The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) today granted Eight Point Wind, LLC, a 118 megawatts (MW) wind farm in the towns of Greenwood and West Union in Steuben County, an amendment to its sound testing compliance protocol. Further, the Siting Board denied a rehearing petition submitted regarding Alle-Catt Wind Energy LLC, developer of a 340-MW wind farm in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Wyoming counties. The two projects, along with other wind and solar projects currently under development, are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (Climate Act) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets.
“In keeping with Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious goals for carbon reduction and for a clean energy economy, we must continue to develop the clean energy resources in New York State needed to help all New Yorkers,” said Siting Board Chair Rory M. Christian. “Our actions today regarding Eight Point Wind and Alle-Catt Wind will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and demonstrates that renewable energy works in New York and helps move us toward a clean energy future.”
The Siting Board found that the changes to the sound testing compliance protocol for Eight Point Wind would not result in a significant adverse increase to environmental impacts as compared to the original certificated facility. The approved modifications relate only to data collection and processing procedures and do not change any of the requirements of the original certificate.
The Siting Board said approval of the change does not relieve Eight Point Wind of the need to comply with the terms, conditions, limitations, or modifications of the construction and operation of the facility authorized in the certificate, and Eight Point Wind will be required to comply with the procedures for compliance filings, including filing and notice requirements prior to any related construction.
In addition, the Siting Board denied a petition for rehearing submitted by Cattaraugus County. In December 2023, Cattaraugus County filed a petition for rehearing after the Siting Board found that the county caused unreasonable delay in the Alle-Catt Wind project by failing to approve a required road use agreement with the wind developer. The Siting Board denied the petition, noting that the county did not identify any errors of law or fact or new circumstances that would merit a different conclusion than the one the Siting Board reached originally.
Importantly, the two projects combined will generate enough clean energy for more than 114,000 average-sized homes. Eight Point Wind developers say the project will bring more than $25 million to the local economy and the 340-MW Alle-Catt Wind developers say the project will bring more than $54 million to the local economy in landowner payments. Local governments will also receive payments in lieu of property taxes.
The Alle-Catt Wind project consists of up to 116 wind turbines in the Town of Arcade, Wyoming County; towns of Centerville and Rushford, Allegany County; and in the towns of Farmersville and Freedom, Cattaraugus County. Eight Point Wind is a 118-MW project in the towns of Greenwood and West Union in Steuben County.
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $40 billion in 64 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
Today’s decisions may be obtained by going to the Siting Board’s Documents section of the at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Numbers 16-F-0062 [Eight Point Wind] or 17-F-0282 [Alle-Catt Wind] in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Documents may also be obtained from the Siting Board’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
Source : ny.gov