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For Immediate Release: 04/09/20
John B. Rhodes, Chair
Contact:
James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
20038 / 16-F-0559 April 09, 2020
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Siting Board Reaffirms Prior Approval of Broome County Wind Farm |
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124 MW Clean Energy Facility Creates 150 Direct Construction Jobs
ALBANY — The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) today reaffirmed its earlier decision granting Bluestone Wind, LLC (Bluestone Wind) approval to build and operate a wind farm in Broome County. The Siting Board’s decision follows a detailed and careful review of three petitions that were filed seeking reconsideration of the initial December 2019 decision. On January 15, 2020, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, Inc.; the Broome County Concerned Residents; and a resident of the Village of Johnson City filed separate petitions for rehearing, each arguing the Siting Board committed errors of fact and law when it issued its December 2019 decision. Today’s decision to deny the rehearing petitions is based on the extensive record in this proceeding and the submissions of the parties. The Siting Board found that its earlier decision was appropriate based on its statutory authority and a thorough and appropriate hearing of the facts in this case.
In December, the Siting Board approved the 124-megawatt (MW) Bluestone Wind project, which will consist of up to 27 wind turbines (23 in the Town of Sanford and four in the Town of Windsor), together with associated underground collection lines, access roads, two permanent meteorological towers, and an operation and maintenance building in the Town of Sanford.
In addition to the turbines, a substation will be located in the Town of Sanford at the end of the project’s 34.5-kilovolt collection system and will include a 10-megawatt battery storage system. A second substation will be located at the point of interconnection, adjacent to an existing electric transmission line owned by New York State Electric and Gas Corporation. The two substations will be connected by a 200-foot long span of overhead 115-kilovolt transmission line.
The facility will be located on privately leased rural land that, according to Bluestone, will enable landowners to continue with existing land uses, such as forestry operations, mining and hunting. The Project will provide economic benefits by creating direct jobs, will generate revenues for local governments through Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements, and will provide revenues for participating landowners through lease and other agreements.
Bluestone Wind and other wind and solar projects currently under development are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets.
Today’s decision related to Bluestone Wind 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 16-F-0559 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. |
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