August 15, 2019
New York

PILOT renewed for Fenner wind farm

By Caitlin Traynor, Contributing Writer | Oneida Dispatch | August 14, 2019 | www.oneidadispatch.com

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. – As part of a settlement with Chi Energy, the Madison County Board of Supervisors approved an additional 15-year PILOT program for the Fenner wind farm.

Chi Energy filed a tax certiorari case against the town of Fenner in March, disputing the assessed value of the wind farm. As part of the settlement of that case, the county has agreed to renew its payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement for 15 years.

The current wind farm is assessed at a value of $1 million. Chi Energy plans to complete a repowering project, to upgrade the 30 MW wind farm. Once that work is complete, the town of Fenner has determined its assessed value will be $7 million. Annual PILOT payments will be based on the $7 million assessed value.

The board also, at its meeting Tuesday, approved a local law that will increase the amount of assistance the county can offer municipalities that are involved in assessment review proceedings. The county upped the amount of money it will set aside to help municipalities to $100,000 a year. Municipalities can request financial assistance up to 50 percent of the costs they incur to defend assessment review proceedings.

Vice Chairman Dan Degear said the change is a proactive step to allow the county to step and assist municipalities with legal challenges. The prior amount of financial assistance set aside was “insufficient,” he said, considering some of the large-scale projects currently under construction or being proposed throughout the county.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/08/15/pilot-renewed-for-fenner-wind-farm/