NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to Article 18-A of NYS General Municipal Law, the County of Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency (the “Agency”), will hold a public hearing on March 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Town of Somerset Town Hall Conference Room, 8700 Haight Road, Barker, New York, regarding:

Somerset Solar, LLC and/or Individual(s) or Affiliate(s), Subsidiary(ies), or Entity(ies) formed or to be formed on its behalf (the “Company”), has submitted an application to the Agency (a copy of which is on file at the office of the Agency) requesting the Agency to undertake a certain project (the “Project”) consisting of:  (A) the acquisition by the Agency of a leasehold interest in vacant land located at Lake Road in the Town of Somerset, Niagara County, New York and all other lands in the Town of Somerset where, by license or easement or other agreement, the Company or its assignees are making improvements that benefit the Project (the “Land”); (B) the planning, design, construction and operation of a 125 MW solar electrical generation system, including panel foundations, inverters, transformers, interconnect wiring, utility connections, sitework, landscaping, fencing, security and related improvements (collectively, the “Improvements”); and (C) the acquisition of and installation in and around the Land and Improvements by the Company of machinery, equipment, fixtures and other items of tangible personal property (the “Equipment” and, collectively with, the Land and the Improvements, the “Facility”); and (iv) entering into a straight lease transaction (within the meaning of subdivision (15) of Section 854 of the Act), pursuant to which the Agency will retain a leasehold interest in the Facility for a period of time and sublease such interest in the Facility back to the Company (the “Straight Lease Transaction”).  

The Agency will acquire a leasehold interest in, the Facility and lease the Facility back to the Company.  The Company will operate the Facility during the term of the lease.  At the end of the lease term, the Company will purchase the Facility from the Agency, or if the Agency holds a leasehold interest, the leasehold interest will be terminated.  The Agency contemplates that it will provide financial assistance (the “Financial Assistance”) to the Company in the form of sales and use tax exemption benefits, mortgage recording tax exemption benefits, and real property tax abatement benefits consistent with the policies of the Agency.

A representative of the Agency will be at the above-stated time and place to present a copy of the Company's project application and hear and accept written and oral comments from all persons with views in favor of or opposed to or otherwise relevant to the proposed Financial Assistance.

This public hearing is being conducted in accordance with Subdivision 2 of Section 859-a of the New York General Municipal Law.

DATED: February 18, 2026

                                                                                    NIAGARA COUNTY INDUSTRIAL

                                                                                    DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

 

                                                                                    By:  Andrea Klyczek

                                                                                           Executive Director