CLIFTON - The Adirondack Park Agency Board has approved a proposed 20-megawatt solar generation facility to be constructed on underutilized portions of Benson Mines, Inc.’s land in southern St. Lawrence County near Star Lake.

The project was submitted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as the first Build-Ready Program project in New York State.

Under the 2020 Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, NYSERDA established a Clean Energy Resources Development and Incentives “Build-Ready” Program to encourage expedient siting of renewable energy facilities in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner.

The solar project will be located on lands along State Route 3, near the intersection with County Route 60/Benson Mines Road.

The project will consist of a 20-megawatt alternating current solar photovoltaic array system, sited on a tailings pile from the iron ore mine that was closed in the 1970's, located south of State Route 3.

It will connect to the electric grid via the Star Lake Substation located close by, north of State Route 3.

Once constructed, the facility will contribute directly to New York State’s renewable energy goals and will safely generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power over 4,000 New York households, a press release from agency claimed.

“The Adirondack Park Agency is excited to work with our State Agency partner NYSERDA and local officials from St. Lawrence County to help repurpose portions of this industrial site into a productive clean energy facility that will bring good jobs to the region, generate clean energy, and contribute to the State’s nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,” said APA Chair John Ernst.

“NYSERDA is pleased to see the APA’s approval of New York’s first Build-Ready project, a 20-megawatt revenue-generating solar project that will be located on underutilized portions of Benson Mines,” said Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA.

“As we prepare for this site’s competitive sale later this year, this significant permitting milestone shows progress in the State’s ability to successfully identify and develop industrial sites such as this to advance renewable energy projects responsibly and in a timely manner,” Harris said.

The project was designed and sited to ensure limited tree clearing will occur with the majority of vegetative removal undertaken on the tailings pile.

Additionally, permit conditions require that trees will also be retained between State Route 3 and the solar array to provide visual screening.

The facility as designed and permitted avoids wetlands and ensures no undue adverse negative impacts occur to the other natural resources present on site, the agency said.