On TUESDAY, Ocober 29th at 6:30pm here at the NHCOG office we will hold the next 5th Thursday forum for land use commission members. What can NWCT towns do to make sure solar is installed in appropriate locations and potentially negative environmental impacts are fully considered?
For this Forum we will have a Solar Panel (pun intended*) with the following presenters:
Michael Klemens, PhD, Conservation Biologist, Chairman Salisbury Planning & Zoning Commission, former member of the Connecticut Siting Council
- How towns can proactively regulate small (1 MW or less) solar projects (specific examples will be provided)
- What legislative and administrative changes could be advocated for that would improve the CT Siting Council’s review of the ecological impacts of large scale solar installations.
Tim Abbott, HVA, Regional Conservation and Greenprint Director
- Potential environmental impacts of projects like the 80 acre “Candlewood Solar” installation in New Milford.
- Example: Core Forest & wildlife corridor mapping just completed for the Cornwall POCD update- such mapping could help towns identify where solar should be avoided.
Ray Furse, Litchfield Hills Solar
- Solar for farms vs. Solar Farms
- What’s happening with small scale installations in Litchfield County and with net metering
Who should attend:
Planning & Zoning Commission members
Inland Wetland & Conservation Commission members
Land Use Administrators & ZEOs
Area legislators & other interested stakeholders
Planning to come?! RSVP TODAY! (RSVP to Jocelyn)
* I cannot claim credit for this brilliant pun. I must credit Tim Abbott.