Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the proposed Flint Mine Solar project was approved by the state Board on Electric Generation and the Environment August 3. The solar project is slated for privately leased land or properties purchased by the developer on more than 1,600 acres located in Coxsackie and Athens. The solar panels will be connected to the electric grid, supplying energy to the power system. The state Board on Electric Generation and the Environment, known as the Siting [SIGHT-ing] Board, granted approval following a months-long review process. Siting Board Chair John Howard said in a statement, “The Flint Mine solar farm will benefit all New Yorkers by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, boosting clean-energy investment, creating clean-energy jobs and improving our environment." Coxsackie Town Supervisor Rick Hanse said the approval was expected and he agrees with the decision. The project is well thought out and will not have a major impact on the viewshed, one of the issues with other solar projects in the region, Hanse said. The project could create nearly 490 manufacturing, supply, and construction jobs that will pay $41.2 million in wages, according to the developer. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.