Batavia town planners have unnecessarily delayed approval of Renewable Properties’s planned solar projects by inaction on a host community agreement. While I understand that approval is finally imminent, the delay has hurt the town by holding off important compensatory funds from the developer. The payments in lieu of taxes that will be available once the host community agreement is in place are an important investment in Batavia.
The towns in Western New York that have embraced solar projects have enjoyed benefits that we should have here. As New Yorkers we must support independence from price-volatile and climate-polluting fossil fuels through a transition to renewable energy with energy efficiency. We all need the lower utility costs we will ultimately see.
Solar projects are helping the state reach its mandated goal of a 100% renewable grid by 2040 and an 85% decrease in dirty emissions by 2050. Bold action by Governor Kathy Hochul’s Climate Action Council, supported by record federal renewable energy investment, will speed our necessary gas transition.
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