To the Editor:
Thank you, Noah Zweifel, for contacting manager John Regan of RIC Energy and reporting that they are contemplating a revised site plan that may include solar panels that move to track the sun [“RIC Energy reconfiguring Knox solar project after confused planning board vote,” The Altamont Enterprise, May 25, 2021].

This will give those opposed to this 4.4-megawatt project yet another concern to deal with. We will not give up telling our story and expressing our heartache if this project ends up getting approved.

I respect that some people won’t understand our position and they are entitled to their opinion. However, the strong opposition of 10 families who surround this parcel of land was not shown any respect for their opinions or feelings.

We all agreed that solar farms are a good thing. They provide green energy and there are incentives and goals set by New York State to welcome these arrays into the rural towns.

There are separate moratoriums for “mining” and “wind energy” yet solar farms are included in the zoning laws. With the push for green energy, the town of Knox needs to add in some “placement” guidelines for solar farms.

According to the line of site map submitted by RIC, the Chapmans will see the upper back portion of the arrays after you realign the “line” RIC first submitted to start at the second floor of their house where they live.

RIC agreed the Bunzey family “might” also see the upper portion as their house sits up on a hill. Since the topography of the land slopes upward from the main road, the trees they plant along Thompsons Lake Road cannot block the upper portion from the Bunzeys’ view or they would block the sun from reaching the solar panels.

All objections to this project have been dismissed by the Knox Planning Board — with the exception of two members who voted “no” at the March meeting. Thank you, Todd [LaGrange], for presenting your unbiased reasons and insightful viewpoint for objecting to the placement, etc. of this solar farm.

The one proposed at the end of Old Stage Road does not fit in such close proximity to several family homes. It’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.

Let us learn a lesson from our neighboring towns that realized their mistakes after it was too late and are now stuck with the result for at least 25 years. Why does RIC Energy come before taxpaying residents who have been active in the community for over 30 years when RIC has “roots in Spain?”

This proposal should never have gotten this far in the approval process. It should have been obvious when they took a tour of the property that it was not a good spot.

Bottom line, there are many acres of land in the town where one would fit and not encroach on family homes to the extent that this one does. Approving this project will set a precedent for other companies to look at similar residential parcels of land.

The people representing these companies are well versed in how to respond to every objection. One example: They will offer 10-percent savings on your electric bill for those who sign up. While this sounds like a great deal, it is 10 percent off the supply services charge only. We would save less than $4 per month as an example.

Another example: Their response to one of Albany County Planning Board’s recommended disapproval points for the proposed site plan was it being within 500 feet of a state park.

Jonathan Rappe on Feb. 25, 2021 responded “…project site is nearly 2 miles from Thacher Park.” Per Knox Solar Project (last revised Dec. 29, 2020) “…with the northwest corner of Thompsons Lake State Park being approximately 340 feet from the southeast corner of the site.” Since the Thacher Park complex includes Thompsons Lake State Park, it is within 500 feet of the project site.

Furthermore, RIC states “The Project will not negatively impact air quality.” Is it green energy to cut down “roughly 22 acres” of trees that clean the air naturally to make way for a solar farm that could be placed in an empty field?

RIC dismissed studies showing a decrease in property values for homes close to a solar farm, stating there were also studies contradicting that. I agree you can find studies on both sides. Allowing solar farms next to residential homes is very new so studies are scarce at this point.

I am not willing to take that financial gamble with my family’s future unlike the majority of the Knox Planning Board. In addition, it will be more difficult to find a buyer.

Between COVID, stress over this proposed solar project, and the daily challenges of raising a daughter with cerebral palsy, my family has not had a good night’s sleep since October when this whole fiasco began. It is so frustrating to have no voice over something that will have such a huge negative impact on your life.

I would like Tom Wolfe (as the chairman of the Knox Planning Board) to answer publicly:

— 1. Why is it right to totally dismiss the objections of 10 surrounding neighbors who live in such close proximity to this project? Any person appointed to a town board of any kind should have the best interest of the town as well as the townspeople when deciding to approve or deny a project; and

—  2. How many planning board members who initially voted in favor of this RIC proposal would want a mega solar array in their backyard with “medium visibility” as we will be stuck with per RIC? If any or all answer yes, then put them there instead!

Valerie, Al, and Aly Gaige

Knox