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Cattaraugus County, NY — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

39.4
Risk Grade
Good
W NY; Olean area; Allegany State Park; rural/forested; ORES ≥25 MW; limited solar history; Seneca Nation tribal territory (consultation required for some sites)
Assessment Snapshot
Population
76,117
State Rank
#20
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified at county level. ORES sets conditions for ≥20 MW; municipal zoning governs <20 MW.
Zoning Mechanism
Municipal SUP/Special Permit for <20 MW. ≥20 MW: ORES (Article 94-c) bypasses local zoning.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Conservative — forested/rural; Seneca Nation consultation; ORES pathway exists
Basis for Assessment
W NY; Olean area; Allegany State Park; rural/forested; ORES ≥25 MW; limited solar history; Seneca Nation tribal territory (consultation required for some sites)
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Legislature | M. Andrew Burr | R | Term Expires: 2027 (Chair); Michael M. Brisky | R | Term Expires: 2027 (Vice Chair); Kelly J. Andreano | R | Term Expires: 2027; Ginger D. Schröder | R | Term Expires: 2027; Richard L. Klancer | R | Term Expires: 2027; Richard Helmich Jr. | R | Term Expires: 2027; Robert J. Breton | R | Term Expires: 2027; Donna M. Vickman | R | Term Expires: 2027; Norman L. Marsh | R | Term Expires: 2027; Howard VanRensselaer Sr. | R | Term Expires: 2027; David M. Koch | R | Term Expires: 2027; Vergilio L. Giardini | R | Term Expires: 2027; Dan M. Hale | R | Term Expires: 2027; James Joseph Snyder Jr. | R | Term Expires: 2027; John J. Padlo | R | Term Expires: 2027 — 15-member body; party affiliations inferred (Republican-dominated rural county); district assignments not confirmed — see cattco.gov/government/legislators

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
NYISO Zone A (Western NY — National Grid / NYSEG)
Utilities
National Grid (NYSEG), NYSEG
State Permitting Process
New York Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES), established April 2020 under Executive Law §94-c (Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act): exclusive jurisdiction for projects ≥25 MW. Projects 20–25 MW may opt-in to ORES process. Sub-20 MW: local zoning governs. ORES can preempt local laws if 'unreasonably burdensome' to project — Third Department Appellate Court upheld this preemption authority (2023). ORES must issue siting permit within 12 months of completeness determination (6 months for repurposed/brownfield sites); if not decided, permit is deemed granted. RAPID Act (2024): consolidated major renewable energy + major electric transmission into single ORES process; draft regulations Dec 18, 2024 (public comment closed Mar 2025); implementing new pre-application consultation requirements including mandatory Indigenous Nation consultations. As of Mar 2026, ORES has issued 15 final siting permits totaling 2.3 GW. NYISO interconnection required statewide. All 62 NY counties in NYISO territory.
State Incentives
NY-Sun Initiative (NYSERDA): residential and commercial/industrial solar incentives; MW Block program provides upfront incentives per W-DC (declining block). NY Community Distributed Generation (CDG): community solar, Brooklyn-Queens neighborhood program. NY CLCPA (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act): 70% RES by 2030; 100% clean by 2040; largest clean energy commitment of any state. NYISO RECs and ZECs: wholesale market credits support development. NY Article 94-c (ORES): state permit for ≥20 MW; preempts local opposition. NY Green Bank: project financing support. Utility varies by county: Con Edison (NYC/Westchester); National Grid (Long Island/Upstate); NYSEG (Southern Tier/North Country); Central Hudson (Hudson Valley); RG&E (Rochester); O&R (Orange/Rockland).

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on public record as of Mar 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials on record as of Mar 2026.

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes