Honey Ridge Solar Project
The Honey Ridge Solar project is a 100MWac solar photovoltaic (PV) facility being developed on private land off Middleton Road in the Town of Rutland and the Village of Black River in Jefferson County, NY. The facility will safely generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power approximately 20,000 New York households annually over the lifespan of the project.
Honey Ridge Solar is an opportunity to contribute to the local economy through consistent tax revenue to Jefferson County, the local school districts, and job creation through the construction, operation, and maintenance phases.
System Location & Details
LOCATION: The Honey Ridge Solar project is sited in the Town of Rutland and the Village of Black River in Jefferson County, NY. The facility will interconnect to the New York power grid via the 115kV line running between the Black River and North Carthage Substations. The facility will be sited on approximately 700 acres of leased private land.
ESTIMATED TIMELINE:
February 2021: Development start date
March 2025: Community meeting
November 2025: Submit ORES application
December 2026: Receive ORES application
March 2027: Construction start
March 2029: Commence commercial operations
DOCUMENTS
Benefits for the Local Community
Long-Term Local Tax Revenue: The Honey Ridge Solar project will provide long-term tax revenues to Jefferson County and the local school districts over the duration of the project. The project will pay an estimated 12.5 million dollars in taxes over the life of the project and unlike other forms of development will not require any burden on the County to provide additional services.
Host Community Benefits: The Honey Ridge Solar project will provide $500 per megawatt (MW) per year distributed to the local community in the form of electrical bill credits over the first 10 years of operation. The amount will total $500,000 in savings to the local community over the 10 year period.
Construction Jobs: The Honey Ridge Solar project is expected to create approximately 100+ jobs to support the 18 month construction period. The Honey Ridge Solar project will use union labor and pay prevailing wage thereby primarily benefiting those in the construction trades in Jefferson County. The project will require equipment operators, truck drivers, laborers, landscapers, and electricians among many others. The construction phase will increase spending at local establishments.
Operations and Maintenance Jobs: The Honey Ridge Solar project is expected to create 2+ full-time equivalent operations and maintenance jobs.
Indirect Benefits: The Honey Ridge Solar project supports New York’s ambitious renewable energy goals to reach 70% renewable energy generation by 2030 and zero-emissions electricity by 2040.
Environmental and Health Impacts
Construction Phase: Construction will be primarily conducted by small and medium-sized equipment. Both public and workforce safety are of the utmost priority. Our project team is committed to operating a safe working environment during the construction and operation phases for both our workers and for the public.
Operational Phase: Operations and Maintenance work will be performed during normal working hours to minimize impact to the local community. The Honey Ridge Solar project will operate within allowable noise levels determined by New York State and will conduct additional noise assessment and minimization plans. As solar operations only occur during the day, there will be no noise concerns at night.
Your Questions, Answered
We know you may have questions about utility-scale solar. We’ve answered common questions here, and if you have additional questions, please call 518-901-3893 and a member of our team will get back to you. For any other general information about solar, check out one of the best sources of information we’ve seen.
Are solar projects safe?
Yes. Panels are made of solid materials and do not present any chemical hazards to people, underlying soil, or groundwater. For decades, communities have been safely living and working around solar projects without issues. They do not create any greenhouse gasses or other air pollutants or waste by-products.
How is this project going to benefit me?
Communities benefit with the potential for millions of dollars in added tax revenue dollars and jobs during construction. Funds generated through a solar project can help revitalize schools, road infrastructure and essential services like emergency response system upgrades. The project will deliver these economic benefits without making additional demands or impact on community services.
How do solar projects impact property values?
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar farms do not typically impact property values. Several other studies conducted in the United States reveal similar results on adjacent property values. SEIA also cites cases that have had positive impacts. Read more here.
What happens at the end of the system’s life?
The solar farm will be decommissioned at the end of its life. Before beginning construction, New York State’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) will require the Project to submit a decommissioning plan and post a decommissioning bond or letter of credit before construction begins. This cost estimate and bond will be updated every five years to cover the full cost of decommissioning less the salvage value.
Community Engagement
New Leaf Energy is dedicated to working alongside the local community to support renewable energy development. The Honey Ridge Solar project will be permitted via the 94-C state-level process which requires a comprehensive review providing opportunity for public input and involvement. More information on the 94-C process can be found on New York’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) website at https://dps.ny.gov/ores.
Community Meetings
New Leaf Energy commits to engage early with the local community to build long-lasting relationships which support and empower stakeholders. In 2025, New Leaf Energy will be hosting informational meetings during which project experts will provide information about the project, the studies conducted, and answer any questions. Dates, press releases, videos, and other materials related to the open houses will be published on this website as they become available.
Intervenor Funds
Any local agency or potential community intervenor shall submit a request for initial funding within thirty (30) days of the date of application filing and that such request be made to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, at the Albany, New York office, Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding. Each request for funds from the local agency account must contain all items listed on page 76 of the ORES regulations under §900-5.1 Local Agency Account section (h).
Project Document Repositories
At a future date, Printed Application Materials can be viewed at the following locations during normal business hours. Please confirm hours of operation with each location as they may be subject to change.
The Office of Renewable Energy Siting - Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 3, Albany, NY 12223-1350 - ores.ny.gov/permit-applications
Town of Rutland Town Hall - 8650 LeRay Street, Evans Mills, NY 13637
Village of Black River Town Hall - 107 Jefferson Place, Black River, New York 13612
Sally Ploof Hunter Memorial Library - 101 Public Works Drive, Black River, NY 13612
After the Honey Ridge Solar project’s ORES application is submitted, the application will be available to the public on ORES’s website under “Permit Applications.” Please click on the blue link under the “Project Permit Application Number” column to view the application. Additionally, a link will be posted to this website. Other relevant documents including ORES regulations that the Project will abide by and ORES contact information can also be found on their website.
Subscribe to Notices
If you would like to follow the proceedings in the Honey Ridge Solar 94-c Application, you may do so by subscribing to the service list of the case once the Permit Application Docket has been established. By subscribing to the service list, you will receive email notifications with links to documents filed by the parties in the 94-c Application proceedings, such as correspondences, orders, notices, rulings and formal comments. Instructions on how to register for the service list are provided in the Permit Application Portal Registration & User Guide available on the ORES website.
Once the required notices have been posted, they will be uploaded on this page. The notices, along with all other materials filed in the Honey Ridge Solar 94-c Proceedings can be found in the Permit Application Docket.
At New Leaf Energy, we partner with landowners, policy makers, and other stakeholders to accelerate renewable energy adoption. One of the most experienced renewable energy developers in the United States, we have an unparalleled track record of converting potential projects to gigawatts in the ground. Learn More →
About New Leaf Energy
Contacts for the Honey Ridge Solar project:
New Leaf Energy - Lowell Office:
Phone: (800) 818-5249
Mailing Address: 55 Technology Drive, Lowell, MA 01851
Project Developer - Alex Yager
Phone: 518-901-3893
Email: ayager@newleafenergy.com
ORES – General
Phone: 518-473-4590
Email: general@ores.ny.gov