Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solar Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CCRPC Executive Committee approves advisory letters on three GlobalFoundries solar advance notices
Summary
The CCRPC Joint Finance and Executive Committee approved sending three advisory letters on advance notices for small GlobalFoundries solar arrays in Essex Junction and Williston, asking the applicant to avoid impacts to agricultural soils and to coordinate with the Agency of Natural Resources where constraints exist.
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Joint Finance and Executive Committee voted March 5 to send three advisory letters in response to advance notices from GlobalFoundries for small solar installations in Essex Junction and Williston. The motion to approve the letters, moved by Andy Montroll and seconded by Jacki Murphy, passed unanimously.
Planning Program Director Taylor Newton told the Committee the Essex Junction array is proposed over a parking lot and would not further impact primary agricultural soils, and staff therefore had no substantive concerns. For two proposed Williston arrays, Newton said staff identified possible impacts to known or potential natural-resource constraints and have requested that the applicant coordinate with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources on avoidance and mitigation and include standard language regarding primary agricultural soils in the full petition.
Chair Chris Shaw asked whether fencing was included; Newton said fencing appeared to be required and noted it is a common insurance requirement for solar installations, with potential implications for deer wintering areas. Newton also estimated the currently proposed GlobalFoundries facilities total nearly 12 megawatts of capacity and said the company is planning battery storage facilities in addition to existing on-site generation.
The Committee approved all three letters, with a clerical correction to the third letter noted by Newton.
