politics
Federal Officials Ask New York Governor for Details on Solar Projects on Farmland
USDA, EPA and SBA leaders joined by Special Envoy John Rich sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul questioning solar project siting. The June 26 letter cites classification differences between federal and state farmland standards and sets a July 26 response deadline.
Jul 21, 5:59 PM·2m read1 source
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Federal officials from the USDA, EPA and Small Business Administration, along with Special Envoy John Rich, sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul on or before June 26 demanding details on approvals for large solar projects on farmland in upstate New York.
The letter focuses on the proposed 2,600-acre Mill Point Solar complex in Montgomery County and highlights differences between USDA and state soil classifications.
New York Post reported that the letter notes USDA data showing more than 82 percent of the Mill Point site as prime farmland while New York’s Mineral Soil Groups system counts only 11 percent. On some parcels the federal classification marks the land entirely prime while the state system counts less than 5 percent or none as prime. The letter sets a July 26 deadline for the governor’s response.
President Trump appointed country singer John Rich on July 10 as Special Envoy for American Landowners under the USDA with a mandate to advocate for farmers and landowners on renewable energy projects. The appointment followed the state’s placement of industrial solar arrays on an estimated 11,000 acres of USDA-certified prime farmland.
New York’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires 70 percent of statewide electricity from renewable sources, a 40 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels, and at least 3,000 megawatts of storage capacity.
Projects under development include the 4,000-acre Cider Solar Farm in Genesee County and the 2,000-acre Ridge View Solar Farm in Niagara County. New York Post analysis showed that 24,000 acres of solar panels are needed in upstate New York to match the annual output of one typical 25-acre natural gas facility that powers 250,000 homes.
