The developers for the mega solar project proposed in South Ripley are working on a forest mitigation plan which must be approved before the project can move forward.

During the Chautauqua County Planning Board meeting, Chairman Doug Bowen gave an update on the 270 megawatt solar project and 20 MW battery storage in South Ripley.

Bowen, who is also the supervisor for the town of Ripley, said the Office of Renewable Energy Siting has ordered the developers to meet the town’s zoning requirement regarding forest mitigation. “The town’s zoning essentially says they will mitigate acre for acre. So whatever acre of clearing that they do they’ve got to mitigate an acre in exchange. That could be conservation easement on a non-participating parcel, or pay a landowner a stipend to not clear their forest,” he said.

ConnectGen is the project developer. Bowen said any property owner who signs a contract for forest mitigation is still permitted to harvest timber. They just can’t clear the forest.

The town’s zoning differentiates types of forests as well as abandoned farmland. “We’re working through that stipulation plan right now,” Bowen said.

According to Bowen, the developer has to reply to the state by Dec. 16.

Bowen said they’ve already found ways to preserve some of the forest. There’s around another 330 acres that will need to be mitigated for.

Earlier this fall, the town asked the state to ban battery storage, but were overruled. Bowen said he’s surprised the state is requiring the developer to follow the town’s zoning for forest and not battery storage. “I found it ironic that this is the issue that the state is stepping up and pushing,” he said.

Bowen doesn’t believe the mitigation plan will stop the project from coming to fruition, but it could impact the timeline.

ConnectGen has been working on the project publicly since late 2018. When they received their Payment In Lieu Of Taxes agreement from the county Industrial Development Agency in January, they said they wanted to break ground in late 2022. Last month, Bowen said they’re shooting for early 2023.