BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

CANTON – EDF Renewables will be filing an application to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) in the near future for its 240 megawatt solar project on a footprint of approximately 1,700 acres centered on the Rich Road in the Town of Canton.

The application will be seeking a Siting Permit from ORES authorizing the construction and operation of the Rich Road Solar Energy Center, a solar electric generating facility up to 240 megawatts in capacity along with 20 megawatts of battery energy storage.

“The application must be printed and hand delivered so there are always delays possible but we’re generally on schedule,” said Jack Honor, director of development, Grid Scale Power, NY.

Honor reported Tuesday that the company is still working through some printing and the application may not be filed this week.

“We are working closely with the town and are taking the Town’s requests seriously and incorporating many of the changes requested before the application goes in,” he added.

Once the application is filed, noted Honor, ORES has 60 days to review it for completeness.

“No project has ever been deemed complete on the first submission. It’s common to get comments and submit revised portions,” Honor explained. “If a notice of incomplete application is issued, we have 60 days to revise and then ORES has another 60 days to review for completeness again.”

Honor also pointed out that applications for intervenor funding for local municipalities and groups are due within 30 days of application filing.

There will be $240,000 available, he said.

“Once the application is deemed complete, the formal process to solicit written comments from the public and the towns will begin. ORES has one year to approve it once it’s deemed complete,” Honor stated. “There will be a public hearing as well, probably sometime in late summer or early fall.”

The Village of Canton will be seeking intervenor funding.

“This is a massive operation. I just think it will have an impact on us and we should be in a position to comment and be taken seriously,” stated Mayor Michael Dalton at a Nov. 16 board meeting.

“It would be irresponsible of us not to do this,” Trustee Beth Larrabee added.

The Rich Road solar project includes acreage along U.S. Route 11, Old Dekalb Rd., Old Route 11, Rich Rd., Miner Street Rd., Jingleville Rd., and Irish Settlement Rd.

The Rich Road project hasn’t come without public outcry. A citizens coalition has since been formed to not only voice concerns about how the project will affect the landscape and composition of the Town of Canton but also put pressure on the developers to build a solar center that best conforms to the region.

A group of regular speakers have addressed members of the town board, expressing their concerns at monthly meetings during public comment.

In November, speakers also noted they have not been informed about the project, asking town leaders to better publicize progress on the solar project.

The Rich Road facility is proposed to include the installation of arrays of photovoltaic panels, approximately 10 feet in height and arranged in discrete subarrays dispersed throughout the facility site, as well as an associated electrical collection lines, inverters, a battery energy storage system, interconnection substation, fencing, access roads, and an operations and maintenance building, the required Notice of Intent to File an Application published in the Jan. 20-26 edition of North Country This Week reads.

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. 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 Canton, St. Lawrence County and Canton Central School District, payments to participating landowners, and support of local businesses through patronage of the local hospitality industry and purchase of local supplies and goods. The notice reads.