By New York State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, R-C-Rome, 53rd District
In 2019, the Democratic majorities in the Legislature approved the creation of the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (
ORES was tasked with overseeing the review and approval of renewable energy projects statewide. I did not support this initiative because I recognized how it would silence local voices and take away local control.
Five years later, the governor and majorities enacted a new law known as the “Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act. This Act authorized ORES to effectively streamline the siting permit review process. The stated goal of the RAPID Act was to “balance transparency with environmental protection and the need for fast decision making, while continuing to be responsive to community feedback.”
When the RAPID Act was first approved, Senate and Assembly Republicans voiced their opposition that the new, fast-tracked, state-dictated process would overrule local zoning, unreasonably expand eminent domain, jeopardize natural resources and farmland, and undermine local control and the will of residents and communities. Those concerns have been shared by many local leaders and continue to be raised throughout the state, particularly over the loss of prime agricultural land to solar developers.
I have seen firsthand how important local control and input can be, especially when it comes to developing energy-specific projects. Take the New York Regional Interconnect’s attempt to build a 190-mile power line from Marcy to Orange County, for instance. NYRI eventually withdrew its application for the project in 2009 following extensive public outcry from local residents, communities and elected officials.
Following more concerns being raised about ORES, I recently joined with my colleagues in the Senate Republican Conference to request from the office comprehensive information on wind, solar, battery energy storage and other renewable energy projects “currently under review, pending approval, or anticipated for approval…particularly those with the potential to affect protected lands, environmentally sensitive areas, and regulated agricultural resources across New York State.” “Let us be clear: this request is not intended to oppose energy development,” we wrote in a letter to ORES. “New York State must continue to advance innovation and diversify its energy portfolio responsibly. However, these efforts must not come at the expense of the very natural and agricultural resources that our environmental laws are designed to protect, or at the will of the citizens who will live next door to these projects. Ensuring that renewable energy development proceeds in a manner consistent with environmental stewardship, transparency, and public trust is of paramount importance.” Additionally, I will reintroduce legislation that would eliminate ORES and return local control to communities.
We have seen the powerful effect that local voices can have when it comes to what goes on in their own backyards. Public input should be welcomed and encouraged and local control restored.
