Brookhaven OKs LIPA open space deal

When the Long Island Power Authority started building its BP Solar energy farm at Brookhaven National Laboratory last year, more than 42,000 trees were slated to be bulldozed on the lab's campus to make way for the nearly 167,000 photovoltaic panels, upsetting some local environmentalists.

In response, the utility put together an environmental mitigation package, including giving the Town of Brookhaven a $2 million grant to buy and preserve open space near the Carmans River.

The town board approved the grant at its board meeting last week.

"That was the result of an agreement reached between the [state] Pine Barrens Commission and LIPA and BNL to mitigate the effects of the clearing that occurred," said town supervisor Mark Lesko. "We're pretty excited about that."

The LIPA grant will be used to purchase a yet-to-be-determined parcel in the watershed where groundwater would reach the Carmans River within five years.

The purchased land will be subject to the watershed protection plan that Brookhaven Town officials have been crafting to steer development away from the environmentally sensitive Carmans River.

The plan would allow greater density on about 10,000 acres of commercial and industrial lands elsewhere in Brookhaven and foster multifamily homes and affordable housing. The plan is being revised by the town after a March public hearing.

LIPA said the solar farm is guided by the same green philosophy as the Carmans River plan.

"LIPA is committed to ensure that the mutual goals of fostering the protection of Long Island's ecological and hydrological heritage while achieving national, state, and local renewable energy goals are achieved," Michael Hervey, LIPA's chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Hervey said LIPA's ultimate aim was to "not only advance renewable energy on Long Island, but to also ensure that we protect the natural resources of the Pine Barrens."

The 32-megawatt solar energy farm at BNL is touted as one of the Northeast's largest. Once completed, the solar farm's energy will go to a LIPA substation near the lab, then out through the grid that serves all of Long Island. It is scheduled to begin operations this year.