Moraine Solar Project — At a Glance

The Moraine Solar Project is a proposed solar energy facility in the Town of Burns, Allegany County, New York. The plan is for a 94 megawatt (MW) solar installation under New York’s Section 94-c permitting process.

On May 18, 2023, the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) issued a Siting Permit for the project, allowing the developer to move forward (assuming compliance with permit requirements)

Core Elements & Commitments

Location & Infrastructure

• The solar arrays will connect to the grid via the NYSEG Moraine Road Substation, with construction of a collection substation and an expansion of the existing substation.

• Components include PV modules, inverters, buried wiring, fencing, roads, and buffer plantings.

Community Benefits & Financials

• Over 35 years, the project is projected to generate $10 million in new revenue shared between Burns, Allegany County, and the Canaseraga Central School District (via PILOTs / host community payments).

• For the first 10 years, all Burns households may receive an electricity rebate (~$100 annually).

• A Share the Sun / community fund of $10,000 annually is proposed for local organizations.

• Scholarships worth $20,000 (or $2,000 annually over 10 years) are intended for students pursuing trades or renewable energy programs.

Agriculture, Land Use & Recycling

• The project plans to preserve topsoil, minimize compaction, and restore land after decommissioning. An agricultural monitor will oversee compliance.

• During operation, uses like grazing (e.g. sheep) and beekeeping may be allowed beneath panels.

• Solar panels are intended to be recycled or reused. The project commits to working within existing recycling networks.

Visual, Environmental & Regulatory Mitigation

• Vegetative buffers (trees/shrubs) will be planted along roads and near homes to reduce visual impacts.

• Panels will use solar trackers (following the sun) and anti-reflective coatings to reduce glare.

• The permit includes strict requirements for wetlands protection, stormwater management, monitoring, and compliance with local, state, and federal laws.

• Some local law requirements—such as screening or height of vegetation within the solar field—were modified or relaxed by ORES, where deemed “unreasonably burdensome” in light of New York’s climate goals.