The solar panels to be utilized for the [ADD PROJECT NAME] will meet the requirements of, and be compliant with, Niagara County Local Law No. 4 of 2021 (the “Solar Panel Recycling Law” or “Law”).  Compliance will be achieved via a County-approved Stewardship Plan that will be in place prior to the sale or delivery, as applicable, of photovoltaic modules into Niagara County to be utilized for the Project.  It is anticipated that the Stewardship Plan will achieve compliance with the Law, generally as follows:

The Good Energy Cooperative, or a similar entity,  will serve as a manufacturer under the Law, where it will sell or resell photovoltaic modules under its branded name for the purposes of community solar or distributed generation.

Revenue collected will be budgeted and escrowed annually for all projects utilizing its photovoltaic modules to fund the recycling requirements of the Law, including the pickup, storage, and recycling of panels as they reach end of life.

Insurance will be carried that will cover the replacement cost and any associated recycling costs if panels need to be retired before their scheduled end of life.  The percentage of revenue collected will adjust as needed based on market conditions for the cost of recycling over time.

Contracts will be executed with local recyclers that specialize in photovoltaic module recycling and disposal, and whose processes meet the requirements of the Law.  Contracts will exist with each contracted recycler to pick up panels as a service once they have reached their end of life for each installed location.

As required by the Law, any contracted recycler will have internal processes that will minimize the release of hazardous substances into the environment and maximize the recovery of other components, including rare earth elements and commercially valuable materials, and will meet other rules and regulations promulgated by the County pursuant to Section 9 of the Law.

Any charges that may be incurred from the pickup or recycling of the panels will be paid for by a dedicated reserve fund.

In addition to complying with the Law, projects will have detailed decommissioning plans established and placed on file as required by all applicable local laws and approvals that will govern properly dismantling, transporting and treating end-of-life photovoltaic modules in a manner consistent with environmentally sound management practices.