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FREDONIA – Several residents are fed up with a planned solar farm project in Northern Chautauqua County, while others argue the new project will move the area forward.
The Town of Pomfret held a public hearing on Wednesday to address potential impacts to the surrounding area.
In attendance were representatives from RIC Energy, the New York City based company behind the project, to answer questions from concerned community members.
According to their website, RIC Energy operates power generation facilities around the world, with most of their American facilities located in New York, California, and Georgia.
The development, which is planned to be constructed at 10026 Farel Road, garnered much concern, and support, from property owners near the site.
Critics of the project cited potential negative property value impacts, while many supporters argued that the growing use of clean energy is an important step in combating climate change.
“I would love to see solar panels. If I saw a little glimpse of them, it would make me feel like Fredonia and Pomfret are moving forward,” one resident stated.
“Maybe they can put them in your front yard then,” another neighbor responded.
With the recent growth of public interest in green energy, the town is now eyeing a possible change to its laws regarding solar farms.
RIC Energy’s CEO Jonathan Rappe says that due to supply chain issues, if approved, construction on the project likely would not begin until 2023.
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