by Ellen Cardone Banks
The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter has announced its first endorsement of a large-scale solar power project: South Ripley Solar, a 270 Megawatt (MW) photovoltaic plus a 30 MW battery storage facility proposed by ConnectGen in Chautauqua County. The project area is on the Chautauqua Ridge, well above the vineyards along Lake Erie, and on the part of the NY/Pa border that runs north and south. It could generate enough electricity to power 44,000 homes and is under review by the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) established under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
As most Sierra Club members know, large-scale solar and wind are essential components of the transition to renewable energy to meet New York State’s climate goals. In 2019, chapter volunteers and Sierra Club National Beyond Coal Campaign NY lead organizing representative David Alicea worked on an evidence-based assessment procedure for wind and solar projects greater than 25 MW. While National Sierra Club policy supports “responsibly sited” large-scale renewables (LSR) there has not been a clear definition of “responsibly sited.” The resulting document was approved in 2020 by the Atlantic Chapter Executive Committee, and may serve as a model for other state chapters to evaluate clean energy projects.
The process starts with volunteers from one of our ten regional groups collecting information about projects proposed in their areas, which may include reviewing ORES applications, visiting project sites, attending community meetings, and reaching out to municipal elected officials. South Ripley was evaluated by two Niagara Group volunteers who toured the project area and reviewed applications and other evidence. Other projects are under review by the Rochester Regional Group and the Hudson Mohawk Group.
Topics included in the LSR review process are: Impact on forested land, wetlands and riparian (river and stream) areas, wildlife, and food production and workers; community benefits, tax base, local labor agreements, community engagement and listening, and wider community benefits. Each topic is given a score, with total points determining whether endorsement is recommended, with the proviso that a very deficient score on one area could lead to non-endorsement. The committee has the option to withhold approval pending redesign of aspects that raise environmental or social concerns. The review committee’s findings are then reviewed by a working group composed of chapter leaders and a National staff member assigned to our state.
South Ripley Solar has earned Atlantic Chapter endorsement with high marks in each evaluation area, and we anticipate a favorable review from ORES and a permit to begin construction of an environmentally sound project that will replace fossil fuel-generated energy with the unlimited power of the sun.