By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County lawmakers voiced opposition Wednesday to state Senate and Assembly bills that would open up some state forests to green energy development.
Legislature Chairman Andrew Burr, R-Gowanda, who was one of five sponsors, said county legislators were vehemently against the Democratic bills that would allow the use of state forests for solar farms and windmills. “It is irresponsible,” he said.
Another sponsor, Legislator Brenda Hanson, R-Delevan, said, “If passed, these bills would significantly transform the original intended purpose of the New York State reforestation land. They exist to support forestry, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, recreation and long-term carbon storage.”
Hanson said Albany’s interest in reforestation lands only came about because of community opposition to industrial scale solar and wind farms on farmland and near homes.
Other sponsors are Kelly Andreano, R-Olean; Don Benson, R-Allegany and Ginger Schroder, R-Farmersville.
Cattaraugus County has more than 31,500 acres of state forests and reforestation lands. Statewide, there are more than 800,000 acres of state forests.
Assembly Bill A.10483 and Senate bill S. 4408 would permit the state to lease for siting or connecting renewable energy on reforestation areas.
The resolution notes New York’s energy costs are 58% higher than the national average “with our households already struggling in these difficult economic times bearing the brutal burden of this policy driven in sanity.”
The bills would also “recklessly circumvent community input regarding development siting and bypass local government zoning, approvals and oversight,” the resolution states.
The legislature “continues to advocate for responsible siting of renewable energy projects through continued protection of prime agricultural lands and reforestation areas and urges the state to prioritize marginal lands such as brownfields and rooftops in its siting process.”
The resolution was submitted for immediate consideration on Wednesday, having not gone through the committee process.
Cattaraugus County Legislator Brenda Hanson, R-Delevan, speaks out Wednesday against Senate and Assemblky bills that would peermit state reforestation areas to be used for alternate energy sites.
Also approved was an agreement with the New York State Unified Court System for $921,000 from an Overdose Intervention Initiative Grant to connect criminal defendants at high risk of overdose with critical lifesaving treatment and recovery support.
The funding, from the U.S. Department of Justice award, is designed to help local courts address the risk of overdose by individuals entering the criminal justice system.
Another resolution allocated $88,000 the county’s Community Services Department received from Opioid Settlement funding.
Another resolution approved under immediate consideration added more than 1,400 acres to the county’s Modified Agriculture District No. 5 in the towns of Allegany, Ashford, Coldspring, Farmersville, Great Valley, Ischua, Little Valley, Machias, New Albion, Olean and Portville.
Including parcels in an agricultural district helps maintain a viable agriculture industry within the district.
Legislators also authorized an application for a $15,000 grant through the Meals on Wheels America Loves Pets grant program intended to provide assistance to older pet owners who struggle to meet health and nutrition needs of their pets.
