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A bill in the state Legislature would ease permitting restrictions on renewable energy transmission infrastructure through state-owned reforestation lands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Will Waldron\/Times Union<\/p>\n
ALBANY\u00a0\u2014 A proposal to modify New York\u2019s Environmental Conservation Law has sparked outcry from conservation organizations, which claim the legislation could harm reforested ecosystems and limit access to outdoor recreation, while supporters say it would speed renewable energy projects that are critical to the state\u2019s decarbonization goals.<\/p>\n
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The bill<\/a>, proposed by state Sen. Rachel May, a Democrat representing Auburn and central Syracuse, would give the Department of Environmental Conservation new authority to approve leases and easements on state-managed lands known as \u201creforestation areas.\u201d The bill limits those agreements to electrical transmission and lower-voltage distribution infrastructure projects, with the goal of more easily connecting renewable energy installations to the wider grid.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Reforestation areas are a subset of state forest lands<\/a>. Created from unproductive farmland purchased by<\/a> the state nearly a century ago, these properties are now managed by professional foresters. They serve as sustainable sources of timber while also functioning as one of New York\u2019s primary sources of outdoor recreation outside the Adirondack and Catskill parks. They also support ecosystems across the state by protecting watersheds and promoting forest succession.<\/p>\n Although land-use regulations allow reforestation areas to be crossed by infrastructure such as electrical lines, new construction has historically faced significant legal hurdles. Because of stringent development restrictions, projects have largely avoided siting infrastructure near reforestation areas.<\/p>\n Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, said the current regulations effectively require companies seeking to route their projects to new infrastructure through a reforestation area to lobby for a new law in the state Legislature specifically permitting construction of their projects.<\/p>\n Make the Times Union a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s only been done twice, by Cassadaga wind and by Alle-Catt wind,\u201d Wells said. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge lift to pass your own state law for your own tiny little thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Cassadaga Onshore Wind Farm<\/a>, located in Chautauqua County, is a 40,000-acre facility with 37 turbines, estimated at 125 megawatts and capable of powering\u00a0roughly 37,000 homes. Alle-Catt Wind Energy Center<\/a>, currently under construction, will span 30,000 acres across Allegany, Cattaraugus and Wyoming counties. It will be the largest onshore wind farm in New York, boasting a capacity of 340 megawatts\u00a0\u2014 enough to power 134,000 homes.<\/p>\n While much of the hilly terrain around reforestation areas is unsuitable for large-scale solar development, many of those sites are ideal for wind projects, Wells added.<\/p>\n Supporters of the bill predict that easing restrictions on new transmission corridors would encourage the development of large-scale projects like Cassadaga and Alle-Catt, helping lower electricity costs across the state. But no estimates of potential energy production connected to the bill have been made at this time.<\/p>\n May\u2019s bill specifies that any development must not interfere with the intended purposes of reforestation areas. But conservation advocates have raised concerns since the Senate initially approved the bill in February.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n When introduced, S4408<\/a> contained language critics described as vague and potentially disruptive. Opponents argued that permitting renewable infrastructure on reforestation areas could open the door to future industrial-scale development.<\/p>\n The New York chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, a conservation organization focused on promoting public land use and recreation, began publicly criticizing the bill in late March. A blog post<\/a> published March 25 voiced support for renewable energy while opposing development that could limit public hunting and fishing access.<\/p>\n