Proposed solar project off Millard Hill Road moving along

A proposed five-megawatt solar facility off Millard Hill Road in the town of Newfield continues to gain traction and move closer to fruition.

TJA Clean Energy, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with a satellite office in Syracuse, proposed the solar farm in August. 

The project, led by Michael Frateschi, president of TJA, will be a community solar farm spanning 25 to 30 acres. Frateschi noted that the proposed solar farm will share land with the current owners. According to Frateschi, the owners currently use more than 50 acres for farming.

A public information session was held at the Newfield town board meeting on Sept. 26. Town planning board chair Deb Eichten noted that of the 56 abutters notified by registered mail of the project, five of them attended the information session.

While the majority who attended said they were satisfied with the project, some residents expressed concern over vegetation at the current solar facility – also near Millard Hill Road.

Eichten said that she was told the vegetation at the current solar facility is “inadequate or dying off,” with residents concerned the same could happen at the proposed facility.

Frateschi has heard concerns with vegetation across New York state.

“You want a species that is publicly acceptable and that is going to survive. You want something that will grow thick, dense and not die,” Frateschi said. “We’re working with the town to provide conditions that will alleviate that concern, including a five-year warranty on the plantings.”

Eichten also mentioned that other concerns raised by residents included screening, glaring and technology that is different from the current solar facility. The glare, Eichten added, abates from a coating proposed from TJA’s solar project.

“We’re working on addressing (some comments from the community) now,” Frateschi said. “People are looking for updates on what the visual will look like and to make adjustments to the landscaping because of the soil. But, there’s nothing in particular to adjust the (proposed) solar facility.”

The project will include the implementation of sheep grazing on about five acres of the facility. 

Frateschi said the landowner, who currently grazes cattle in the area, expressed interest in “managing the (sheep) flock on the property,” for vegetative maintenance and implementation of solar grazing.

If the project is approved, the farm would be responsible for tending to the sheep and providing general care, including visits to a veterinarian.

TJA began the application process of the project at the Oct. 2 planning board meeting. Once the documents for the application have been received, Eichten said the project  will be submitted to the Tompkins County Planning Board for preliminary review.

Eichten added that the town will conduct an independent engineering and legal review of the project’s details. The goal, Eichten added, is to have the planning board hold a public hearing in November or December. 

Frateschi said TJA also has to seek approval of easements in the area and submit a final design. Frateschi said most of that work will occur over the winter, which he hopes will lead to the official start of construction in the spring of 2025.

The anticipated cost of construction will be between $9 million and $10 million, Frateschi said, noting the benefit of the project will cover about 600 to 800 town residents.

“Overall, we’re feeling pretty good. We’ve got our work cut out for us from the town. They’re doing their due diligence, and we appreciate that,” Frateschi said. “We consider it to be an overall public benefit. We’re creating resilience in the grid, and increasing tax revenue at the properties substantially. We’re not tying in any public utilities, outside of electricity.”

Eichten declined to provide her overall opinion on the project.

She added: “We hope everyone can be patient as we go through the process. It’s a long process to get all of the reviews in place. We’re moving towards that ultimate goal.”

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Library to host movie night on Oct. 18

The Newfield Public Library will host a movie night on Friday, Oct. 18.

The library will have a free showing of The Garfield Movie at 6:30 p.m. at 193 Main St. Popcorn will be provided.

For more information, contact the library at 607-564-3594.

Newfield Historical Society announces special exhibit

An exhibit called “Every Stone Tells a Story” will be provided by the Newfield Historical Society this month and in November.

The exhibit will be held on Oct. 26 and Nov. 9 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newfield History and Activity Center at 192 Main St.

The Historical Society welcomes anyone interested in learning about Newfield’s cemeteries, stories about people buried in Newfield, symbols on gravestones and what they mean, and more.