Norfolk installs 13-acre solar array at landfill

This crew worked long hard hours all summer long installing the landfill solar array in Norfolk.
Photo by Jennifer Almquist
This crew worked long hard hours all summer long installing the landfill solar array in Norfolk.
NORFOLK — Driving into the Norfolk Transfer Station, their vehicles filled with a week’s worth of garbage and recycling, folks in Norfolk have watched the extraordinary transformation of the surrounding fields into a massive solar array.
Norfolk is one of the first towns in the state to install a 5-megawatt solar array covering more than 13 acres. The new panels are located on a capped landfill, which First Selectman Matt Riiska said is “land that cannot be used for anything else.”
Jeff Macel, managing director at Lodestar Energy, stated, “The project offers significant carbon debt reduction of 4,249 metric tons removed from the environment annually, with a lifetime reduction of 148,715 metric tons. The carbon offset is the equivalent of removing 32,095 gas-powered cars from the road over the life of the project or powering 18,760 houses over the life of the project. Located on a capped landfill, this array demonstrates adaptive reuse by utilizing real estate that has no other viable uses.”
The multi-year project began when Riiska established the Norfolk Energy Advisory Committee (NEAC) in 2018 to investigate energy sources and make the most of the energy resources for the town. Members of NEAC include Susannah Wood, Paul Madore, and Hartley Mead. The committee head, Norfolk resident Tom Strumolo, contacted his friend Kirt Mayland, a University of Connecticut professor and an expert on solar projects.
Mayland, an Energy Fellow at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, (CIRCA) recalled, “Matt and I, and the town energy committee, started thinking about this project years ago when I noticed Eversource was constructing and upgrading lines servicing the wind farm in Colebrook. That upgrade in service opened new solar capacity on the lines that was not there before, so we were quick to jump on that, and lock it in before another solar developer scooped it up on, most likely, a less desirable site such as farmland. Locking in the interconnection rights to the grid was key to moving the project forward.”
First Selectman Riiska continued, “Working with Kirt we developed our plan and worked with Eversource to establish the interconnect agreement so the power produced could be sent to the grid. Kirt also established a relationship between Norfolk and Lodestar Energy. After reviewing several possible solar energy companies to partner with, we chose Lodestar in Avon. We then worked with an attorney to draft a contract with Lodestar.”
The solar project has now been sold to New Jersey Resources (NJR) “The benefit to the Town is that we receive $42,000 per year in revenue from NJR,” added Riiska, “This increases each year by 1.5%. This is needed revenue for the Town.
Norfolk has spent very little town money on this project. All application fees, legal contracts, and installation costs have been absorbed by Lodestar and NJR. Plus, the array will be maintained by NJR. This includes maintenance of the equipment, mowing, and maintaining the area around the array.
NEAC chair Strumolo explained, “The technology up there is called “ballasted arrays” which means the poles are held in place by piles of stones instead of being driven into the earth. The former landfill is covered with a membrane which must remain intact, no holes.”
Mayland, currently an assistant visiting professor at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at the Vermont Law and Graduate School, noted, “This is the first [array] to go up on a capped landfill. Under SCEF (aka community solar) low-income customers of Eversource will receive a monthly credit on their electric bills from this facility to help reduce their electricity expenses.”
According to Macel, “Norfolk Solar was awarded a fixed 20-year contract for all energy and environmental attributes in Year Two of the SCEF program, a statewide project which will help the state achieve its renewable portfolio standard. This project represents a significant savings to CT ratepayers with a power purchase price of approximately 5.99 cents per kilowatt hour. The price is fixed for 20 years and will not escalate.”
Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.
LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.
The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.
Michael Klemens, chair of P&Z, had warned at the opening of the proceedings that “this might be a long night” due to a last-minute influx of material from experts hired by Wells Hill Road residents William and Angela Cruger to oppose the project, but this turned out not to be the case.
These 11th hour submissions set a sour tone to the start of the meeting, with commissioner Robert Riva stating that it was “not very professional to pull this stunt on this Commission.” Riva said he had diligently reviewed the already substantial documentation provided by both the applicant and the opposing experts, and was surprised to find a “dump” of additional information submitted just hours before the meeting’s start time at 6 p.m.
Tensions were quickly eased, however, when William Cruger offered his concise summation of his platform’s opposition to the expansion, which is the second iteration of the project after an earlier version was withdrawn late last year.
“It’s important for you all to hear from me that there was never any disrespect intended to the Commission, the commissioners, and to the process,” Cruger said. He defended the last-minute submissions as an effort on the part of the experts to be thorough in their analysis: “Our intention… has been and remains to do our best to get whatever we think will be helpful in your deliberations into the record.”
The Crugers formally entered the hearing process as intervenors for the first application from Aradev LLC, the applicant, in the fall of 2024, meaning they and their hired consultants had full party status in the hearing proceedings. During this cycle, however, they chose not to petition for intervenor status, yet during this round of hearings their role has been similar. Klemens described them as having “almost intervenor status — not quite.”
William Cruger summarized the consultant’s findings for Aradev’s revised application, noting they found it to be “virtually identical in scale to the previous proposal.”
“Our position is that the proposed expansion would absolutely negatively impact the usefulness, enjoyment and value of the surrounding properties,” he said.
Aradev’s attorney Joshua Mackey countered by saying that the special permit conditions would elevate the currently non-conforming hotel in the zone, describing it as a “community asset that is improved, regulated, and safeguarded for generations to come.” He characterized Aradev as “the next steward of this storied property.”
After Mackey and Aradev co-founder Steven Cohen concluded their remarks, Klemens closed the hearing with no public comment, which he had stated would be the case at last week’s hearing session on Thursday, Sept. 4. Klemens said that P&Z will begin deliberating the proposal in early October after the commissioners have had the chance to review the information in the record.
A total of 45 letters, including the Crugers’ experts’ testimony, were submitted since the Sept. 4 meeting alone, alongside hundreds of pages of application materials and additional testimony.
As the Commission deliberates and reviews, all of this information is available for public viewing on the “Meeting Documents” subpage under P&Z’s section on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.
The Commission must issue a decision on the application by Nov. 13, the end of the statutorily defined deliberation window.
The Weavery is Stanton Home’s oldest activity space, featuring a collection of vintage and modern floor looms. It offers opportunities for building dexterity, creative expression, and social connection through fiber arts.
Stanton Home is holding its annual Harvest Roast fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Great Barrington, an evening of farm-to-table dining, live swing music, and community connection.
For nearly 40 years, Stanton Home has supported adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential programs, therapeutic services and skill-building activities.
“Here in the Berkshires, adults with diverse abilities often face barriers like limited housing, tricky transportation, and fewer opportunities for meaningful work,” said Executive Director Peter Stanton. “Stanton Home flips that script. Our mission is to partner with adults to pursue healthy, self-determined lives.”
The Harvest Roast features locally grilled meats, roasted vegetables from Stanton’s own gardens, warm apple crisp with SoCo Creamery ice cream, and beverages —all set to the swing and gypsy jazz rhythms of the Lucky 5 Band.
“The Harvest Roast is a celebration of what makes our community strong, inclusive, and vibrant,” Stanton said. “Every ticket and sponsored table supports programs that make a lasting difference.”
Guests will begin in the gardens with a signature cocktail before gathering at long farm tables for a shared meal and celebration.
“Though this night matters, the work is year-round,” Stanton added. “People can help by shopping locally at the farm store or buying handmade weavery goods, pitching in with time or skills, gardening, lending a hand at events or by partnering with Stanton’s programs like composting or sourcing local goods. Folks can also speak up for inclusion in their workplace or community circle. Even the smallest action helps keep the mission alive.”
Tickets are $125 per person. Proceeds support Stanton Home’s inclusive programs. Reserve at donorbox.org/events/771775/steps/choose_tickets or call 413-441-0761.
Following the memorable benefit reading last season of Charles Busch’s Tony-nominated Broadway hit, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” the Sharon Playhouse will present a one-night-only staged reading of his riotous comic melodrama “Die Mommie Die!” on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
The production —a deliciously over-the-top homage to classic Hollywood mid-century thrillers — continues the Playhouse’s artistic partnership with Busch, who reprises his iconic role of the glamorous yet troubled songstress Angela Arden.
The playwright and performer is no stranger to the Playhouse and, luckily, he’s supported by a truly stellar powerhouse cast of top-notch comic actors — some returning to the Playhouse stage, and some making their debut. The cast includes Richard Kind; two-time Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen, who was part of the original New York cast; Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger; Andrew Keenan-Bolger; and Claybourne Elder.
The production also marks a fortuitous alignment of talent and history. It is directed by Sharon Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Andress, who performed in the play’s Los Angeles premiere in 1999.
“I have a long and happy history with this particular show,” Andress said. “At the Sharon Playhouse, we’re thrilled to offer unforgettable, one-of-a-kind live experiences. With Charles Busch and this phenomenal cast, ‘Die Mommie Die!’ will surely light up the Olsen Stage with laughter, wit and glamour.”
The original music is by Lewis Flinn, whose score for the 2007 Off-Broadway production is being adapted specially for this event.
The play is a classic Charles Busch concoction that, like all his work, lovingly and intelligently spoofs some of the greatest talents and tropes of stage and screen. The original production was praised by critics as his “funniest, most accomplished and, without question, raunchiest work.”
In 2003, Busch won the Best Performance award at the Sundance Film Festival for the film version of “Die Mommie Die!” His indelible contributions to American theater have been recognized with countless awards and he was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
The event promises to be an unforgettable night of laughter, glamour and theatrical fun, with all proceeds going to benefit Sharon Playhouse’s productions and educational programs. The funds will help ensure that the Playhouse continues to thrive as a cultural destination for audiences and artists alike.
For tickets, visit: sharonplayhouse.org. Running time: 90 minutes.
Richard Feiner and Annette Stover have worked and taught in the arts, communications, and philanthropy in West Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Passionate supporters of the arts, they live in Salisbury and Greenwich Village.