Opponents Vow To Continue Fight Against Carlisle/Seward Solar Facility

By Chris English

CARLISLE/SEWARD — There's no quit in those fighting the 20 MW Rock District solar energy facility in the Towns of Carlisle and Seward.

At the Wednesday, May 7 Carlisle Town Board meeting, Citizens Against Solar Assault member Bill Toohey handed out more documentation to board members that he feels shows evidence of negative effects the solar facility would have on water near it.

Town Supervisor John Leavitt said he would give the documentation to the attorney and engineer representing Carlisle in the matter. The facility recently received a final site permit from the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES).

However, when the facility would actually be constructed and begin operation is open to some question. Schoharie County Supervisors, led by Donald Airey of Blenheim, scored a recent victory when their lawsuit challenging the way solar and wind energy facilities are assessed for tax purposes received a favorable ruling from the state Supreme Court.

That ruling was appealed by the state Attorney General's Office, which wants a stay against the favorable ruling for the county. As currently constituted pending the result of the appeal, the ruling means that solar and wind facilities would be assessed at full value, Leavitt said.

"Everything is kind of tied up in court right now," he said at the May 7 meeting. "Attorneys think that the court case could take a year. We contacted Rock District to set up a meeting to talk about things like a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreement and they have not gotten back to us.

"From an investor's standpoint, I would not be telling Rock District to go forward without knowing whether assessments will be at 20 percent or 100 percent of full value."

Toohey expressed his gratitude to the Carlisle board on behalf of CASA.

"Thank you for your continued support of us, listening to us," he said. "We're not giving up."

Councilman Robert Smith again brought up the possible role President Donald Trump could play in slowing down or halting the development of solar energy facilities.

"With these tariffs, where will the solar panels come from?" Smith asked.

"Very few solar panels are made in the United States," Leavitt added.

In other actions at the May 7 meeting, town board members approved high bids for two aging town tractors, a Case IH 895 and New Holland 4630. The approval is subject to an OK from Town Highway Superintendent Mike Broadwell, who was on vacation and unable to attend the meeting.

The high bids were $10,880 for the Case and $7,654 for the New Holland. Leavitt did not want to give the names of the high bidders until Broadwell gave his anticipated OK. Town Clerk Stacy Bruyette opened the sealed bids during the meeting and read out the numbers.