Jenny Landry, who supervises the DEC raptor survey in Region 8, which focuses on grassland species like short eared owls and northern harriers, has mentioned there are a lot of solar farms being proposed and reviewed right now. They are trying to compile as much grassland data as possible. She would be a good place to start with the DEC. Region 8 does not include Cayuga County.
Jenny Landry Wildlife Biologist, Division of Fish and Wildlife New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 6274 East Avon-Lima Road, Avon, NY 14414 P: (585) 226-5491 | F: (585) 226-6323 | jenny.lan...@dec.ny.gov<mailto:jenny.lan...@dec.ny.gov> www.dec.ny.gov<http://www.dec.ny.gov/> | [cid:image001.jpg@01D70774.C6E360F0] <https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC> | [cid:image002.jpg@01D70774.C6E360F0] <https://twitter.com/NYSDEC> Marty =========================================== Marty Schlabach m...@cornell.edu 8407 Powell Rd. home 607-532-3467 Interlaken, NY 14847 cell 315-521-4315 =========================================== From: bounce-125403298-3494...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-125403298-3494...@list.cornell.edu> On Behalf Of Alicia Plotkin Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2021 10:17 AM To: david nicosia <daven1...@yahoo.com>; CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Massive Solar Farm coming to Cayuga County Great idea! The Syracuse article you linked to says that a number of these mega-farms are in the planning stage for NYS. Maybe an approach through the permitting process or legislation would be more effective than approaching them individually? Does anyone on this list have good DEC or legislative contacts? Does Audubon or the Sierra Club or anyone else have an updated report on how this can work, perhaps analyzing the effect of the Minnesota law mentioned in your other link - what regulations work best & why they don't cost taxpayers or solar farms much? For that matter, is Audubon already working on this in NYS? Alicia On 2/20/2021 8:31 AM, david nicosia wrote: All, see https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/02/monster-cny-solar-farm-would-replace-corn-and-soybeans-with-power-for-30000-homes.html Does anyone have any more details on this? If it is done with wildlife in mind this could be a good thing. If they plant pollinator friendly and native grasses this could be a positive. But if it is just plain grass it could be at best just a trade-off and at worse a negative. These solar farms could be good for birds and pollinators. see https://www.audubon.org/news/can-solar-plants-make-good-bird-habitat Maybe you are all aware of this but the big renewable energy push through solar farms could be an opportunity to improve bird and pollinator habitats. Anyway, just wondering if any folks have information on this or have contacted solar farm companies on this. Best, Dave -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
