Yesterday, Hecate Energy made the decision to disregard and ignore the Town of Copake and move forward with New York State’s new expedited siting process. This marks a milestone decision by the out-of-state solar developer who has long proclaimed their willingness to work with our community. The proposed solar project by Hecate Energy violates local Town of Copake zoning laws and continues to face wide opposition.
Hecate Energy’s proposed “Shepherd’s Run” industrial-size solar facility will devastate more than 250 acres of natural landscape and farmland in Copake and Craryville, NY. In 2017, the Town enacted a prohibition on large-scale solar energy systems to ensure that companies respect its natural resources, farmland, wildlife, rural viewsheds, property values, and agriculture- and tourism-centric economy. Shepherd’s Run is a clear violation of local zoning laws, and Hecate Energy has failed to engage meaningfully with Town officials and community representatives. It’s become crystal clear that Hecate Energy cares more about profiting than putting the interests of Copake and its residents first.
“The thinly veiled smoked screen has cleared, and Hecate Energy has emerged as the greedy, out-of-state company with no care, regard or respect for our rural community. Despite the empty words and gestures over the past year, we were hopeful. But now Hecate Energy has blown past any sincere opportunity to enter into discussions with the Town and its people. They are making the concerted choice to further by-pass the community by electing to engage in an expedited process that provides no balance of power to the local community disrupted by the project,” said Darin Johnson, a representative with Sensible Solar for Rural New York.
In 2020, New York State passed the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act as a part of the FY 2020-2021 budget. The intention of the legislation was to fast-track siting for proposed large scale energy projects that work towards New York State’s clean energy goals established in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. As a result, in March 2021 an expedited siting process was enacted that applies to large-scale, renewable energy projects larger than 25 megawatts that will now be allowed to seek a permit through the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) for new construction or expansion. Specifically, the legislation creates the option for projects already in the initial phases of the current Article 10 siting process, which Hecate Energy was, to remain in Article 10 or opt-in to the new siting process. They have chosen the latter.
“New York State is facing a looming crisis with developers being empowered and emboldened to enter our communities with absolutely no incentive to work with town or community members. Action must be taken immediately to prevent our rural communities from becoming the ‘Wild West’ of renewable energy sites. This cannot be the beginning of the end for rural communities across New York,” Johnson added.
Hecate Energy entered into the Article 10 process in January 2020 and is able to determine which siting process to proceed with. The decision to transfer their siting application makes the company only the fourth project to do so since the law was enacted. The transfer further violates “home rule,” through expediting the bypass of local zoning laws with New York State.