Young/Sommer Obtains First Approval Under PSL Article 10

Posted on January 24, 2018

On January 17, 2018, the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment issued its first Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need under Public Service Law Article 10 to Cassadaga Wind LLC, granting Cassadaga permission to construct the Cassadaga Wind Project in Chautauqua County.  The 126-megawatt (MW) Cassadaga Wind Project will be comprised of up to 48 wind turbines with  associated transmission lines, underground and above ground collection lines, access roads, meteorological towers, operation and maintenance building, collection and point of interconnect substations and related facilities located in the Towns of Cherry Creek, Charlotte, Stockton, and Arkwright, and will interconnect to New York’s electric grid along the Dunkirk-Moon 110 Kv transmission line.    Young/Sommer served as counsel to Cassadaga Wind throughout the Article 10 process which commenced in 2014.

Approval of the Cassadaga Wind Project is the first under the new Article 10 state siting law.  The Siting Board’s decision followed a rigorous review process that involved the filing of a Public Involvement Program Plan (PIP), Preliminary Scoping Statement (PSS), a lengthy Article 10 Application, public comment, discovery, 6 days of hearings and cross examination, which resulted in 2,700 pages of hearing transcripts and 146 exhibits, and numerous post hearing briefs.

Young/Sommer is proud to be a part of the Cassadaga Wind Project and its impact on New York’s renewable energy future and believes the Siting Board’s Order sets forth a path for continued renewable energy development in New York.

Young/Sommer’s efforts were led by Jim Muscato, Chair of the Firm’s Renewable Energy practice area and included contributions from Rob Panasci, Jeff Baker and Jessica Klami.