LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — By unanimous vote at its September 14 meeting, the Cochecton Town Board passed a six-month moratorium on large-scale commercial solar energy installations. The vote followed a public hearing on the proposed moratorium held immediately prior to the meeting.

Introducing himself at the public hearing as holder of a solar energy-company lease agreement, Lake Huntington property owner Ronald Roda asked the board why it is opposed to commercial solar farms. Supervisor Gary Maas replied that the board is not opposed to commercial solar farms and that the moratorium was never intended to ban them, only to provide town and planning boards time to develop a zoning ordinance that will serve the town and its residents well, now and in years to come.

Maas went on to say that the ordinance, modeled on one recently adopted by the Town of Fremont, is nearing completion, save for the clause dealing with abandonment and decommissioning of the installation site. Uncertainty surrounding future cost for removal and safe disposal of spent solar panels underlies the board’s cautious approach to ordinance provisions.

To that, planning board chair Earl Bertsch added that he’s been unable to find a comprehensive list of materials contained in solar panels manufactured today. He noted that most are imported from China and protected by that country’s stringent patent laws, which do not require disclosure of content materials.

Noting that home installation solar panels can’t be “turned off” in the event of fire, Bertsch said fire reports have indicated safety hazards with solar panels exposed to excessive heat, flame or explosion. And that has led him to worry about the safety of solar panels during natural or manmade disasters.

Although manufacturers claim panels are built to withstand hailstones up to two inches in diameter, Bertsch worries that objects of greater density could damage the panels, causing leakage of toxic materials. “What will happen during earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, a lightning strike or vandalism?” wondered Bertsch.

Asked if the moratorium might be longer or shorter than six months, Maas said the resolution is for six months, with the option to extend for another six months. Town attorney Karen Mannino advised that, in the event the zoning ordinance is adopted sooner than expected, another resolution rescinding the moratorium would end it before the original expiration date.

After noting that Fremont is the only town in Sullivan County thus far to have adopted a solar farm zoning ordinance, Maas said he and fellow supervisors have many questions that should be answered definitively before zoning ordinances are finalized.

In other business, Maas and sewer officer Michael Walter announced the smooth operation of the new ultraviolet sewer plant filtration system, online since September 1. Maas also presented board members with his proposed 2017 annual town budget, remarking that, despite a hefty increase in workmen’s compensation insurance ($42,000, up from $25,000 last year) and an anticipated loss of transfer-station revenue, his preliminary budget manages a 0% tax increase.

Maas and Richardson announced that the Cochecton Preservation Society’s annual Coffee, Tea and History event will take place at 1 p.m. on September 25 at the Cochecton Train Station. This year’s topic: founding families of Cochecton. Speakers include Edna Calkin, Ron Nearing, Anne Pierce, Debbie Bennedum and Alice Scott. The public is invited. Admission and refreshments are free.

The board adjourned into executive session to discuss the future of the transfer station.