Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes (R,C-Caledonia) is pleased to announce that Jack Mongillo of Mount Morris has been appointed an ad hoc local member of the Article 10 siting board overseeing the application of the Morris Ridge solar project. The Morris Ridge project is planned for the Town of Mount Morris.

For months, Byrnes and Sen. Robert Ortt (R,C, I,Ref-North Tonawanda) have been demanding that Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie follow Article 10 siting board laws. These laws require Majority legislative leaders in Albany to appoint local residents to siting boards deciding the fate of proposed energy projects within their communities.

“Despite the Assembly appointment, this siting board still awaits appointments by the Senate or the governor’s office to fully comply with Article 10 regulations,” Byrnes said. “These appointments are essential because the decisions about the future of our community are best left to those living within them, not by those sitting in an ivory tower in Albany.

“In addition, there are still many positions on siting boards throughout the state that remain unfilled and my effort to spotlight this issue will continue until they are. I will always fight for more local control and less Albany bureaucracy,” Byrnes concluded.

“Since Assemblywoman Byrnes and I called attention to the lack of local representation on ad hoc boards for Article 10 projects in Western New York, we have seen an increased number of appointments made by legislative leaders,” said Sen. Ortt. “As long as ad hoc board seats remain unfilled, however, we will continue to highlight the need for local representation on all Article 10 projects. I commend Assemblywoman Byrnes for her steadfast efforts in helping solving this critical issue.”

“Local representation is crucial in siting energy projects. That is why I am pleased that Mount Morris resident, Jack Mongillo, has been appointed as an ad hoc local member of the Morris Ridge solar project siting board. I commend Assemblywoman Byrnes’ tireless advocacy on behalf of this appointment and the Article 10 issue as a whole,” said Senator George Borrello, 57^th Senate District. "Her efforts have raised awareness of a problem that affects communities statewide."

“While the Morris Ridge siting board is one step closer to the local representation it should have, without an appointment by the Senate Majority leadership, or the Governor, full compliance with Article 10 regulations is still lacking,” Borello continued. “As the people who will be most impacted by this project, the residents of Mount Morris are entitled to have a voice in this process. I urge these leaders to do the right thing for this community by approving the remaining ad hoc local representative for this board as well as all those siting boards across the state who are operating without the balance and transparency the law mandates."

“The Town Board of Mount Morris and I believe local involvement in the Article 10 siting board is crucial to the welfare of our community,” Town of Mount Morris Supervisor Charles DiPasquale said. “Mr. Mongillo is very knowledgeable and will serve to represent what is in the best interests of Mount Morris.”

“We appreciate the steadfast support and push of Assemblywoman Byrnes in securing a local representative to the Morris Ridge Article 10 Siting Board,” Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Livingston County David LeFeber said. “We do, however, remain concerned that it took so much additional pressure for the State to act and we hope good faith efforts will be the norm for future appointments as applicable and not struggles and jumping through hoops like we had here in this case.”