Hickory Ridge Solar Information
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Hickory Ridge Solar Project Delayed Yet Again - December 8, 2023
The Town Manager has announced that construction of the long delayed Hickory Ridge Solar Project will not resume until mid 2024 at the earliest. The announcement came in the latest Amherst Town Manager Report for December 4, 2023:
Staff from the Conservation Department, Inspections Services, and Fire Department are working with representatives of PureSky, the Hickory Ridge solar developer, on the final design and permitting for the solar array at the former Hickory Ridge Golf Course. After months of delay, the project has been making its way back through the Conservation Commission and Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. Most of the recent focus has been on updated plans for stormwater management, access to the site during flooding events, and the type and safety of the proposed batteries for the arrays. Staff anticipate continuing to work with the PureSky team on these issues during next 60 days. If all concerns are addressed construction should commence in the spring or early summer.
Limited work on the project began in January of 2023 when 200 trees were cut down. An access road, erosion controls, and some chain link fencing were installed in the early spring. Soon after, construction came to an abrupt halt and has never resumed. Signs posted in the old golf course parking lot announce that the project would be complete sometime last August. Almost one year later, the dead trees are still on the ground and a abandoned looking construction trailer sits nearby.
Serious flooding of the Fort River that winds through the old golf course occurred in January and September. These events have raised questions about the safety of the project’s access road since a long section of the road crosses the known flood plain. To access the Hickory Ridge solar/battery site vehicles must cross this flood plain and the Fort River. After a moderate rainstorm in September, two to three feet of murky, moving water covered the road and the surrounding area.
If Amherst emergency personnel attempted to respond at the site during heavy flooding, they would need to cross a broad pond created by the rising river and a bridge that often has the Fort River lapping over its decking during high waters. Heavy emergency vehicles would need to navigate across this dangerous morass, possibly in the dark. Fire fighters and other responders would be facing unreasonable risks if a battery fire or other emergency at the facility occurred during one of these frequent flooding events.
PureSky, continues to include fire-prone Powin Centipede 750 batteries in their Hickory Ridge project specifications despite that fact that these new batteries have been involved in at least three serious fires in the past six months. No official report has been issued by Powin or PureSky about the cause of these fires. Nevertheless, PureSky and Powin have informally blamed the problem on water intrusion into the battery containers. They have given no indication of how future fires will be prevented. Any battery that bursts into flames when exposed to water intrusion is a huge problem for this location. Locating 16 huge Powin Centipede 750 battery units at a flood-prone facility with major access issues during heavy rains could potentially lead to disaster.
One could easily imagine the headlines:
“Firefighters Unable to Reach Battery Fire at Hickory Ridge Solar Project Due to High Flood Waters as Fires Enter Third Day”
“Amherst Officials Permitted Installation of Powin Batteries With Full Knowledge of Past Poor Fire Safety Record”
The health and safety of residents requires that the town continue to hold PureSky to a high standard. The project needs to be safe and should not put first responders and residents at risk. Stringent oversight by Amherst town officials can prevent this project from becoming another example of solar done wrong.
Solar Construction at Hickory Ridge Comes to a Halt - June 8, 2023
Despite almost perfect building weather, construction of the Hickory Ridge Solar Project on Whitney Street in Amherst has been at a standstill for the past three weeks.
The 27-acre solar project was issued a special permit on September 12, 2019. The original solar developer dropped out. Amp Energy stepped in to construct and operate the project, in partnership with the town of Amherst. During late summer of 2022 the special permit was extended for an additional year.
There has been some work on the project. Initial site work began on January 25, 2022, when a work crew cut down 190 mature trees on the north side of the old golf course. Many of the trees are still lying where they fell or have been piled around the building site. Erosion barriers were installed around the perimeter of the building site in March and a traprock road was built during April. Some chain link fencing was installed around the site in early May, but work on the fencing stopped after a few weeks.
Two handmade cardboard address signs line either side of the entrance to the site along with small signs labeled, “Danger, construction area, keep out.” The entrance road is blocked by a gate tied closed with a chain. The only sounds coming from beyond the gate are bird songs and the only construction seems to be nest building.
It is not clear why construction on the site has come to a halt. It is also not known if Amp Energy has been able to obtain a building permit for the project. Attempts to acquire more information about the project have been unsuccessful. Emails to town building officials have not been answered and little information about this huge project is available to the public.
The June 2nd Amherst Town Manager’s Report says that work has begun on the installation of solar panels, but there are no solar panels or any other related materials on the property. The last project update signs posted by the town at the Hickory Ridge trail entrance claim that construction will end in August/September. It seems highly unlikely that the solar field will be completed and operational by that date. In the meantime, the residents of Amherst can only wonder what is actually going on.
New Concerns About Hickory Ridge Solar Project - May 17
A few months ago, we published an article revealing that AMP had hired Dynamic Energy Systems to build their solar installation on Hickory Ridge in Amherst. In this article, we expressed concern that Dynamic had recently been found responsible and fined for extensive damage to a local watershed in Williamsburg. Thankfully, town officials responded to these concerns and appear to be monitoring construction activities closely.
We have recently learned some additional facts about AMP’s work at Oak Hill Solar project, presently under construction in Duanesburg, New York. It is a 65-acre solar project with a battery storage component. AMP is the project owner and GreenCells USA is the contractor. Massive structural failures and unpaid bills of $2.3 million reveal a project in disarray. It is important for Amherst to protect itself from a similar fate at Hickory Ridge. We are calling on the town to consider what can be learned by the Duanesburg problems BEFORE issuing a building permit for Hickory Ridge.
Oak Hill Solar construction began in 2022 with significant progress throughout the summer and fall. According to reports from abutters, who have continued to document the site with reports and photos, around December 22, 2022, a strong snowstorm hit the site and caused major damage to many rows of solar panels. Even more distressing is the fact that five months later, many hundreds of feet of broken solar panels are still lying on the ground and no cleanup effort has been made. As of May 2023, there is still no substantial activity at Oak Hill Solar. Construction on the project appears to be halted, and it is unclear what will happen next.
In another troubling development, several mechanical liens have been filed against the Duanesburg property owner and AMP. The liens are for non-payment of goods and services totaling more than $2.3 million. The liens were filed by various sub-contractors who worked on the project in 2022 and have not been paid.
What does any of this have to do with the town of Amherst?
1. We believe that the Town of Amherst should require a third-party engineering review of the mounting post and solar panel tracking system being proposed for use at Hickory Ridge. It could be that the issues that occurred in Duanesburg NY might happen here due to the challenge of anchoring posts in the deep clay present at the Amherst site.
2. The issue of non-payment to sub-contractors should be a particular concern to the Town of Amherst which is now in a partnership with AMP at Hickory Ridge. It is important to note that the liens have been filed against the landowner in addition to AMP and Greencell USA. We do not claim to fully understand the complicated deal involving the acquisition of Hickory Ridge, but it appears that any liens filed on the Hickory Ridge project would also involve the town.
3. The apparent negligence on display at the Oak Hill Solar site should be a warning. What will AMP do at Hickory Ridge if there is a similar incident? Is there a surety bond or indemnification that protects the town against any eventuality?
For further note: on February 21, 2023, AMP announced that it was selling its US-based holdings to a consortium of funds, managed by Fiera Capital Corp and an Australian-based Palisade Infrastructure Group. AMP’s website declares the company’s intention to become “a global energy transition supermajor.” What impact might this acquisition and desire to become a global supermajor have on AMP’s ability to focus on a project in progress, to see a project through to the end, and to pay its bills? Who is really in charge of this company now? Can the town get an answer to this question from AMP? We hope that the town officials working with AMP on the Hickory Ridge project will continue to closely monitor all aspects of the construction and take advantage of their partnership to get answers to the questions we have raised.
Jenny Kallick and Michael Lipinski are residents of Amherst and members of Smart Solar Amherst
Friday, April 28, 2023
Company Responsible For Williamsburg Solar Disaster Hired As Hickory Ridge Solar Developer
On February 3, 2023, the town of Amherst posted a “courtesy notice,” announcing that “the Fort River Solar 2, LLC (“FRS2”) Solar Project, managed by Amp Solar Development Inc. (“Amp”) is set to begin construction in the coming weeks.” The notice continued—” The Town and FRS2, along with the site contractor, Dynamic Energy, will be constructing a 3.83 MWac community solar project.”
Not mentioned in the town’s posting is the fact that Dynamic Energy was responsible for the 2018 Williamsburg solar disaster. As detailed in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s press release on February 1, 2021, Dynamic Energy Solutions “disregarded fundamental pollution control requirements for construction sites.” According to Michael Gorski, director of Mass DEP’s Western Regional Office, “the impacts to the wetlands and wildlife habitat areas were not only egregious, they were entirely avoidable.” Dynamic agreed to pay approximately $1.14 million in a settlement with the commonwealth.
Dynamic’s work in Williamsburg is a prime example of solar gone wrong. A detailed description of the disaster and the settlement can be found in the attorney general’s press release, and in this Daily Hampshire Gazette article.
The Fort River solar project at the former site of the Hickory Ridge Golf Course is located on environmentally sensitive, flood-prone town land. This site leaves no room for error. Based on their track record, Dynamic’s role as site contractor suggests the following actions need to be considered immediately:
1. Given the fragile environmental conditions at Hickory Ridge an environmental monitor, paid for by AMP and working for the town, must be required immediately.
2. Given that AMP has not been required to provide a bond to cover any damages and necessary remediation, the town should remedy this by requiring a bond from AMP and Dynamic.
3. Given the concerns raised by this information, the Town Council, Planning Board, and ZBA should discuss whether AMP, as the party responsible for hiring Dynamic Energy Solutions, may be allowed to oversee projects now and in the future.
Read the followup article in the Hampshire Gazette
Advocates flag concerns over solar subcontractor at old Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Amherst
By SCOTT MERZBACH
Solar Construction at Hickory Ridge Comes to a Halt
Despite almost perfect building weather, construction of the Hickory Ridge Solar Project on Whitney Street in Amherst has been at a standstill for the past three weeks.
The 27-acre solar project was issued a special permit on September 12, 2019. The original solar developer dropped out. Amp Energy stepped in to construct and operate the project, in partnership with the town of Amherst. During late summer of 2022 the special permit was extended for an additional year.
There has been some work on the project. Initial site work began on January 25, 2022, when a work crew cut down 190 mature trees on the north side of the old golf course. Many of the trees are still lying where they fell or have been piled around the building site. Erosion barriers were installed around the perimeter of the building site in March and a traprock road was built during April. Some chain link fencing was installed around the site in early May, but work on the fencing stopped after a few weeks.
Two handmade cardboard address signs line either side of the entrance to the site along with small signs labeled, “Danger, construction area, keep out.” The entrance road is blocked by a gate tied closed with a chain. The only sounds coming from beyond the gate are bird songs and the only construction seems to be nest building.
It is not clear why construction on the site has come to a halt. It is also not known if Amp Energy has been able to obtain a building permit for the project. Attempts to acquire more information about the project have been unsuccessful. Emails to town building officials have not been answered and little information about this huge project is available to the public.
The June 2nd Amherst Town Manager’s Report says that work has begun on the installation of solar panels, but there are no solar panels or any other related materials on the property. The last project update signs posted by the town at the Hickory Ridge trail entrance claim that construction will end in August/September. It seems highly unlikely that the solar field will be completed and operational by that date. In the meantime, the residents of Amherst can only wonder what is actually going on.