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For Immediate Release: 11/03/21 Rory M. Christian, Chair Contact:
James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
21110 / 21-E-0357
November 03, 2021
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Virtual Public Statement Hearings Set Regarding Montgomery County Solar Farm |
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ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold virtual public statement hearings on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, to receive public comments concerning a petition (Petition) by High River Energy Center LLC (High River) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), and lightened regulation from the Public Service Commission (Commission). If issued, the CPCN would authorize High River to construct, own, and operate a solar farm of approximately 90 megawatts (MWs) within the Town of Florida, Montgomery County, New York (the project). The Petition consists of a filing made on June 25, 2021, together with a supplemental filing made on October 18, 2021.
The project will occupy 582.5 fenced-in acres within an overall 1,425-acre project area. The project will consist of utility scale arrays of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which will generate electricity and supply it to New York State’s bulk electric transmission system. In addition to the PV panels, the project also includes facilities, including inverters, fencing, access roads, buried collection lines, laydown/staging areas, a collection substation, and interconnection facilities.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that public statement hearings will be held virtually before the assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), as follows:
Those wishing to comment on any aspect of this proceeding will have the opportunity to make a statement on the record at the virtual public statement hearings. Any person wishing to provide a public statement must register in advance of the hearing.
To pre-register electronically: Participants who would like to provide a statement and will login to a hearing electronically may register to do so by visiting www.webex.com by 5:00 P.M. on November 8, 2021. From the Webex homepage, registrants should click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, enter the appropriate event number listed above, and provide all requested information.
On the appropriate date and time of the hearing, participants should visit www.webex.com, click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, and input the appropriate event number for the hearing. You may need to “refresh” the webex home page if the “Join” button does not at first appear. 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 participants to enter their phone numbers.
To pre-register by phone: Any participant who is not able to login to a hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants wishing to provide a statement may register to do so by calling 1-800-342-3330 by 5:00 P.M. on November 8, 2021, where they should follow prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide the following information: first and last name, address, and phone number.
On the appropriate date and time of a hearing, all call-in users should dial (518) 549-0500 and enter the relevant access code listed above.
All participants will be muted upon entry into the hearing. The ALJ will call on each person who has asked to make a statement. Each public statement 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.
To listen to the hearing: Any person who would like to listen to the hearing without making a statement may access the hearing without pre-registering. The hearings will be livestreamed on the internet and available for viewing on the Department of Public Service YouTube channel on the date and times listed above. To access that YouTube channel, visit the Department’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, and click on the YouTube icon at the bottom of the homepage. In addition, any person without internet access may listen to the hearings by phone by calling (518) 549-0500 and entering the applicable access code.
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: Those who prefer not to present comments at a public statement hearing may provide comments in several other ways. All submitted comments should refer to “Case 21-E-0357.” Although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding, they are requested by November 12, 2021.
Internet or Mail: Go to www.dps.ny.gov, then click on “Search” and enter the case number in the “Search by Case Number” field, and then click on “Post Comments” at the top right of the page; or send comments by email to the Secretary to the Commission at secretary@dps.ny.gov. Alternatively, comments may be mailed to the Hon. 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: You may call the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This number is set up to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24-hours a day. These comments are not transcribed verbatim, but a summary is provided to the Commission. |
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