Fort Edward Solar at a Glance
- Project Size: 100 megawatts (MW) of solar energy
- Location: Town of Fort Edward, Washington County
- Project Footprint: Approximately 530 acres
- Design Improvements Made During Review:
- Limit of Disturbance reduced by 146 acres
- Occupied wildlife habitat impacts reduced by 136 acres
- Wetland impacts reduced by 144 acres
- Active agricultural impacts reduced by 269 acres
- Environmental Review: Multi-year field studies, agency consultation, and Article VIII review
- Construction Jobs: Approximately 120 local jobs
- Community Benefits: Millions of dollars in long-term local revenue over the life of the project
- Oversight: Enforceable permit conditions, monitoring, and state agency compliance
- Commissioning: The facility is expected to be commissioned in Q4 2027 and is anticipated to be operational for approximately 30 to 35 years once commissioned.
- The project aligns with the New York State Public Service Commission's Clean Energy Standard, which supports the development of clean energy and renewable resources in New York State (NYS).
Latest News
As a result of the transfer of the electronic case file in this matter from the ORES Portal to DMM, the case number has been changed from ORES Permit Application No. 23-00085 to ORES DMM Matter No. 23-03023
Public Comment Hearing
The State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) scheduled a Public Comment Hearing that was held at the Durkeetown Church, 2 Durkeetown Road, Fort Edward, NY 12828 on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
A letter with more details on the Public Comment Hearing was sent to all residents within 1-mile of the proposed facility. A copy of that letter is available in the media library.
Update
On July 19, 2024, Boralex submitted its 94-c application for Fort Edward Solar to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting. To track progress on the application please visit here. Prior to the application submittal, a 3-day NOI was sent to all owners of residences within 1-mile of the project facility, as well any and all applicable lawmakers and municipalities. Ads were also placed in the Glens Falls Post Star, the Glens Falls Chronicle and the Granville Sentinel and the Washington County Free Press. A copy of the notice is available here. For additional information, including how to apply for Local Agency Account Fund, please review the information on this website.
Hard copies of the Application, when filed, will be available for review at the following local document repositories: Fort Edward Town Hall, 118 Broadway, Fort Edward, New York 12828 and Fort Edward Free Library, 22 East Street, Fort Edward, New York 12828.
Pursuant to 19 NYCRR § 900-1.5, Fort Edward Solar will submit with the Application $1,000 dollars for each MW of capacity for local agencies and potential intervenors, which for this project totals $100,000. Any local agency or potential community intervenor can submit a request to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission for funding within thirty (30) days of the date of the application filing. Of the available local agency account funds, 75% shall be reserved for local agencies. Intervenor requests can be mailed to: Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission, Attn: Request for Local Agency Account Funding Request (Matter No. 23-00085 – Fort Edward Solar, LLC), c/o OGS Mailroom, Empire State Plaza, 240 State Street, P-1 South, J Dock, Albany, NY 12242; or emailed to: hearings@ores.ny.gov| Subject line: Local Agency Account Funding Request (Matter No. 23-00085 – Fort Edward Solar, LLC).
For More Information:
Please visit the ORES website at Department of Public Service
Visit the Department of Public Service under Case File No. 23-03023
Contact Fort Edward Solar at:
Fort Edward Solar, LLC
Attn: Morgan Roy
c/o Boralex, Inc.
39 Hudson Falls Road South Glens Falls, NY 12803
Phone: 603-258-1834
Email: morgan.roy@boralex.com
Fort Edward Solar Mitigation Plan
Boralex has proposed an innovative mitigation plan which adheres to all regulatory requirements while, at the same time, keeping the mitigation parcel within the overall project footprint. The company has worked closely with local stakeholders, including the Grassland Bird Trust and the Agricultural Stewardship Association, with the hopes of coming to agreement on a mitigation and ongoing management plan that works for all parties. The Facility/Limit of Disturbance is 527 acres, which is inclusive of all roads, fencing, collector lines, and temporary laydown areas during construction. The final fenced footprint of Fort Edward Solar during operation is 484 acres.
ORES requires mitigation ratios of 0.4 acres per acre of breeding habitat impacted, and 0.2 acres per acre of wintering habitat impacted. When applied to the overall project footprint and the disturbed areas, those ratio total 216.12 acres which must be preserved for a net conservation plan. As discussed above, it is Boralex’s intention to maintain those mitigation requirements by using land within the project footprint and adjacent to the Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and within the designated Important Bird Area (IBA).
Boralex understands the conservation concerns that the Facility brings to this IBA and is diligently working to provide mitigation to conserve suitable grassland habitat and a net conservation benefit to grassland species within the IBA region of Washington County.
Map Description
The accompanying map illustrates the Fort Edward Solar Project’s layout and environmental considerations:
- No solar panels are placed within the NYS DEC Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
- The Limits of Disturbance (LOD) cover 527 acres, while the solar panel array occupies 484 acres.
- A 216.12-acre mitigation parcel is clearly marked within the project footprint, adjacent to the WMA and within the IBA.
- The map also highlights nearby conservation zones, including Important Bird Areas and Raptor Winter Concentration Areas, which informed the project’s design to minimize ecological disruption.
Community Meeting Information
A public meting for the Fort Edward Solar project was held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 5 to 8 pm at the Durkeetown Church at 2 Durkeetown Road in Fort Edward. Please see the attached presentation and fact sheet which were presented to the public at the meeting. The attached postcard was the notice for the meeting. Soon, the company will finalize and send out its 60-day pre-application notice ahead of our anticipated permit filing with the Office of Renewable Energy Siting later this year.
Permitting Process
Boralex continues to engage with the public and the local community (e.g. landowners, town and county representatives, state officials, school districts and groups of interest) and will pursue this consultation process throughout all phases of development and operations.
Environmental and permitting activities began in Q4 2020 and will be governed under the new 94-c state permitting process through the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES). All project infrastructure will be situated in such a manner as to respect municipal, state, and federal regulations as well as taking into consideration feedback from residents and other stakeholders.
Project Benefits
The Project will offer significant economic, social, and environmental benefits to the Town of Fort Edward, the local School Districts, Washington County and New York State (NYS) including:
- Creating approximately 120 jobs during construction;
- Creating long-term jobs to support operations and maintenance;
- Boosting the local economy and adding commerce for local businesses during construction and operations;
- Providing significant tax revenues to the Town of Fort Edward, Washington County and to the Fort Edward Union Free School District and the Hudson Falls Central School District;
- Providing quiet, emission free and reliable power generation for the equivalent of approximately 28,000 NYS households per year;
- Helping NYS achieve its goal of 70% clean power generation by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
To learn more about solar generation and its benefits, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
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In addition to generating clean, renewable electricity, the Fort Edward Solar Project is expected to:
- Support approximately 120 construction jobs, with opportunities for local workers
- Generate millions of dollars in long-term local revenue through taxes and agreements
- Contribute to New York State’s clean energy and energy affordability goals
The project also contributes $100,000 to a Local Agency Account Fund (LAAF), which supports local and state agency participation in the review and oversight process.
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The project website will continue to be updated with:
- Project milestones
- Public meeting and comment opportunities
- Contact information for questions or concerns
Community members are encouraged to reach out directly to learn more about the project and how it is regulated.
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The Fort Edward Solar Project is reviewed under New York State’s Article VIII renewable energy permitting process, which applies rigorous environmental, public health, and community standards before construction can begin.
This process includes:
- Detailed environmental studies conducted by qualified experts over multiple years
- Formal opportunities for public input and comment
- Independent review by multiple state agencies with subject-matter expertise
- Enforceable permit conditions that govern construction, operation, and long-term monitoring
Approval is granted only if the project meets all applicable standards and mitigation requirements established by the State.
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Environmental resources at the Fort Edward site were evaluated through extensive field studies, technical analyses, and consultations with state agencies. These studies informed both the project design and the mitigation measures required as part of the permitting process.
As a result of this review:
- The project was redesigned to avoid or minimize impacts wherever practicable
- The overall limit of disturbance was reduced by 146 acres
- Wetland impacts were reduced by 144 acres
- Active agricultural land impacts were reduced by 269 acres
Where impacts cannot be avoided, mitigation measures are required and enforced through permit conditions to ensure long-term protection of environmental resources.
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Wildlife and habitat considerations are a central component of the Fort Edward Solar Project’s review. Qualified environmental professionals conducted multi-year surveys, including winter raptor and breeding bird studies, consistent with state and federal guidance.
Based on these findings, the project incorporates:
- Design modifications to reduce impacts to occupied habitat by 136 acres
- Construction timing restrictions where appropriate
- Long-term habitat mitigation and management commitments
Mitigation areas will be managed for grassland bird habitat for at least 35 years or the life of the project, subject to state oversight and reporting requirements.
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Certain environmental information, particularly data related to sensitive species or habitats, is handled carefully to avoid unintended harm, such as disturbance or exploitation of protected resources.
This approach is standard practice and is overseen by state agencies to balance:
- Transparency in the permitting process
- Protection of sensitive environmental resources
Regulators receive full access to all required data as part of their review, even when public disclosure is limited.
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Public input has played an important role in shaping the Fort Edward Solar Project. Feedback received during public comment periods was reviewed by state agencies and considered alongside technical analyses and expert input.
As a result of this process, the project underwent meaningful changes, including:
- Reductions to overall disturbance and habitat impacts
- Design refinements to avoid sensitive areas
- Expanded mitigation and monitoring commitments
These changes are reflected in the project’s permit conditions and are enforceable by the State.
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Approval does not end oversight. If permitted, the Fort Edward Solar Project will be subject to:
- Ongoing environmental monitoring and reporting
- Compliance inspections by state agencies
- Clear enforcement mechanisms if permit conditions are not met
Failure to comply with permit conditions can result in corrective actions or penalties.
Surveys and Studies
Environmental field surveys and studies have been completed on the site, including: winter raptor surveys, breeding bird surveys, noise studies, archeological studies, geotechnical borings and electrical resistivity testing, as well as other environmental and technical studies. These studies and surveys are required as part of the regulatory application process described below.
Fort Edward Documents
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Process for Renewable Energy Projects
The Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act was passed in April 2020 as part of the enacted state budget. The provision added a new section to the Executive Law, titled Major Renewable Energy Development (“94-c”), which is intended to establish a review process with uniform permit standards for New York State renewable energy projects in place of the procedures set forth in Article 10 of the Public Service Law (“Article 10”).
The Act created the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (“ORES”), within the New York State Department of State, as part of the 94-c process, to provide a central forum for the environmental review and permitting of proposed major renewable energy facilities, includes those with a nameplate generating capacity of 25 megawatts (MW) or more, co-located energy storage systems, and electric transmission lines less than 10 miles in length.
The Fort Edward Solar project will be subject to the regulations outlined in the 94-c process and Boralex intends to make an application for the Project to ORES.
Within thirty (30) days of an application filing with ORES, any local agency or potential community intervenor may submit a request for initial funding from the Local Agency Account Funds. Such request shall be made to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, at the Albany, New York office, Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding. Funds from the Local Agency Account may be used by local agencies and potential community intervenors that meet the eligibility and procedural requirements of the law to participate in public comment periods or hearings.
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