FORESTBURGH – RWE representatives appeared before the Forestburgh Town Board to provide an update on the proposed Town Line Solar project, outlining the project’s size, expected benefits, permitting process and environmental plans.

The presentation was made at the board’s request, but public participation was limited during the discussion. Town Supervisor Dan Hogue announced at the beginning of the presentation that the floor would be open to questions from the town board, but that public comment would not be taken. Board members were encouraged to ask questions based on concerns they and residents had raised in recent months.

Connor Roth, a senior manager and the RWE developer overseeing Town Line Solar, said the company began working on the project approximately three years ago and submitted its Article 8 application to the state in July 2026. Attorney Jim Moscato, who represents RWE in the state permitting process, also participated in the presentation.

RWE said Town Line Solar is planned as a 200-megawatt solar facility with a 100-megawatt battery storage component. The project covers approximately 1,200 acres across the towns of Forestburgh and Thompson, with roughly 405 acres located in Forestburgh.

Board member Vincent Galligan questioned why Forestburgh was selected for a project of this size.

Roth said RWE does not receive a state directive telling the company where to locate solar facilities. Instead, the company looks primarily for available capacity along major transmission lines. In this case, the project is located along the Marcy South transmission corridor, which RWE identified as having available capacity.

After identifying an appropriate transmission connection, the company looks for enough acreage and willing landowners and then evaluates local conditions and regulations, he said.

Galligan also questioned the amount of forest clearing, the project’s proximity to the Neversink Gorge and state-owned property, and potential impacts on wildlife, including eagles. RWE said environmental and avian studies had been conducted as part of the permitting process and that no eagle nests or observations were identified during the surveys.

RWE said approximately 460 acres in Forestburgh are proposed for long-term conservation easements, including environmentally sensitive areas near the Neversink Gorge. The company said those areas would remain unfenced to allow wildlife movement.

The board also questioned whether the project could affect surrounding property values. Roth said RWE has reviewed studies of property values near existing solar facilities and said those studies generally have not found a measurable decrease in property values. He offered to provide the board with additional research.

Construction is currently projected to begin with site preparation in late 2027, with major construction beginning in 2028 and commercial operation targeted for the end of 2029.

RWE estimates more than 400 construction jobs could be created during the approximately two-year construction period. The company has also proposed $900,000 in its first year of direct payments to Forestburgh, Thompson and Sullivan County, increasing by 2% annually over a 20-year agreement.

The project remains subject to review by the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and the Environment. RWE representatives said the state permitting process will include future opportunities for public comment and public hearings, and encouraged the community to review the Town Line Solar presentation through the website www.CleanEnergyForSullivan.com.