Guidelines for clean energy siting.

Mark Ginsberg

Partner

Curtis + Ginsberg Architects LLP

LEEDuser Basic Member

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March 27, 2021

All,

I am on the Board of an Environmental organization in the Catskills (The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development https://catskillcenter.org/). We are trying to develop a policy on siting of clean energy projects. For example, we know of one town that bans PV's that can be seen from the road, another is a proposal to create pump storage and fill a valley to store the water. Do any of you know of good guidelines that we could use as a model to start developing our own?

Thanks,

Mark

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Candace Pearson

Project Delivery and Contracts Consultant

LEEDuser, BuildingGreen Inc.

LEEDuser Basic Member

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Sun, 03/28/2021 - 15:26

Hi Mark, When I was at Vermont Law School's Energy Clinic, one team worked on how to craft solar citing policies that would encourage renewable energy infrastructure while preserving prime farmland. Looks like they put together a policy toolkit and database of other laws and regulations. https://farmandenergyinitiative.org/projects/farmland-solar-policy/ Happy to put you in touch with the leaders if interested. My personal view is that sometimes over regulation ends up killing community solar projects because only big corporate developers are able/willing to weed through the ordinances. Then everyday people are locked out of receiveing the financial return from clean energy. So try to stick to impactful but simple.