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City hears update on county-led landfill solar project and federal CPR grant that could bring lease revenue to Brooklyn
Summary
The sustainability advisory committee and the mayor reported on a multi‑phase solar project developed on former landfill acreage, funded in part by an EPA Carbon Pollution Reduction (CPR) program grant; council heard estimates of panels, megawatts, timelines and projected lease revenue but speakers provided differing numeric details that will require staff clarification.
The Brooklyn sustainability advisory committee and the mayor briefed the council on a county-led solar development that will use former landfill acreage and a federal Carbon Pollution Reduction (CPR) program grant awarded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of Inflation Reduction Act funding.
At the committee report, members said the county and partners received a CPR grant and described a multi-site project to install solar panels and interconnect phase two to the Cleveland public grid. Committee remarks included project partners and private developers and presented preliminary figures for panels, megawatts, and projected revenue to the city from leasing landfill land for solar use. The committee reported a City of Brooklyn project cost of about $15.2 million with a CPR grant figure cited (transcript references include a figure of 7.9 million) and described an installation timeline with panel work starting in January and panel installation completing in June for commercial operation later in 2026 or early 2027.
The mayor expanded on the presentation, describing existing solar arrays on the landfill and saying county work will add capacity that will generate lease payments to the city. The mayor stated the existing installation includes around 35,000 panels producing about 4 megawatts and said phase two would add about 17,000 panels to produce approximately 6.5 megawatts; the mayor said the county estimates the buildout will be completed on a compressed grant timeline (work started in January and is slated to finish in June). The sustainability committee earlier cited different panel and megawatt numbers during its report; council members and the mayor credited county staff and partners for moving the project forward.
Council members asked for further details and staff follow-up to reconcile differing numeric statements in committee and mayoral remarks, and to confirm lease revenue estimates and the city's long-term maintenance responsibilities under the county partnership. The mayor and committee emphasized the project transforms otherwise unusable landfill acreage into revenue and renewable energy capacity for public power.
