Re:[cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

2021-02-21 Thread Bill Evans 
There are 60+ solar projects in various stages of development across NY. The 
big one in Cayuga County is call the Garnet Energy Center. The siting approval 
process can be followed at: 
http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterSeq=61792=20-F-0043

The solar panels and facility will be built on 1300 of the 2000 acre project. 
There is an Intervenor group formally involved in the proceeding called the 
Rural Preservation and Net Conservation Benefit Coalition.  They are not trying 
to stop the project, but trying to encourage pollinator friendly planting and 
get some mitigation land set aside. I haven’t seen any sign that the developer 
is consenting.

The documentation of the impact to breeding Horned Lark and Vesper Sparrow 
appears like it will be limited, so folks birding in the proposed project area 
(not far from Montezuma NWR) can contribute by looking for these two species 
and submitting sitings to eBird, especially this May and June. The project area 
has recently grown and maps can be found at the link above.

Besides the renewable energy benefit, taking fields of neonic-laden corn and 
soy seeds and their associated herbicides out of production is a good thing.

As far as we know, solar is more friendly to migratory birds than big wind 
regarding direct impacts, however no follow-up fatality studies are currently 
planned for ANY solar projects in NY.  Substantial avian impacts from solar 
have apparently been a well-kept secret in California, so we need to keep an 
eye on it and push for some NY solar fatality studies.  How could a grebe 
mistake a solar field for water? I don’t know, but it happens. 

In my current understanding, a 200 MW solar project in NY would have much less 
avian impact than the equivalent energy production from 70 600-ft high wind 
turbines in the same location.

Bill Evans
Danby

From: david nicosia 
Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2021 8:31 AM
Subject: Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

All, 

see 
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/02/monster-cny-solar-farm-would-replace-corn-and-soybeans-with-power-for-3-homes.html


Does anyone have any more details on this? If it is done with wildlife in mind 
this could be a good thing. If they plant pollinator friendly and native 
grasses this could be a positive. But if it is just plain grass it could be at 
best just a trade-off and at worse a negative. These solar farms could be good 
for birds and pollinators. see
https://www.audubon.org/news/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat 


Maybe you are all aware of this but the big renewable energy push through solar 
farms could be an opportunity to improve bird and pollinator habitats. Anyway, 
just wondering if any folks have information on this or have contacted solar 
farm companies on this. 

Best,
Dave  





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RE: [cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

2021-02-20 Thread Marty Schlabach 
Jenny Landry, who supervises the DEC raptor survey in Region 8, which focuses 
on grassland species like short eared owls and northern harriers, has mentioned 
there are a lot of solar farms being proposed and reviewed right now. They are 
trying to compile as much grassland data as possible.   She would be a good 
place to start with the DEC.  Region 8 does not include Cayuga County.

Jenny Landry
Wildlife Biologist, Division of Fish and Wildlife

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
6274 East Avon-Lima Road, Avon, NY 14414
P: (585) 226-5491 | F: (585) 226-6323 | 
jenny.lan...@dec.ny.gov<mailto:jenny.lan...@dec.ny.gov>

www.dec.ny.gov<http://www.dec.ny.gov/> | [cid:image001.jpg@01D70774.C6E360F0] 
<https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC>  | [cid:image002.jpg@01D70774.C6E360F0] 
<https://twitter.com/NYSDEC>


Marty
===
Marty Schlabach   m...@cornell.edu
8407 Powell Rd. home  607-532-3467
Interlaken, NY 14847   cell315-521-4315
===


From: bounce-125403298-3494...@list.cornell.edu 
 On Behalf Of Alicia Plotkin
Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:17 AM
To: david nicosia ; CAYUGABIRDS-L 

Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

Great idea!  The Syracuse article you linked to says that a number of these 
mega-farms are in the planning stage for NYS.  Maybe an approach through the 
permitting process or legislation would be more effective than approaching them 
individually?  Does anyone on this list have good DEC or legislative contacts?

Does Audubon or the Sierra Club or anyone else have an updated report on how 
this can work, perhaps analyzing the effect of the Minnesota law mentioned in 
your other link - what regulations work best & why they don't cost taxpayers or 
solar farms much?  For that matter, is Audubon already working on this in NYS?

Alicia

On 2/20/2021 8:31 AM, david nicosia wrote:
All,

see 
https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/02/monster-cny-solar-farm-would-replace-corn-and-soybeans-with-power-for-3-homes.html


Does anyone have any more details on this? If it is done with wildlife in mind 
this could be a good thing. If they plant pollinator friendly and native 
grasses this could be a positive. But if it is just plain grass it could be at 
best just a trade-off and at worse a negative. These solar farms could be good 
for birds and pollinators. see
https://www.audubon.org/news/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat

Maybe you are all aware of this but the big renewable energy push through solar 
farms could be an opportunity to improve bird and pollinator habitats. Anyway, 
just wondering if any folks have information on this or have contacted solar 
farm companies on this.

Best,
Dave





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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

2021-02-20 Thread Alicia Plotkin 
Great idea!  The Syracuse article you linked to says that a number of 
these mega-farms are in the planning stage for NYS.  Maybe an approach 
through the permitting process or legislation would be more effective 
than approaching them individually?  Does anyone on this list have good 
DEC or legislative contacts?

Does Audubon or the Sierra Club or anyone else have an updated report on 
how this can work, perhaps analyzing the effect of the Minnesota law 
mentioned in your other link - what regulations work best & why they 
don't cost taxpayers or solar farms much?  For that matter, is Audubon 
already working on this in NYS?

Alicia


On 2/20/2021 8:31 AM, david nicosia wrote:
> All,
>
> see 
> https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/02/monster-cny-solar-farm-would-replace-corn-and-soybeans-with-power-for-3-homes.html
>  
> 
>
>
> Does anyone have any more details on this? If it is done with wildlife 
> in mind this could be a good thing. If they plant pollinator friendly 
> and native grasses this could be a positive. But if it is just plain 
> grass it could be at best just a trade-off and at worse a negative. 
> These solar farms could be good for birds and pollinators. see
> https://www.audubon.org/news/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat 
> 
>
> Maybe you are all aware of this but the big renewable energy push 
> through solar farms could be an opportunity to improve bird and 
> pollinator habitats. Anyway, just wondering if any folks have 
> information on this or have contacted solar farm companies on this.
>
> Best,
> Dave
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> *Cayugabirds-L List Info:*
> Welcome and Basics 
> Rules and Information 
> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave 
> 
> *Archives:*
> The Mail Archive 
> 
> Surfbirds 
> BirdingOnThe.Net 
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> !*
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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County

2021-02-20 Thread Tobias Dean 
Note that the 2K acres is not entirely panels- some of the extra is buffers
for sensitive riparian areas which would be critical.
   Some towns have tried to work in requirements about decommissioning
panels in the future.
 There are some smaller farms that run sheep for grazing- not sure this
is practical for this size. At some point growth of brush would have to be
checked and it would be interesting to know how they plan to do that.
Big solar supporter but it would be a bit alarming to be living in the
middle of this. I kind of prefer less concentrated solar farms. On the
other hand it’s location next to large transmission lines make it sensible
and such a large area where people rarely go could make great habitat for
birds.

TD

On Sat, Feb 20, 2021 at 8:31 AM david nicosia  wrote:

> All,
>
> see
> https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/02/monster-cny-solar-farm-would-replace-corn-and-soybeans-with-power-for-3-homes.html
>
>
> Does anyone have any more details on this? If it is done with wildlife in
> mind this could be a good thing. If they plant pollinator friendly and
> native grasses this could be a positive. But if it is just plain grass it
> could be at best just a trade-off and at worse a negative. These solar
> farms could be good for birds and pollinators. see
> https://www.audubon.org/news/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat
>
> Maybe you are all aware of this but the big renewable energy push through
> solar farms could be an opportunity to improve bird and pollinator
> habitats. Anyway, just wondering if any folks have information on this or
> have contacted solar farm companies on this. The Mail
> 
>
-- 
Tobias Dean, Furnituremaker
124 Yaple Rd.
Ithaca NY 14850
t...@tobiasdean.com
http://www.tobiasdean.com

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