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RIC Development, LLC
17 State Street, Suite 2320 New York NY 10004
Our APPROACH
Environment
We Respect Our Surroundings
Wetlands and Water Resources
No wetlands or waterways are within the project area.
Compliant
Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat
US Fish & Wildlife has determined the project will not impact threatened and endangered species. The project does not fall within an area covered by NYSDEC Rare Plants and Rare Animals record.
Compliant
Soils, Vegetation, and Agriculture
Thanks to its small footprint (less than 1/5th of an acre), the project will not substantially displace agricultural land. The project will not require clearing of any trees.
Compliant
Stormwater Management
The project will draft and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention plan (SWPPP) according to State and Local regulations.
Compliant
Floodplains
According to FEMA's flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), the project is not located within a floodplain.
Compliant
Community
Keeping a Quiet Presence
Visual Aesthetics AND DIVERSE PLANTING
This project is set far back on the parcel and will have diverse, evergreen landscaping to further separate the view of the Project. The natural terrain and vegetation plus the proposed diverse evergreen landscaping will screen most of the project from view of public gathering places. A Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) report analyzes the visibility of the project from roadways, adjacent properties, and publicly accessible locations. Evergreen landscape buffer plantings are proposed in areas of project visibility, and photo simulations of pre-construction and post-construction conditions have been prepared.
Noise and Acoustics
The Project area was subjected to a Noise Impact Analysis to determine the decibel levels at given distances from the Project equipment. The results of the Noise Impact Analysis indicate the sound from the site is considered very quiet to faint at very quiet at all four (4) of the Reception Points. The equivalent sound level heard at each of these Reception Points could be categorized as a quiet library, soft whisper (15 feet).
As exhibited in the Project Site Plans, the Project proposes vegetative screening along the western edge of the solar array, which will further dampen (reduce) the project's acoustics from neighboring properties, beyond the results of the study. Given the distance of equipment from reception points (residences) and the proposed vegetative buffers, acoustic impacts to neighboring properties are non-significant, and no further analysis is required.
CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
Installation Process and Proper Maintenance
The tentative construction schedule assumes that mobilization and construction would commence 2-4 weeks after a building permit is approved. The expected overall timeline for construction and commissioning is approximately 18-20 weeks.
Construction is generally divided into several phases:
01
Mobilization
1 Week
Mobilization of construction crews and delivery of initial construction equipment.
02
Site Preparation
and Civil Work
and Civil Work
3 Weeks
This phase starts with the implementation of erosion and sedimentation control measures being put in place prior to the start of construction. It continues with clearing and grading as well as the construction of the driveway and interior access road for the Projects.
03
Mechanical
installation
installation
10 Weeks
This phase includes the installation of solar racking, which for this project is a single-axis tracker. The installation begins with post-driving, which is the only type of construction work that will generate higher noise levels but is limited only to 1-2 weeks and will be conducted within regular working day hours, to not cause any significant disruption to neighbors.
The rest of the activities include installation of the solar trackers, PV modules, inverters, transformers, etc. None of these activities generate any excessive noise, dust, or other forms of disturbance to the surrounding neighbors.
The rest of the activities include installation of the solar trackers, PV modules, inverters, transformers, etc. None of these activities generate any excessive noise, dust, or other forms of disturbance to the surrounding neighbors.
04
Electrical
installation
installation
6 Weeks
Electrical work includes the installation of underground cables, wiring and termination of above ground cables on the solar trackers (connecting all modules into strings and connecting them to the inverters), wiring and termination of grid interconnection facilities.
05
QA/QC
inspections and
Commissioning
inspections and
Commissioning
Regular quality assurance and stormwater management inspections will be implemented throughout the construction and installation period. Once all systems are installed and connected, a dedicated third-party engineering crew, along with the utility’s engineers, will conduct the final inspections and testing procedures before the system can be placed into operation and start generating and exporting energy into the grid.
01
Mobilization
1 Week
Mobilization of construction crews and delivery of initial construction equipment.
02
Site Preparation
and Civil Work
and Civil Work
3 Weeks
This phase starts with the implementation of erosion and sedimentation control measures being put in place prior to the start of construction. It continues with clearing and grading as well as the construction of the driveway and interior access road for the Project.
03
Mechanical
installation
installation
10 Weeks
This phase includes the installation of solar racking, which for this project is a single-axis tracker. The installation begins with post-driving, which is the only type of construction work that will generate higher noise levels but is limited only to 1-2 weeks and will be conducted within regular working day hours, to not cause any significant disruption to neighbors.
The rest of the activities include installation of the solar trackers, PV modules, inverters, transformers, etc. None of these activities generate any excessive noise, dust or other forms of disturbance to the surrounding neighbors.
The rest of the activities include installation of the solar trackers, PV modules, inverters, transformers, etc. None of these activities generate any excessive noise, dust or other forms of disturbance to the surrounding neighbors.
04
Electrical
installation
installation
6 Weeks
Electrical work includes the installation of underground cables, wiring and termination of above ground cables on the solar trackers (connecting all modules into strings and connecting them to the inverters), wiring and termination of grid interconnection facilities.
05
QA/QC
inspections and
Commissioning
inspections and
Commissioning
Regular quality assurance and stormwater management inspections will be implemented throughout the construction and installation period. Once all systems are installed and connected, a dedicated third-party engineering crew, along with the utility’s engineers will conduct the final inspections and testing procedures before the system can be placed into operation and start generating and exporting energy into the grid.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Operation and Maintenance
The solar array, inverters, transformers, and all safety systems are fully automated and remotely monitored 24/7 through an electronic system and do not require constant on-site supervision or manual operation. As described below, the Project requires only periodic inspections, servicing, and maintenance, conducted by dedicated crews, per schedule or as needed.
Beyond the construction period, the Project requires very minimal on-site personnel. Regularly occurring management operations include landscaping (mowing and vegetation management) and annual inspections of the mechanical and electric installations and equipment. All these operations are performed by small crews and do not generate notable noise or traffic that is uncommon for an agricultural-residential or residential neighborhood.
During its normal operation, the solar installation:
- Will not generate significant vehicle traffic
- Will not generate any gas emissions
- Will not pose a risk of any contamination of air, soil, or water resources
- Will not generate waste
- Will not require discharge of wastewater
- Will not generate noise that would exceed the accepted standards
Project Removal
A Responsible Return to Its Original State
Solar panels available on the market today are typically designed to last for at least 25 - 30 years and the Project will continually maintain the solar arrays and related equipment for the life of the Project. At the end of their useful life, the Project may be renewed or they may permanently cease operations, at which time the Project removal plan (approved by the Town of Geneva) will be implemented to remove, reuse, and/or recycle equipment and related materials to return the Project area to its pre-construction condition so that it is available for agriculture and other open space usages as determined by the landowner at that time.
The removal of the Project is, in many ways, the reverse of its construction. Much of the same equipment that was used in the construction of the Project, such as trucks and backhoes, will again be used in the removal of the components. Steel, cable, and concrete will be removed and transported off-site for recycling and/or disposal at approved facilities. Licensed off-site disposal facilities will be identified at that time, as the availability of facilities is likely to change in the decades during the Project’s useful life. The removal of the facility and the site restoration are guaranteed through a bond, whereby the Town of Geneva is the beneficiary. It is also important to mention that it is in the interest of the Project to recycle the bulk of the materials and equipment, which are projected to have a higher salvage value than the total cost of the removal and restoration.