil fuels; grid reliability will be improved through additional generation of power from a separate site through a different energy source; and modernization of the grid will result from construction of a new electric generating facility. The Siting Board’s decision to grant the certificate is subject to lengthy and detailed conditions that will address the concerns of the parties and ensure that, as built and operated, the project will be consistent with the findings and conclusions of the Siting Board.

Additionally, local governments will receive PILOT payments of approximately $25.7 million over 20 years. Host towns will also receive payments estimated to be up to approximately $12 million over 20 years under community agreements. Participating landowners will also receive payments under agreements with the applicant.

Today’s decision demonstrates how New York is working to achieve Governor Cuomo's Green New Deal — the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, putting the state on a path to being entirely carbon-neutral across all sectors of the economy and establishing a goal to achieve a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. Additionally, the recently passed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) mandates the Green New Deal’s national leading clean energy targets: nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035, six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025, and three gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, while calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. The CLCPA also directs New York State agencies and authorities to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050 and aim to invest 40 percent of clean energy and energy efficiency program resources to benefit disadvantaged communities.

In making its determination, the Siting Board determined that, with appropriate certificate conditions in place, any impacts to the environment have been avoided or, if unavoidable, mitigated to the maximum extent practicable.

Baron Winds filed its formal application with the Siting Board in August 2019. Stakeholders in the proceeding included local elected officials; area residents and environmental advocates; and several state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The Siting Board held two public information sessions, two on-the-record public statement hearings, one procedural conference, and one evidentiary hearing, all in the area of the project, with over 140 total comments.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Documents section of the Department of Public Services Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 15-F-0122 in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call 1-800- 342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.