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For Immediate Release: 09/15/2022 Rory M. Christian, Chair Contact:
James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
22087 / 15-F-0122; 19-F-0299; 19-F-0366
September 15, 2022
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PSC Moves 3 Major Wind and Solar Projects Ahead |
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Commission Approves Compliance Filings for Clean-Energy Projects Totaling 602 MWs ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved important compliance filings for three major wind and solar farms in upstate New York, part of the continuing effort of the Commission to spur the development of clean, renewable energy in New York State. The actions taken today were needed before the projects could start certain construction related activities or become operational.
“The solar and wind farms being built across our great State are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “Each of these projects benefit all New Yorkers by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, boosting clean-energy investment, creating clean-energy jobs, and improving our environment.”
The compliance filings, considered among the last approvals required before a project becomes operational, relate to the following projects: Baron Winds, a 242-megawatt (MW) project in the towns of Cohocton, Dansville, Fremont, and Wayland, Steuben County; Excelsior Energy Center, a 280-MW solar farm in the Town of Byron, Genesee County; and Trelina, an 80-MW solar farm in the Town of Waterloo, Seneca County.
Regarding Baron Winds, the Commission today approved compliance filings related to its site engineering and environmental plan and cultural resources mitigation. Regarding Excelsior Energy Center, the Commission approved more than 10 compliance filings related to site environmental engineering, site security, route evaluation, visual mitigation and landscape screening, underground and overhead service line layout, and wetland restoration. And finally, the Commission approved compliance filings for the Trelina solar farm needed to initiate tree clearing and grading construction activities and installation of temporary construction trailers for project-related activities.
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy even as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enacted into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $33 billion in 102 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. The Climate Act will ensure that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings. Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Numbers 15-F-0122 [Baron Winds]; 19-F-0299 [Excelsior Energy] and 19-F-0366 [Trelina Solar Energy] 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 us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
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