The state of New York is poised to approve a solar project that will result in the loss of more than 300 acres of vital habitat for grassland birds. This decision follows the recommendation of the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) and has raised significant concerns among conservationists. The project, proposed by the Canada-based solar company Boralex, aims to construct more than 500 acres of solar panels on an area designated as an Important Bird Area by Audubon.
Located in Washington County, this region is one of only eight designated grassland preservation sites in the state. Conservationists argue that the site is particularly critical for various bird species, some of which are recognized as being in a state of decline. “They couldn’t have picked a worse place,” remarked Terry Griffin, chair of the Grassland Bird Trust, which has been vocal in opposing the project.
The Grassland Bird Trust issued a newsletter on October 31, indicating that ORES had issued an opinion against its request for a compromise. According to the trust, ORES is expected to confirm this opinion by the end of the month, paving the way for Boralex to obtain the necessary permits before June 2024. The planned solar panels will cover 567 acres adjacent to the Department of Conservation’s 478 acres of Wildlife Management Area.
Katherine Roome, secretary of the Grassland Bird Trust, emphasized that their goal has never been to halt the project entirely. “We just wanted more mitigation land,” she stated. Under ORES regulations, for every acre of grassland-bird habitat that is disturbed, 0.2 acres must be mitigated for wintering birds and 0.4 acres for breeding birds. A study commissioned by the trust concluded that 216 acres would need to be mitigated, a figure Griffin criticized as “inadequate.”
The impact on local bird populations is alarming. Grassland birds have experienced a staggering 43% decline in population since 1950, with 3 billion birds lost in North America, according to the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s 2025 State of the Birds report. The 13,000-acre Washington County Grasslands is a crucial habitat for 11 species of birds classified as “species of greatest conservation need,” including American kestrels, bobolinks, and short-eared owls.
Griffin pointed out that the specific site for the proposed solar panels has received multiple designations highlighting its importance as habitat for grassland birds. The New York State Natural Heritage Program has classified the area as a Winter Raptor Concentration Area. Threatened species like northern harriers and endangered short-eared owls rely on these open fields for survival during the winter months. The population of short-eared owls has dwindled significantly, with only an estimated 50 breeding pairs remaining in New York, down from numbers that once allowed them to nest in the county.
Conservationists argue that preserving and protecting these habitats is essential for the survival of these bird species. Roome stated, “We are losing highly valuable ecosystems.” The Grassland Bird Trust and its supporters continue to press for more extensive mitigation measures from ORES and Boralex. A public hearing held on September 30 resulted in hundreds of written comments supporting the trust’s position.
While Roome acknowledged that ORES is unlikely to reverse its decision, the trust remains committed to preventing further habitat loss. “We have not given up by any means,” she affirmed.
Before ORES was established in 2020, mitigation ratios required one acre to be mitigated for grassland bird wintering habitat and three acres for breeding bird habitat. Roome recently communicated with state Assembly member Carrie Woerner, who represents the Grasslands, and believes that Woerner will reintroduce legislation aimed at restoring these original ratios. Woerner has previously secured $500,000 in state budget funding to purchase additional grassland habitat and proposed a law requiring the state to pay property taxes on grassland areas in 2018.
Maintaining what has already been protected is crucial for the trust, which relies on donations and volunteers. Regular walks are held at the Alfred Z. Solomon Grassland Viewing Area, further emphasizing the importance of these habitats. For more information, visit grasslandbirdtrust.org.
