The Finger Lakes Land Trust sold 213 acres of the former Bell Station property to AES for solar energy development, merging conservation with renewable energy. The land, next to the defunct Milliken Station coal plant in Lansing, was acquired from New York State Electric & Gas along with 287 acres featuring over 3,000 feet of undeveloped Cayuga Lake shoreline. This shoreline property was subsequently conveyed to New York State to create the Cayuga Shores Wildlife Management Area.
This move fulfills a decade-long goal to conserve shoreline while keeping land on tax rolls, meeting both local and state objectives. Sale conditions protect existing forests, wetlands, and wildlife corridors, and allocate areas for agrivoltaics research—combining crop production with solar panels.
Proceeds will aid the Land Trust’s conservation efforts. The group is also working to add a 110-acre parcel to the Cayuga Shores Wildlife Management Area, enhancing protection of Cayuga Lake’s shoreline.
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