Dive Brief:
- In response to criticism from community leaders in Brookhaven and Shoreham, PSEG Long Island promised to make more information available about 51 planned Long Island solar feed-in tariff program projects, 76 projects being developed, and future capacity growth.
- PSEG, now partnered with the Long Island Power Authority after Superstorm Sandy’s ravages left LIPA financially tenuous, said public disclosure should come through local governments but said it will work to fill the information gap.
- Concerns were raised at a Brookhaven Planning Board meeting about an sPower-proposed project along the Route 25A corridor. Shoreham residents described the project as “10-foot-high solar panels across 60 acres of open land” that would have an “industrial” quality and provide no local benefit. sPower said residents need have no concerns about health or local property value impacts.
Dive Insight:
The Brookhaven Planning Board has twice delayed votes on the project amid community objections that PSEG Long Island is not being forthcoming about the process. The utility promised to make more information available and to revamp a website some say is uninformative to allow residents to know more about arrays planned for big box store rooftops and open spaces.
Newsday called residents' objections a “brouhaha” and noted the “lack of scientific evidence” of health harms. “Let the sunshine work,” it editorialized.
Mary Ann Johnston, President of Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Associations said residents need to know more about the process to make informed decisions. “It’s not a transparent process, and, secondly, we have a policy: We don’t trade green for green,” she said.
Marc Alessi, trustee of the Long Island Power Authority agreed. “I think renewable energy is the future, but a project of this size and magnitude should not be done this quietly,” he said.
