Date: 10/20/25 3:42 pm From: brendastiffen via groups.io <brendastiffen...> Subject: [hmbirds] Washington County Grassland
I was wondering if the HMBC is doing anything to try to preserve the Washington County Grasslands from being developed into a solar farm?
ACTION ALERT. Fort Edward Grasslands in Washington County, NY contains exceptional grassland habitat that supports a diverse array of grassland birds, but it is at risk of being degraded by a proposed solar installation.
The Fort Edward Solar project would take 567 acres of prime habitat currently used by the state-endangered Short-eared Owl and threatened Northern Harrier in the core of the IBA.
The project applicant, Boralex, proposes to “mitigate” the loss of 567 prime acres by exchanging only 216 acres of land that will not replace the ecological function of the 567 acres of grassland habitat being taken by this project.
The proposed 216 replacement acres are unlikely to support the same number of Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers that require hundreds of acres of contiguous grassland for wintering and breeding habitat.
ACT NOW. Your support is critical. Tell the NYS Office of Renewable Energy to protect Fort Edward Grasslands Important Bird Area by requiring adequate mitigation.
Thank you for speaking up.
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