BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators have signed off on an agreement which will allow Boralex to use county highways for a 200MW solar array in Massena and Brasher, albeit with a caveat. 

The resolution for a road use agreement passed unanimously during the Aug. 24 Finance Committee meeting but some legislators touched on concerns they had that stemmed from previous projects using county highways. 

According to interim-Highway Superintendent Ryan Herron, the project is still "50/50" as Boralex officials continue to navigate the environmental review process with the Office of Renewable Energy Services (ORES). 

The overall cost of the project could also impact the Canadian firm's decision making in New York. 

Boralex is also working on a 250 MW project in Fort Covington, as part of a 450MW strategic project they said is a key to their growth strategy in the United States. 

“New York’s clean energy economy is a priority, and Boralex is proud to contribute,” said CEO Patrick Decostre in a OneStop ESG story. 

As for the Massena and Brasher project, Boralex officials need to "check the boxes" and secure road use agreements with the county and townships of Massena and Brasher, Herron said. 

"The road use agreement essentially protects the county," Herron told legislators. 

As part of the agreement, funds will be held in escrow and used to fix any county roads damaged during the construction phase of the project. 

If funds run low, Boralex would be on the hook for additional repairs as well, Herron said. 

He told legislators construction could begin in early 2027, with Boralex officials saying the plan is to have the array online by mid-2029. 

The caveat to require funds in escrow with the agreement was met with support by legislators, including Nicole Terminelli who said previous agreements with other companies lacked such language and forced municipalities to "chase money" for repairs. 

Legislator Joseph Lightfoot, who was chairing the meeting, suggested Herron and other county officials review the previous agreements that led to the headaches to ensure those same errors were not repeated. 

Lightfoot said some previous projects "badly damaged" county highways, making him leery of agreements. 

"We had a little bit of a kerfuffle about that. I'm assuming there will be an agreement, a contract to review," he said. 

Lightfoot said he wanted the county to look for "any pitfalls" of previous deals to ensure the county is not put at a disadvantage or seeking to recoup losses. 

"Rather than see it done from behind, I'd like to see it done up front," he told Herron. 

For Legislator John Gennett, who represented a large portion of the affected lands in the proposed project, the agreement doesn't offer enough information. 

"I guess I just want to know more. We don't have any benefit for solar. I'd rather keep the golf course but that's beside the point," he said. 

The golf course in question is the Cedar View Golf Course, which would be closed and covered in panels if the project were to go through. 

Area first responders have been vocal critics of the sale of the course to Boralex, citing the numerous fundraisers held at the course that raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to support local fire departments and rescue squads. 

ORES has already issued a siting permit for the project, however a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) is still required. 

A hearing held April 29 to allow the public  to weigh-in prior to PSC board members deciding on the issuance of a CPCN, which is a regulatory permit private companies are required to obtain before building, operating or expanding public services, drew no public comments, state officials said. 

PSC officials have yet to finalize or issue a CPCN for the project.