The Office’s decision follows a detailed review and robust public participation process to ensure that the proposed facility meets or exceeds the requirements of Section 94-c of the Executive Law and its implementing regulations. This wind facility and other major renewable energy facilities permitted and currently under Office review are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change.
“The approval of Heritage Wind carefully balances environmental, community, and policy considerations, and meaningfully advances New York State toward its nation-leading energy goal of 70 percent renewable energy by 2030.” said ORES Executive Director Houtan Moaveni.
On January 13, 2021, applicant transferred its pending Public Service Law article 10 application with a completeness determination from the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment to the Executive Law § 94-c process. The transfer application was deemed complete upon filing pursuant to Executive Law § 94-c. The 184.8 MW project will consist of up to 33 wind turbines with approximately 37 miles of collection lines to deliver power from the site to the collection substation, eventually connecting to National Grid’s existing Lockport-Mortimer 115kV transmission line. The project has been under ORES review since January 2021.
Heritage Wind will create hundreds of jobs and significant local spending. Apex Clean Energy paid $184,800 in intervenor funds to enable municipal and community groups to fully participate in the review of the facilities. In October 2021, the Barre Town Board voted to approve a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Heritage Wind that will bring more than $40 million in new revenue to the community over the next 25 years.
Under the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act (the Act), New York State created the nation's first Office of Renewable Energy Siting to improve and streamline the process for environmentally responsible and cost-effective siting of large-scale renewable energy projects across New York while delivering health, environmental, and economic benefits to local communities. Today's announcement demonstrates swift progress under the state's recently expanded Clean Energy Standard and advances New York’s goal to obtain 70 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030 as mandated in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Office’s website at https://ores.ny.gov/permit-applications.