Sullivan County legislators back joining review of proposed town‑line solar project near Neversink

Sullivan County legislators discussed a proposed utility‑scale solar array on the Thompson–Forestburgh town line and signaled support for the county to participate in the state permitting process by applying for intervener funds to pay for independent studies.

County staff said the developer, identified in public meetings as RWE, expects to file a formal application with the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) in the early fall. When that application is filed the host municipalities and the county will have 30 days to apply for intervener funding — a pool of roughly $200,000 paid by the applicant that can be used to fund independent environmental or engineering work to inform ORES’ decision. By rule 75% of those intervener funds are designated for host communities (about $150,000), staff said.

The issue matters because of the scale and location of the project. County staff described the total project area as roughly 3,000 acres, with the solar array itself expected to occupy about 1,200 acres and require the clearing of an estimated 500 acres of woodland in places near the Neversink River. Legislators and residents raised concerns about potential flood impacts, proximity to the Neversink unique area and the need for independent study to evaluate hydrology, ecology and visual impacts.

"If you wait until the day the application is filed, you've got 30 days — you don't have enough time to put an application together," a county staff member said, urging the Legislature to consider whether the county should prepare to apply for intervener funds. County staff also said they would help publicize how residents can submit comments to the project's docket at the Department of Public Service master matter page once it is available.

Several legislators said they supported county involvement so the county and the two towns could coordinate rather than work at cross purposes. "I would support the county's involvement," one legislator said during the discussion; several other members indicated agreement. County staff said that if the county does participate they will coordinate with the Town of Thompson and the Town of Forestburgh on how to split the host share of funds and on what studies to commission.

County staff also cautioned that ORES, the state permitting authority, has authority to waive local zoning requirements in siting decisions and that the state's permitting timetable includes prescribed public‑comment moments rather than unlimited local control. That statutory structure was among the reasons some legislators said the county should use intervener funds if it intends to mount technical or legal review.

Public comments at the meeting included residents who said they oppose the project; meeting participants urged staff and the press office to make clear to affected residents how to submit formal comments and when the county will consider applying for intervener funds.

The Legislature did not take a formal binding vote at the meeting to commit to filing for intervener funds; members instead expressed support and requested the county planning and legal staff prepare the materials that would be needed if RWE files its application this fall. Staff said they are researching similar large projects elsewhere in New York to gather lessons learned and draft a coordinated approach with the host towns.

Ending: County staff said they will notify legislators and the public when RWE files and will circulate guidance on how residents can file comments to the ORES docket. The county also plans a joint meeting with Thompson and Forestburgh so the municipalities and county can coordinate a response and potential intervener funding application.