FORESTBURGH/THOMPSON – The application for RWE’s Town Line Solar project was determined incomplete by the state’s Department of Public Service, Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) on September 18.

A finding of “incomplete” is not a denial; it means ORES has identified information that must be supplied before the application can move into the substantive review phase.

"Requests for additional information and clarification are a common part of the application review process for renewable energy projects," a spokesman from RWE told the Democrat. "RWE remains committed to working collaboratively with ORES to provide the requested information, address any outstanding items and ensure our application meets the agency's requirements. We look forward to advancing this project through the regulatory review process."

RWE, the developer of Town Line, is proposing to construct and operate a solar-powered electric generation facility and battery energy storage system on property near Rose Valley Road and Cold Spring Road in the towns of Thompson and Forestburgh.

The solar facility, on 1,200 acres, would be 200 megawatts (a megawatt is 1 million watts). And the battery storage system, covering five acres, would store 100 megawatts, enough to power 400 megawatt (mWh) hours.

The proposal must undergo permitting review by ORES, which manages all large-scale renewable energy site assessments and approvals in New York.

Intervenor funds awarded

The state’s Department of Public Service awarded the Town of Thompson, Town of Forestburgh and Sullivan County $150,000 jointly, as part of the local agency account funding.

The funding goes to defray the costs of retaining the law firm Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC and engineering firm Sterling Environmental Engineering as technical consultants to represent the towns and county during the application process.

An administrative law judge found that the towns’ and county’s “use of the funds will contribute to a complete record leading to an informed decision as to the appropriateness of the site and the facility.”

Lost Lake intervenes

According to documents from the Department of Public Service, on August 20 Mishconos Mazah LLC and Lost Lake Holdings, LLC filed a joint request of $50,000 to defray the costs of retaining legal and engineering consultants.

Their request states that, as a potential community intervenor, they are looking to review environmental and engineering impacts related to the proposed solar facility.

The letter states that the companies own hundreds of parcels comprising more than 2,000 acres of land that adjoin the proposed Town Line site.

Their request for funding was put on hold by the state, which said the application did not provide information regarding financial resources.

Representatives from Lost Lake Holdings did not respond for comment by presstime.

Lost Lake Holdings is a proposed development of a 2,627-unit residential and resort property surrounding Lost Lake in Forestburgh, which has been tied up in legal battles with the Town of Forestburgh and a discrimination suit in federal court.