The Berne Town Board’s March 11 vote to extend the solar moratorium for another six months [“Berne extends solar moratorium till November,” The Altamont Enterprise, March 12, 2026] raises a simple question: What problem are we still trying to solve?
Over the past year, significant technical and environmental review work has already been completed on the proposed Jansen Lane solar project. A balloon visibility test demonstrated that the proposed solar array on Jansen Lane would not be visible from surrounding homes or public vantage points. No residents reported seeing the markers during that study.
Berne is known for its beautiful views and rural character, and those qualities deserve protection. The available evidence shows this project can fit within that landscape without changing the character residents value…