Alternative Energy Law includes:

• Wind farm siting, permitting and approvals
• Biomass siting, permitting and approvals
• Solar siting, permitting and approval
• Alternative energy policy
• State and municipal review of alternative energy projects

Overview

Young/Sommer is a leader in alternative energy project and policy development in New York, including wind, solar, biomass and emerging technologies, such as batteries and storage. The firm represents two industry leaders in wind farm development across Upstate New York. We provide a broad array of legal services to developers, investors, utilities, and municipalities in the renewable energy sector. Our team has experience in every aspect of alternative energy project development, from negotiating real property agreements through State Environmental Quality Act and permitting review, to construction compliance and management of operations. We also have worked with municipalities on land use and other issues relating to alternative energy development. In all cases, we provide guidance to our clients on the various programs involving alternative energy to ensure they have the information needed to make the development decisions.

Experience

Our experience with the various permitting agencies involved in approving alternative energy projects allows us to help our clients successfully navigate the review process. Our attorneys regularly appear before the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Public Service Commission and have experience in addressing other involved agencies such as Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Department of Agriculture and Markets, Department of State, Canal Corporation, the Adirondack Park Agency, and the Department of Transportation. We recognize that timing and cost are important factors and our knowledge and experience ensures that we reach development objectives in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Industry Advocates/Policy

Young/Sommer has been a pioneer among New York firms serving the alternative energy industry. From our early involvement in and support of such organizations as the American Wind Energy Association and the Alliance for Clean Energy, New York, Young/Sommer has been intimately involved with evolution of New York State policy regarding alternative energy projects. This work has included participating in the implementation of New York’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s renewable energy credit program, New York’s State Energy Policy, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s policies on alternative energy development. The firm played a central role in advocating industry goals in the recently enacted Article X power plant siting law. We have also advised clients on solar siting legislation, net metering policy, and programs supporting customer-sited generation projects. Young/Sommer’s involvement in these programs gives us a unique insight that enables us to help our clients achieve their goals.

The firm’s alternative energy practice group includes Douglas Ward and James Muscato.