BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — A 180-megawatt solar project planned in the towns of Massena, Brasher and Norfolk was denied approval following a detailed review of the environmental impact the project would have had on the siting area.

In testimony conducted on Nov. 17, 2021, Christopher Balk and Matthew Walter, both of whom are employed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, raised a number of concerns over the project including the impact it would have on the local ecosystem.

During the testimony to the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and Environment (Siting Board), both men pointed to discrepancies in the language and impact brought forth by NextEra Energy’s own reviews. NextEra had identified 151 acres as being potentially impacted with the potential build of the 961 acre project, while DEC officials cited 607 acres of wetland disturbance.

DEC officials also said that NextEra had not demonstrated the impacts to all protected wetlands and adjacent areas could be avoided or minimized as well.

In a release from the Siting Board issued on Aug. 9, officials listed a number of reasons for denying approval of the project.

“The North Side project area consisted of approximately 2,235 acres of leased land. The project was to be sited in rural areas in each of the three towns, which is comprised of agricultural and forested land and includes 37 wetland areas and 11 regulated streams. The wetlands total 1,504 acres, or 67 percent — more than two-thirds – of the project area. The project components were proposed to be located on approximately 1,200 to 1,400 acres of the 2,235 acres making up the project area, and were estimated to impact more than 500 acres of wetlands. In addition, seven threatened or endangered species were documented in the project area,” the release stated.

The Siting Board stated Short-Eared owl and Golden Eagle habitats would be interrupted or potentially destroyed. Both are listed as endangered species.

Threatened species listed in the release include Blanding’s Turtles, Northern Harriers, Sedge Wrens, Upland Sandpipers and Bald Eagles.

Species of special concern listed were Vesper Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows.

“It’s important to note that significant efforts by State agency parties were made throughout the review process to have the developer change the project to reduce the impacts on wetlands and endangered species, including by reducing the size of the project,” officials stated.

According to the press release NextEra can seek an appeal of the Siting Board’s decision or can file a new application.

The project had already endured some scrutiny, despite county officials and IDA Director Pat Kelly showing support.

Critics highlighted the possibility of extending a PILOT to 15 years through the IDA, which goes against the norm of a 10-year PILOT other projects have procured in the past.

Another point of contention was the creation of jobs and in turn the lack of full-time, permanent positions after the project was to be completed.

A presentation to the Massena Central School District in Sept. 2021 by NextEra Energy representative Kris Scornavacca drew some criticism after it was revealed the jobs created during the building phase would be “200 full-time equivalent jobs,” though those jobs would only last for roughly one year.

Similar projects have also received mixed reviews in the past, with a proposed 4.4 megawatt solar project in Madrid being nixed by the County Planning Board in February.

A request for comment from NextEra Energy officials was not immediately returned as of press time.