SMYRNA – A proposed solar project in the Town of Smyrna is moving ahead in the preliminary process with guidance from the Chenango County Industrial Development Agency.

The CCIDA Board passed a resolution in July declaring its intent to seek lead agency status for the environmental review of the three-megawatt project, planned to be built on 16 acres at 471 County Rd. 14. Project information was sent to the Chenango County Planning Board, the Sherburne-Earlville School District, and the neighboring Town of North Norwich.

The CCIDA is now starting the process to review the environmental impacts of the project. New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) requires all state and local government agencies to consider environmental impacts equally with social and economic factors during discretionary decision-making.

A public hearing on the project will be called when the SEQR is completed.

The project comes at the heels of a separate proposed solar project adjacent on County Road 38 in the Town of Bainbridge, also guided by the CCIDA. If all is approved, solar panels will be built on purchased land of an old industrial on County Road 38. The plot had been purchased by a private company in a county tax sale.

The Chenango County Planning Department has reviewed the project and the proposal has been sent back to the town for the next steps.

Members of Chenango County’s Agriculture Committee had voiced concerns over the direction of solar energy during their regular meeting earlier this month, some members warning that solar projects may be exhausting viable farmland locally and statewide.