Allegany County Legislators will be informed on solar farm public hearing

When Allegany County Legislators meet Wednesday afternoon, they will be told of a planned public hearing for the Moraine Solar Energy Center in the town of Burns.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS, REPORTS, ETC.

3. Correspondence dated June 30, 2025, from the Allegany County Industrial Development Agency regarding a Public Hearing Resolution and Notice of Public Hearing regarding the proposed Moraine Solar Energy Center, LLC, Project, noting that the public hearing will be held July 15, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Town of Burns Town Hall.

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Here is a public notice from New York State:

Moraine Solar Energy Center Allegany County, New York 

3-DAY NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE AN APPLICATION 

Moraine Solar Energy Center, LLC (“MSEC” or the “Applicant”), a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF Renewables Development, Inc. (“EDF”), is proposing to construct a major solar electric generating facility up to 94 megawatts (“MW”) in capacity in the Town of Burns, Allegany County, New York (the “Facility”). This notice announces that on or about March 15, 2022, MSEC will file an Application with the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (“ORES” or the “Office”), pursuant to Section 94-c of the New York State Executive Law (the “94-c Process”), seeking a Siting Permit from the Office authorizing the construction and operation of the Facility. The 94-c Process has been implemented by rules enacted by the Office and establishes a review process with uniform standards and conditions for all renewable energy projects. The uniform standards and conditions are available at 19 NYCRR 900.6 and www.ores.ny.gov/regulations. A notice of Intent to File an Application was previously published in accordance with 19 NYCRR §900-1.3(d) on or about December 30, 2021.

The Facility is proposed to include the installation of arrays of photovoltaic panels, arranged in discrete subarrays dispersed throughout the Facility Site, as well as associated electrical collection lines, inverters, a collection substation, security fencing, and access roads. Power generated at the Facility will be stepped up to the interconnection voltage (115 kV) at the collection substation. The Facility will interconnect to the New York electrical grid via the existing Moraine Road substation (the point of interconnection). More information on the proposed Facility can be found on the project’s dedicated website (https://www.edf-re.com/project/moraine-solar/). 

The Facility is a zero-emission solar energy facility that will assist the State in meeting the goals of the Climate Leadership and Protection Act and State Energy Plan, which includes obtaining 70% of energy generation from renewable sources by 2030 and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Other positive impacts of the Facility include diversification of energy supplies, new employment opportunities (both temporary construction employment and full-time jobs), and increased revenues to the Town of Burns, school districts, payments to participating landowners, the local hospitality industry, and purchase of local supplies and goods. In addition, MSEC has attempted to minimize impacts associated with the Project, for example, by limiting the disturbance to forested lands and wetlands to the maximum extent practicable. MSEC will submit an Application that includes extensive studies evaluating the potential impacts associated with the Facility and identified methods which have been agreed to be implemented to avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts. This notice is being provided in accordance with 19 NYCRR § 900-1.6(c) and is being published no less than 3 days prior to the filing of the Application. 

Pursuant to 19 NYCRR 900-5, MSEC will submit with the Application $1,000 dollars for each MW of capacity for local agencies and potential community intervenors, which for this project, totals $93,550. Any local agency or potential community intervenor can submit a request to the Office for funding within thirty (30) days of the date of the application filing. By regulation, 75% of the local agency account funds shall be reserved for local agencies. Intervenor requests will be made to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231-0001. 

To learn more regarding the Project and/or to receive updates on the Application visit https://www.edfre.com/project/moraine-solar/ or contact us at: Moraine Solar Energy Center, LLC c/o EDF Renewables Development, Inc. 15445 Innovation Dr. San Diego, California 92128 

Project Representative: William Colucci, Associate Project Developer 1-833-333-7369 NewYork.Solar@edf-re.com

Governor Kathy Hochul (in 2023) announced the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting has issued a siting permit to Moraine Solar Energy Center, LLC, for EDF Renewables North America to develop, design, construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 94-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Burns, Allegany County. Once completed, this solar facility is expected to generate enough clean energy to power over 25,000 New York homes and reduce carbon emissions by over 130,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to taking nearly 29,000 cars off the road. This solar facility is expected to create more than 130 full-time equivalent jobs during construction and operation.