(Albany, NY) State Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and members of the Senate Republican Conference recently sent a letter to the state’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) requesting 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.”

The Senate Republican Conference letter to ORES reads, in part, “We welcome this opportunity to follow up on a recent request from our colleagues in the Assembly Republican conference, as well as on behalf of residents, local governments, and environmental stakeholders throughout the regions we represent and across the state, to raise similar concerns regarding project approvals that appear to conflict with established environmental standards, particularly in relation to the siting of solar facilities on productive farmland and development near sensitive wildlife habitats… Given the breadth of ORES authority, including its ability to supersede determinations made by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as well as local zoning and land-use laws, it is essential that its actions reflect a high standard of transparency, consistency, and adherence to established environmental protections and home rule doctrines.”

“On land or offshore, transparency isn’t optional. New Yorkers deserve to understand how siting approvals are happening and the impact on their communities. Clean energy is a shared goal, but it must be pursued in a way that respects local input and protects the communities affected. That means clear standards and full accountability when state agencies override local concerns or environmental recommendations. The people who live in these communities deserve a voice in decisions that directly affect their quality of life,” said Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

ORES was created to oversee the review and approval of renewable energy projects statewide. In 2024, Hochul and the Democrat-led Legislature enacted a new law known as the “Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act” authorizing ORES to essentially streamline the siting permit review process, including through the use of overriding local control. Late last year, ORES issued revised regulations “for the environmental review, permitting, and siting of major renewable energy facilities and major electric transmission facilities.”

When the RAPID Act was first approved, many 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 local 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. In response to the RAPID Act, Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick introduced legislation, S.1385, which would restore local control in siting decisions and instead offer a state tax incentive for residents of a community that decides to host at least two mid-scale solar energy projects. By offering incentives for communities that have a desire to build out renewable energy projects and space that is conducive for such projects, New York State should have no need to force any community to host unwanted development.

The Senate Republican letter concludes, “Let us be clear: this request is not intended to oppose energy development. 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.

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