James J. Bobreski, a Democratic candidate for New York’s 58th Senate District, is challenging state Sen. Tom O’Mara’s criticism of large solar projects, arguing that farmland protection and energy development do not have to be at odds.
In a written response to O’Mara’s July 9 column in the Chronicle, Bobreski accused the Republican senator of magnifying concerns about solar development while giving less attention to the environmental effects of coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
Bobreski, is a process control engineer from Penn Yan, and said he has grown watermelons beneath solar panels for three seasons. He said the panels rotate to divert heavy rain, shield plants during extreme heat and reduce water demand, allowing the protected plants to produce mature fruit sooner than nearby plants in full sun.
He argued that agrivoltaic designs can preserve agricultural uses while generating electricity. He called for siting standards, drainage plans, decommissioning bonds and project designs that allow grazing or crop production.
Bobreski also disputed concerns about solar-panel waste, saying modern panels are largely recyclable and arguing that producer-responsibility and recycling systems should address improper disposal. He said coal extraction and combustion create larger waste and contamination risks, though the response did not include independent data comparing those impacts.
The candidate said industrial-scale solar projects should be carefully sited to protect prime soils and should include construction controls, recycling plans and funding for eventual removal. He called for the same environmental and accountability standards to be applied across solar, wind, coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy projects.
Bobreski’s response characterized O’Mara’s column as focusing on two potential solar developments that could alter farmland and on concerns that discarded panels could contribute to landfill waste. The response did not include a direct statement from O’Mara beyond Bobreski’s description of the earlier column.
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