Seneca County’s IDA approved a rare labor waiver for Lodi solar projects after developers said they couldn’t meet the local hiring requirement, according to the Finger Lakes Times.
RIC Energy was granted permission to use a specialized out-of-area crew to install ground screws for solar panel foundations. The 70% local hire rule was waived after labor experts said workforce shortages across the region make it nearly impossible to meet the threshold.
This is the IDA’s first-ever waiver of its local labor policy, though officials emphasized due diligence and future accountability.
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