In recognition of “Giving Tuesday”, Heritage Wind announced the latest round of grant awards from the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program. The program, launched in 2020, supports community organizations throughout Orleans County working to build healthy communities, support economic development, foster environmental sustainability, and promote education. “We are thankful that Orleans County is home to so many motivated individuals and innovative groups doing everything they can to support their community,” said Carmen O’Keefe, Development Manager with Apex Clean Energy. “We are proud to support their work and are committed to being a long-term partner to the Town of Barre and all of Orleans County.” Counting this year’s recipients, the grant program has awarded nearly $50,000 to community causes and non-profit organizations since its inception. Beds from Brian is a non-profit organization that works with local partner agencies to ensure all children have a bed to call their own. A Heritage Wind community grant will provide enough funds to provide beds and bedding to five children in partnership with the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. “We appreciate being the recipient of a Heritage Wind Community Grant. The generous amount will allow us to purchase new beds and bedding for children in Orleans County,” said Beds from Brian Founder and President Doreen LaFluer. “Thank you for helping us fulfil our Mission of ‘Comforting children with warm and cozy beds and bedding’ and for keeping our Vision of ‘For every child in our area to have a bed to call their own’ at the forefront of what we strive to do.” Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County will receive a grant to purchase new interactive educational displays to engage children at events such as the Orleans County Fair. Among a variety of agricultural-themed activities, the displays will also include a renewable energy puzzle game. “We are incredible grateful for the support. Heritage Wind has allowed us to do some excellent educational activities in the past and has again supported that mission,” said Robert Batt, President of the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. “The proposed learning through play exhibit will provide families at the fair and other events a free, interactive experience that educates both about agriculture and is fun to do. We look forward to seeing people playing and learning together thanks to this funding.” A grant to the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will fund new discovery kits that can be borrowed from the library for use by children and families looking to explore nature, science, and the world around them. Library Director Kristine Mostyn thanked Apex Clean Energy for supporting the project, saying "Lee-Whedon Memorial Library greatly appreciates receiving this grant from Apex. We will be using the funds to create discovery kits, such as stargazing and geocaching, to be used around the community. The kits will benefit homeschoolers as well as anyone interested in nature or the sciences." Orleans County Adult Learning Services (OCALS) will receive a grant to help train and supply five new tutors for their digital literacy mentoring project. “The Orleans County Adult Learning Services Program is grateful and proud to receive this grant from Heritage Wind. It will be used to provide digital literacy services to County residents to enhance their skills and help them to become computer literate and connected to the power of the internet. It is a perfect complement to the tutoring services the agency has provided since 2006,” said OCALS Vice President and Treasurer Don Colquhoun. The Orleans County United Way assisted OCALS with the grant application and is helping administer the funds. "The Orleans County United Way is pleased by the generosity of Heritage Wind in helping OCALS with their request for equipment. We assisted in the grant application. These funds will help more community mentors assist their neighbors with Digital Literacy." added Orleans County United Way Executive Director Dean Bellack. "The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative has begun training Orleans County Residents and our goal is to have one on one training with 2000-3000 Orleans County residents to improve their skills." Other grants included a donation to the Albion Betterment Committee as part of their Chares W. Howard statue fundraising effort, and donations to Christ Church Community Kitchen, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, and Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA) in recognition of their consistent service and support to the community. As the project approaches construction, Heritage Wind will continue its commitment to being a strong community partner to local governments, area businesses, and non-profits working to improve people’s lives across the region. To learn more about the program, or apply for a future round of grant funding, visit https://www.heritagewindpower.com/grant.

BARRE, NY – October 18, 2021 – Over $54 million in new revenue will be generated for the Town of Barre, Orleans County, and local school districts under the terms of two agreements approved this month between local jurisdictions and Heritage Wind. On October 13, the Barre town board voted to approve a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Heritage Wind that will bring more that $40 million in new revenue to the community over the next 25 years. Payments will increase annually from $1.2 million in the first year of operation to $2.1 million by year 25. These annual payments are based on the installed nameplate capacity in megawatts of the turbine model, resulting in stable, guaranteed payments each year that increase over time. The Town of Barre collected just under $1.2 million in total property taxes in 2021, meaning the Heritage Wind HCA will effectively double the town’s annual collections, providing much-needed revenue to invest in local priorities, including property tax relief. In addition to new revenue for the Town of Barre, the project will benefit local schools and county services through a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) agreement. On October 8, the County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency (COIDA) unanimously approved an inducement resolution to enter into a PILOT agreement. Under the agreement, Heritage Wind will pay $13.5 million to Orleans County and local school districts over the next 25 years. That revenue would be allocated as follows: $6.7 million to Orleans County $6.6 million to Albion Public Schools $200,000 to Oakfield-Alabama Schools Annual payments for both the PILOT and HCA increase by 2% each year for the first 15 years and by 2.5% annually from years 15-25. Payment amounts are based on a nameplate installed capacity of 184.8 megawatt (MW). Now that local governments have approved the project’s community benefit agreements, road use agreements, and decommissioning agreements, the project is only awaiting final approval from the state before construction can commence next year. “It is great to see such a collaborative effort with the jurisdictions come to fruition. We look forward to getting this project permitted and starting construction in 2022,” said Heritage Wind Development Manager Carmen O’Keefe.

The Heritage Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for its Fall 2021 grant cycle. The program provided more than $9,000 during its last cycle to support local organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education, including the following: Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Supportive Care of Orleans The Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern Medina Fire Department Town of Barre (Powering the Park) Orleans Community Health Foundation Orleans-Recovery Hope Begins Here Christ Church Community Kitchen United Way of Orleans County Local organizations working in the Town of Barre or the broader Orleans County community are encouraged to apply. Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to proposals that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents. We will be accepting applications until October 29, 2021 on our website: https://www.heritagewindpower.com/grant. Continue reading

The latest round of awards from the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program include support for local food pantries, healthcare, emergency services, and other local causes. ALBION, NY – June 2, 2021 – Eight community groups from across Orleans County will be the recipients of the latest round of grants from the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program. The program supports community organizations in the areas of Building Healthy Communities, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, and Promoting Education. Continue reading

The Heritage Wind Community Grant Program is now accepting applications for its Spring 2021 grant cycle. The program provided more than $20,000 last year to support local organizations working to build healthy communities, increase environmental sustainability, foster economic development, and promote education, including the following: Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA) United Way of Orleans County Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Supportive Care of Orleans Medina Central School District Barre Volunteer Fire Department Christ Community Kitchen ARC of Genesee/Orleans Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum Orleans Community Health Foundation Barre Historical Committee Grants are typically awarded in $250 to $4,000 increments, with priority given to proposals that demonstrate meaningful impacts to the greatest number of area residents. We will be accepting applications until April 25, 2021 on our website: https://www.heritagewindpower.com/grant. The focus areas for the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program are as follows: Building Healthy Communities – Programs that support public health, good government, open communication, citizen resources, and/or enhance the quality of life in the community. Economic Development – Apex Clean Energy supports and encourages the entrepreneurial spirit. It is part of our mission to serve as a catalyst for economic opportunity and development within the communities where we operate. Environmental Sustainability – Programs that possess a strong link to environmental revitalization, sustainability, or education thereof, empower residents to be stewards of the environment, and/or encourage partnerships to address environmental concerns and sustainability.  Promoting Education – Programs that support educational institutions, the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and training programs for careers in the wind industry. This may include curriculum development, literacy, school readiness, and other initiatives that help students grow into young leaders. Vocational training institutions that help build a skilled workforce are also included and encouraged to apply. Local organizations working in the Town of Barre or the broader Orleans County community are encouraged to apply.

BARRE, NY – January 14, 2021 – Apex Clean Energy’s Heritage Wind project has filed its application with the Office of Renewable Energy Siting to transfer its Article 10 permit application to the new Section 94-c permitting process. Because Heritage Wind’s application was previously deemed complete on December 8, 2020 under the Article 10 process, its transfer application shall also be deemed complete in accordance with Section 94-c. The comprehensive Article 10 permit application filed for the project consisted of 41 exhibits as well as numerous supporting figures, graphics, and studies. The full application and supplemental materials can be found on the project website at www.heritagewindpower.com. Continue reading

ALBION, NY – September 22, 2020 – Heritage Wind and Apex Clean Energy are pleased to announce eight Orleans County-based organizations as the recipients of Heritage Wind Community Grant Program funds from the program’s Summer 2020 grant cycle. These funds are designed to support community organizations in the following areas: Building Healthy Communities, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability, and Promoting Education. Continue reading

September 16, 2020 – After an extensive review of the project’s public benefits and impacts, New York’s largest environmental advocacy organization has announced its support for Apex Clean Energy’s Heritage Wind project. Continue reading

July 15, 2020 – Apex Clean Energy and Heritage Wind are pleased to announce the opening of the Summer 2020 grant cycle for the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program. The program was launched this past spring to help small businesses and nonprofits in the Town of Barre and Orleans County. During the Spring 2020 grant cycle the program supported a number of programs including: A $4,000 grant to the Orleans Community Health Foundation for the purchase of PPE sterilization equipment at Medina Memorial Hospital A $2,500 grant that was matched by $2,000 in donations from area landowners to the United Way of Orleans County for their “United We Help” program A $1,000 grant to the Barre Historical Committee for establishing a permanent home for the town’s historical artifacts. Continue reading

ALBION, NY – May 28, 2020 – In late April Heritage Wind put out a call to the local farmers and landowners working with it in Orleans County – the project would match dollar-for-dollar any contributions made to support the United Way of Orleans County’s “United We Help” fund. Local landowners answered the call, donating $2,000 to the fund in the past month. Those donations were matched by a $2,500 contribution from Heritage Wind and Apex Clean Energy. Continue reading