Maura Rosner is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT application submitted in September to the Greene County Industrial Development Agency by the Flint Mine Solar project is still pending. “The IDA is still working on a findings statement and a cost-benefit analysis,” IDA Executive Director April Ernst said. “It will be complete in another month or two. We’re still negotiating the PILOT.” The Coxsackie Town Board voted unanimously earlier this month to adopt a law to protect the municipality’s taxing interests in future solar projects where PILOT agreements are arranged. That new proposed law is modeled on Greene County legislation outlining an initiative to streamline PILOT payments in municipalities countywide. Coxsackie Town Supervisor Rick Hanse urged every town in the county to adopt the measure. The Flint Mine Solar project is located between the Greene County towns of Coxsackie and Athens. The Athens Town Board did not adopt the county law because it drafted its own solar law a few years ago, Town Supervisor Michael Pirrone said. The Flint Mine project energy production roughly breaks down to 53 percent of the total megawatt output in Coxsackie and 47 percent in Athens, Hanse said. Greene County’s PILOT law determines a fixed rate for projects with a capacity of more than 50 kilowatts. The county will charge $8,750 per megawatt with a 2 percent annual increase each year. Flint Mine Solar is looking for a higher amount from its agreement with Coxsackie. “We’re still hoping that the town of Coxsackie board will agree to our host agreement offer of $9,000,” Flint Mine Solar Principal Patrick Doyle said. The town board will hold a public hearing on its solar energy law at 7 p.m. August 9. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.