Xerox Solar Project
Town Board Workshop, 3/5/26
Project Approvals Timeline
Table of Contents 1. Xerox site history & DEC oversight 2. How a solar project coexists with existing safeguards 3. General project background 4. Community Benefits 5. Community Concerns & Feedback 6. Q&A
Site History & DEC Oversight
former Xerox landfill area
proposed solar site
B. 300
Tessy
C&D landfill
Salt Rd. complex
industrial waste landfill – asphalt cap West Campus
B. 216 B. 208
Industrial District, distances from closest panel edge: Closest HOA Property Line: +200ft Closest Residential Lot Line: +740ft Closest Domicile: +800ft
Site Protective Control Measures •
Site operates under permit that specifies remedial measures, monitoring, & notification requirements to ensure protection of environment and human health.
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Site activities are completed under NYSDEC review and approvals.
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Industrial waste and C&D landfills only occupy a small portion of the site development area.
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Landfills were closed and approved in accordance with NYSDEC requirements utilizing standard accepted methods.
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Groundwater control includes a groundwater recovery trench to keep potential contaminants from leaving the site.
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Ongoing groundwater monitoring (over 30 years) is conducted to ensure controls are effective per the engineering design.
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Regular monitoring and reporting submitted to the NYSDEC for review and/or approvals.
Site-Specific Protective Control Measures
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Protective (Engineering) controls: Asphalt or landfill caps, groundwater recovery trench, monitoring wells, surface water drainage controls, site security fenceline – as approved by NYSDEC .
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In place and sampled routinely (reported to NYSDEC). "Line of Compliance (LOC)" wells serve as an early warning of a potential issue. NYSDEC approved plan requires actions if concentrations exceed warning levels. Samples from LOC wells have been “non detect” for over 10 years
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From the recovery trench is sent to the Town POTW for treatment. Recovered groundwater is sampled monthly to ensure compliance with POTW requirements.
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Aligned with NY State incentives, solar redevelopment on landfills is a supported land reuse, must be consistent with NYSDEC guidance policy.
How a solar project coexists with existing safeguards
NYSDEC Project Review Complete
Means & Methods of Construction • No ground penetrations in landfill areas • Weighted, ballasted • Tried & True on landfill projects • No trenching/excavation within landfill areas: aboveground conduit system • Areas of disturbance are outside of landfill areas & limited to access road, utility poles, and pad-mounted equipment- all clustered in the southeast corner of the project • Soil sampling will be completed as part of southeast corner disturbance
General Project Background
Environmental Due Diligence Reviews/Studies Completed: • NYSDEC, Bureau of Hazardous Waste and Radiation Mgmt. - Review Complete • Geotechnical Analysis: Asphalt Cap and C&D Landfill • Soil Cap/Cover Assessment: C&D Landfill • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • New York State Historic Preservation Office • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • NYSDEC, Wetlands Division • Town Planning Board and Town Engineer • State Environmental Quality Review • Type II Action, Town Planning Board • Third-party licensed professional engineer review
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6.6MW Geo-Ballast racking system Fully fenced Connected directly to RG&E lines along Caracas Drive Fire Access & turn around area Landscape screening to northwest & northeast buffer areas
Updated Landscape Screening Plan In addition to the well-established natural vegetation, Xerox will implement +200ft feet of double rows coniferous trees of on each side northern edge of the array to further ensure the project won’t be seen. Plantings will take place as soon as weather allows in the spring season prior to major construction starting on the project. Species selected are to ensure fullseason screening
Community Benefits
Host Community Agreement
• Project pays money into the Town, the equivalent of full project taxes through the HCA • Notably, 50% of the value is paid out in the first three years of the project’s operation ($74,699) • Anticipated Land Tax (no solar) over 15-years: $17,293.42* *Numbers came from Town of Webster, Assessor’s Office
Decommissioning Plan & Bond • Decommissioning Plan: Ensures the project is “temporary” in that there is plan to fully remove all equipment from the site and the land/site is restored post- operation. It also ensures there is a trigger mechanism to start the decommissioning process: • Trigger Mechanism: the project stops producing electricity for a period of longer than 12 months, or the operating term expires (25-35 years) • Decommissioning Bond: posted with the Town of Webster to ensure disposal after life, regardless of the project owner’s financial condition. This means the town is not left responsible for the clean-up, and no taxpayer funds are used to remove the project at the end of its useful life. • Must be a bond rating of “A” or higher
Other Community Benefits Inclusive Community Solar: 40% of energy reserved for low-to-moderate income households, following NYSERDA program rules; •
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Approx. 2.64MW (3,168,000 kWh) = Community Portion Guaranteed 10% utility bill discount for subscribers, checked by NYSERDA & DPS
Solar projects help offset the need for Peaker Plants, because they coincide with highenergy use times of the year (June- Sept). Peaker Plants are electricity generators that are only turned on while demand is especially high. Peaker Plants: • • •
Are back-up power, run on fossil-fuels Emit high levels of air pollution Most expensive type of power on the grid, running only 20-30 times per year. The cost of power generated by these plants are also so high due to: • Start-up/shutdown costs • Technology inefficiencies and power-loss to the grid
Conserving areas carved out for longterm Monarch conservation. ~4,000 sqft. of dedicated plantings (mainly milkweed)
Xerox Support of the Community DONATIONS & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
•$100,000 yearly to RMSC for Xerox Science Consultant Program – includes Webster schools •United Way support – 100+ Day of Caring volunteers, ~$50K donations
USE OF CAMPUS FOR EVENTS
• E-waste collection • Tour de Cure • Wilmot Cancer Institute Warrior Weekend
•Operation Food Basket - House of Mercy/Open Door Mission partnership – in 51st year, raises ~$45,000 annually to feed families in need
• Police Dept. driver training
•Monthly bag lunch outreach – 220 bag lunches made each month & distributed through St. Peter’s kitchen.
• Blood drives
•Numerous employee volunteers in Webster organizations •Various collections – coat drives, Kans for Kids (supporting children’s charities), etc.
• Town/REC center use of adjacent parking lots • NYS Trooper indoor active shooter training at Building 205 • Donation of warehouse space to Roc Maidan for Ukraine humanitarian support for the ongoing conflict
Community Outreach & Responses
General Health & Safety Health and safety are the Project’s highest priorities throughout design, construction, and operation. o Committed to the protection of nearby residents and the community o Continued compliance with all safety and environmental regulations o Oversight and enforcement by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) o Routine inspections, monitoring, and ongoing regulatory review o Emergency response and contingency plans in place o Transparent communication through HOA meetings and public engagement sessions Designed to Prevent Risk o Minimal ground disturbance o Non-invasive, ballasted installation system (no cap penetration) o Proven stormwater and erosion controls o Defined site boundaries, fencing, and controlled access
General Health & Safety (continued) Landfill Cap Integrity o Annual inspections and maintenance will continue without interruption o Ballasted racking system allows equipment to be moved for maintenance o No permanent fixed features that prevent future cap maintenance o Geotechnical testing at 3x system load showed settlement should not be a concern o Multi-layer engineered cap (asphalt, subbase, geotextile, compacted subsoil) o If settlement or issues were to arise: array can be taken offline, project features moved, and repairs completed, as needed Groundwater & Remedial System Protection o Project will not interfere with monitoring wells, recovery wells, or underground trenches o Adequate spacing maintained for access and maintenance o Pumping wells periodically require maintenance (independent of Project) o Groundwater systems operating for 30+ years under NYSDEC oversight o Maintenance prioritized and routinely monitored by Xerox and reported to NYSDEC o Project does not alter or impact ongoing remediation efforts
Inverter Noise ~1300ft
~1080ft
Webster Town Solar Code § 209-5 , identifies maximum permissible sound pressure levels. Under the Code, compliance is evaluated at the receiving property line, not at the equipment itself. When assessed using the Town’s criteria, projected noise levels from the facility remain well within all applicable limits
Tree Clearing & Other Environmental Concerns Agency Reviews/Studies Completed: • NYSDEC, Bureau of Hazardous Waste and Radiation Mgmt. - Review Complete • Geotechnical Analysis: Asphalt Cap and C&D Landfill • Soil Cap/Cover Assessment: C&D Landfill • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • New York State Historic Preservation Office • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • NYSDEC, Wetlands Division • Town Planning Board and Town Engineer • State Environmental Quality Review • Type II Action, Town Planning Board
Questions For Our Team?
Non solar-related questions can be emailed directly to NYSDEC: P373Permitting@dec.ny.gov