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Here comes the sun

Forestburgh lifts solar moratorium

Patricio Robayo - Staff Writer
Posted 6/18/18

FORESTBURGH — The moratorium on solar energy system applications has been lifted in Forestburgh. At their most recent town board meeting and after months of lengthy decisions regarding the current …

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Here comes the sun

Forestburgh lifts solar moratorium

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FORESTBURGH — The moratorium on solar energy system applications has been lifted in Forestburgh. At their most recent town board meeting and after months of lengthy decisions regarding the current solar law, a unanimous vote was passed to lift the moratorium.

Since January of this year, the moratorium has been in place in order for the solar committee, planning board and town board members to look over the language of the solar law.

“There was a whole lot of effort put in by the solar committee and I think we have a very good law here, thanks to everyone on the committee,” said Town Supervisor Dan Hogue, Jr.

In response, Steve Budofsky, a member of the town board and solar committee said, “I thank all the committee members and the town board for their hard work, it took a lot of effort from everyone. I am glad we got there.”

New York State adopted a $1 billion initiative known as “NY Sun” as a way to scale up solar energy while moving closer to establishing a sustainable, self-sufficient solar industry here in the state. Forestburgh, as well as other townships in the county, want to be a part of that movement.

According to the resolution that passed, The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has realized that solar energy is an abundant, non-polluting energy source and does not emit greenhouse gases responsible for contributing to climate change.

Goals for this local law have taken into account the impacts that solar energy systems might have on important resources such agricultural lands, forests, wildlife and other protected environmental resources that are in Forestburgh.

The town was to introduce solar energy to help decrease the cost of energy to owners of commercial and residential properties.

Daniel Compitello, zoning and outreach manager for development at Cypress Creek Renewables, was on hand to hear the results of the solar law and was pleased that the local had passed. He stated during the meeting that Cypress will start the process of submitting an application right away.

This local law will apply to all solar energy systems that are applying after the date of the local law.

One of things that had to be made clear was definitions in the solar law such as solar access, array, collector, easement and systems as a whole.

Additionally, the law talks about roof mounted solar energy systems along with large and small installations and the requirements that need to be met.

The local law also provides protections for native vegetation of wildflowers, forbs and grasses that might serve as a habitat or a migratory way station for pollinators.

Those plants are identified by the DEC, Sullivan Renaissance, Cornell Cooperative Extension, National Park Service, New York State Department of Transportation, and Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP).

For the full details of the law, visit http://forestburgh.net

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