Developer seeks March vote to allow limited pre-construction work on Sullivan County solar project

Patrick Walsh, the developer representative, updated Sullivan County commissioners on the status of the Sullivan County solar project and asked the board to consider a vote at the first meeting in March on the economic revitalization and road‑use agreements.

Walsh said the project team has begun a pre‑construction inventory and field survey to establish baseline road conditions ahead of construction. He said the developer expects the full project to be built in phases, that the agreements being negotiated apply to the first phase map and parcel list, and that any subsequent phase would require a new map and negotiated agreements.

Walsh said the company is advancing work to allow limited pre‑construction site preparation — clearing and seeding where required — and requested the commissioners’ permission to take a vote next meeting to enable that activity. He also addressed concerns about who pays for transmission or distribution upgrades, saying the project is a commercial generation project and that developers pay for grid improvements “to expand the deliverability infrastructure for delivery of energy,” not the county.

Commissioners and residents asked technical questions about clearing contractors, abatement maps and which parcels are covered by the first‑phase agreement. Staff and the developer said the map provided to the county corresponds to the first phase; additional properties or phases would require separate approval. Commissioners asked counsel to ensure contract language protects the county and clarifies whether utility costs could be passed to citizens under proposed state legislation.