“Industry loves the accelerated renewable siting law that Gov. Cuomo slipped into last year’s budget. Big Greens seem happy with it, too. But upstate New Yorkers: maybe not so much. From Eden Renewables’ solar project in Schenectady to Alle-Catt’s gigantic wind farm in Cattaraugus, court cases and public opposition tell the story. Accelerated siting sidesteps public input, ducks environmental review and dismisses local law. Our farms and forests are forfeit.
In Glen, New York, Amish oppose ConnectGen’s 250-Megawatt solar facility that could occupy 2,000 acres of agricultural land — a third of the town. The Seneca Nation opposes Inverenergy’s 180-MW, 1,200-acre Horseshoe solar project in the towns of Caledonia and Rush. The Seneca Media video “Protecting Our Ancestors: Saving Native Burial Grounds” describes how indigenous people are harmed by siting policy and greedy out-of-state corporations. In Copake, Hecate Energy is the culprit. “(The company has) no care, regard or respect for our rural community,” said Darin Johnson, spokesperson with Sensible Solar for Rural New York.”
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Higgins, Dennis. The Daily Star 6 July 2021.