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Upstate farmer tells Senate committee ORES sidelined local input, alleges pressure from solar developers
Summary
Alexandra Fasulo, a greenhouse farmer from Schuylerville, told the Senate Energy Committee that the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) routinely issues permits despite local opposition, described repeated developer outreach to older landowners and raised concerns about impacts on grasslands and soil restoration.
Alexandra Fasulo testified to the Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications that her experience as a new farmer in Schuylerville led her to challenge how large-scale solar projects are sited and reviewed.
Fasulo said her neighbor and a dozen other landowners were approached multiple times by solar companies offering what she called ‘‘shocking’’ sums to lease land for long terms. "They're approaching people 5 to 7 times … they're signing 30 to 50 year leases," she said, and she added that some landowners do not have counsel to review the contracts. Fasulo described developers as often being foreign companies and alleged they target older or lower-income owners.
Fasulo also cited the Fort Edward matter, where she attended hearings about a proposed facility sited near protected Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) grassland habitat. She told the committee she observed that DEC materials were heavily redacted in public filings and that, in her view, ORES ‘‘turns around 95% of the time and issues the final permit anyway,’’ which she framed as evidence of regulatory capture and insufficient interagency checks.
During questioning, senators asked whether ORES uses third-party environmental contractors, how conflicts of interest are handled, and how the stated $1,000-per-megawatt application fee is allocated. Fasulo said she does not know which contractors ORES uses or how the fee is spent and encouraged the committee to seek records; Chair Senator Kevin Parker invited follow-up meetings with PSC and DEC leadership to clarify roles and documentation.
Chair Parker and members also clarified that the Legislature previously secured protections for the top four tiers of soil gradation in budget legislation and urged constituents and committee members to bring forward any statutory gaps for legislative remedy. Several senators echoed a desire to steer projects toward non-productive land and to consider stronger community engagement and escrow-style protections for landowners.
The committee did not resolve technical claims raised by the witness; members encouraged agency briefings and potential bill drafts to address transparency, developer practices and protections for farmland and sensitive habitats. The hearing concluded with an invitation for Fasulo and staff to continue the conversation with PSC and DEC officials.
