Aquifer Permits For Two Solar Projects Tabled by C-ville Town Board – Wildlife, Flooding, and Fire Concerns Raised on One Project

The Cortlandville Town Board tabled their vote on issuing two aquifer protection permits for solar projects within the town during their board meeting on Wednesday evening. The board voted unanimously to table issuing the permits to DG Riley Road, LLC and Crown City Solar 1, 2, & 3, LLC. 

DG Riley Road proposes to construct a 5 megawatt solar field with a 15 megawatt battery energy storage system. Crown City Solar looks to construct three floating solar fields on the quarry pond owned by Suite-Kote in Polkville. 

Reason as to why the aquifer protection permit for DG Riley Road, LLC was tabled during the meeting was provided by Keegan Coughlin, of Coughlin and Gerhart, who spoke on behalf of Tom Fucillo, of Hancock Estabrook, who was unable to attend the meeting Wednesday. Fucillo has been representing the town on this project.

“[Fucillo] has recommended that this be held over because the Planning Board has not had the chance to make a formal recommendation yet on this due to the engineering report being slightly delayed and at the August 26th meeting, the Planning Board [tabled]. So they have not formally provided you with the recommendation on an aquifer permit.”

Coughlin said to the town board.

For Crown City Solar 1, 2, & 3, LLC, the Planning Board provided the town board with their recommendation of approval of an aquifer protection permit with conditions by the planning board along with conditions from county planning. Mr. Coughlin, again speaking on behalf of Fucillo, the town’s outside engineer did review flooding risk, adding the floating panels having a suspension system to allow the panels to rise or lower. He continued on to say a “thorough” analysis was conducted, particularly for wildlife and waterfowl as part of the planning board’s recommendation.

Speaking in favor of issuing the permit for the project was Councilperson Glenn Reisweber, who said he liked the location of the project, in an industrial area. He continued on to say he has heard from constituents on their concerns of the loss of prime farmland from recent solar development projects. With the recommendation of approval for this project from Mr. Fucillo, the Planning Board, and the Cortland County Planning Board, Reisweber said this is the balance needed to where prime farmland is not taken away and renewable energy can be constructed.

“You gotta strike a balance, right?” Reisweber said. “ This is a balance in both the agriculture plan of 2018 and the comprehensive plan where it talks about protecting the visual beauty of where we live. It’s in there…. It was passed by you, and me, and us about the importance of protecting the agricultural heritage of where we live, but it also talks about sustainable energy and moving that way.”

He continued on that it is tough to strike a balance between maintaining the agricultural heritage of the town and moving towards sustainable energy. He says Crown City Solar strikes the balance needed.

Fellow Councilperson, David Donlick however, had a different viewpoint. He says he has been approached by constituents for the past few weeks regarding the project. He says concerns have come up on aquifer protection, proximity to the Tioughnioga River, and wildlife of birds who rest on the shoreline. As a result, Donlick said he will listen to his constituents and vote “No” on the issuance of an aquifer protection permit.

Councilperson Sunday Earle spoke on her concern is the fire risk, referencing the risks mentioned by Cortlandville Fire Chief Biviano of how the fire department cannot fight these kinds of fires and they must burn out, sometimes taking days to do so. Earle said she would like further information on the project and posed fire risks.    

Town Board members all agreed that there needs to be more information provided based specifically on their questions and concerns of water, flooding, waterfowl, and fire risk, and not from a 600+ page document. A vote on issuance of the aquifer protection permit for Crown City Solar 1, 2, & 3, LLC is expected on their October 1st meeting.