TOWN OF WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A state agency has approved a solar project spanning the towns of Watertown and Hounsfield, and residents are now organizing opposition ahead of a public hearing Wednesday.
About 800 acres of land surrounding Old Rome State Road will become a field of solar panels, an area equivalent to about 600 football fields.
Nearby homeowners are unsettled by the news.
“Had I been aware, I certainly would not have purchased a home that was smack dab in the middle of a proposed solar farm. And it’s going to affect property values. It’s going to affect quality of life. It’s going to affect the natural habitat,” said Trisha Lapell, a concerned resident.
Dairy farm owner Ron Robbins owns the land, which is split between Hounsfield and Watertown. Robbins declined to comment.
Solar company AES is behind the project. AES is also behind other solar projects in Clayton and the town of Lyme.
A senior development manager with AES said the company is committed to and focused on being good neighbors, engaging with local communities, and delivering long-term economic and environmental value to the area.
“The project is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs, support several full-time positions, and generate substantial tax revenue for Town of Hounsfield, the Town of Watertown, Jefferson County, and local school districts,” said Daniel Postal.
The state’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting, or ORES, has already given AES full permitting to work on the project, a process that left the towns out of the decision.
Hounsfield Town Supervisor Beth Arthur said the town board’s reaction is not the focus; resident sentiment is.
“We are elected by our residents so we will always listen to our residents and do what’s best for the community,” Arthur said.
Some residents are hoping to eventually pursue legal action against ORES to revoke AES’s permitting.
“I hope that anybody who has issue with the proposed solar farm – with the permitted solar farm – will speak up and take action if they can to stop the momentum of it moving forward,” Lapell said.
Lapell said a public hearing in the town of Hounsfield on Wednesday night offers an opportunity to speak up. Lapell hopes people will share their views on the solar project there.
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