March 25, 2017
New York

Tompkins County to hold public meeting about renewable energy systems

Marcia Lynch, Tompkins County public information officer | Mar 23, 2017 | www.ithaca.com

The Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability is holding a public meeting on Wednesday March 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Borg Warner Room of the Tompkins County Public Library. The County is asking participants to identify any concerns they have with the deployment of wind and solar energy systems and local regulation of those developments. The Department will be sharing the input with local government officials.

This is the second public meeting on renewable energy systems and was added due to the heavy weather in the two days preceding the first public meeting.
Related: Blow Back at the Wind

Tompkins County has established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. In order to achieve this long-term goal, the recently completed Energy Roadmap identified an interim goal of developing 50 percent of the county’s solar potential, 20 percent of its wind potential, and 20 percent of its micro-hydro potential.

The Department of Planning and Sustainability is committed to promoting renewable energy systems that also addresses public concerns with their deployment. Towards that end, the Department is preparing a series of recommendations for local governments as they draft language to regulate solar and wind energy systems in anticipation of more widespread development of these systems. Several municipalities have established local zoning and site plan regulations to address deployment of wind and solar energy systems, others have not.

Members of the public who have interest in or concerns with the regulation and development of renewable energy systems in Tompkins County are encouraged to attend the meeting. The meeting will feature a presentation on different types of renewable energy systems and potential regulations. The majority of the time will be devoted to gathering public reaction to these important points. Written comments will also be accepted through March 24.

Questions and comments may be directed to the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability, 121 East Court Street, Ithaca, 274-5560, planning@tompkins-co.org

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/03/25/tompkins-county-to-hold-public-meeting-about-renewable-energy-systems/