Rita Colvard

MercenaryHigh activityCross-state operator

Traveling intervenor and public-comment specialist

Columbus, OHFirst tracked April 8, 2019Coalition for Affordable Energy

Registered in Ohio, testifies in NYS as a “concerned resident”. Books four towns in five days and files the same three exhibits at each; the itineraries are posted publicly, which is how the pattern surfaced.

Free-market absolutistsFossil incumbents

Recommended engagement strategy

Surface the contract. Enter travel itineraries and 990 contractor payments into the hearing record before they speak.

Mercenary profile: Paid to travel and testify. Most vulnerable to disclosure of who is writing the checks.

Open counter-measure playbook

Hearing appearances

Logged in minutes

Counties active

Steuben, Jefferson

Projects opposed

Solar & storage dockets

Funding received

$118K

3 traced inbound edges

Funding given

None

0 traced outbound edges

Arguments logged

109

Top: Fire / Battery Safety

Where They OperateCounties with a tracked filing, appearance, or monitored channel, and the specific project dockets involved.Counties with a tracked filing, appearance, or monitored channel, and the specific project dockets involved.

Counties

Steuben11 ev.
Jefferson8 ev.
St. Lawrence7 ev.
Cayuga8 ev.
Oswego5 ev.

Project dockets

Prattsburgh SolarSteuben Co.NO DOSSIER
Watertown BESSJefferson Co.NO DOSSIER
Lisbon SolarSt. Lawrence Co.NO DOSSIER
Cato SolarCayuga Co.NO DOSSIER
Minetto StorageOswego Co.NO DOSSIER

View on county map

What They ArgueArgument classification from filings, testimony transcripts, and monitored posts. Counts are statements, not documents.Argument classification from filings, testimony transcripts, and monitored posts. Counts are statements, not documents.

Fire / Battery Safety37 · 33.9%
Health & Safety Fears26 · 23.9%
Property Value Claims21 · 19.3%
Environmental Impact13 · 11.9%
Home Rule / Preemption12 · 11%

Most-repeated claim

“A thermal runaway fire cannot be extinguished — see Chaumont.”

Who Funds ThemTraced grants, dues, contractor payments, and campaign contributions. Amounts come from 990 filings, grant letters, and NYS BOE data.Traced grants, dues, contractor payments, and campaign contributions. Amounts come from 990 filings, grant letters, and NYS BOE data.

Payments received

Open in funding network

Activity Log7 entriesChronological record assembled from hearing minutes, local law filings, 990 disclosures, and monitored channels.Chronological record assembled from hearing minutes, local law filings, 990 disclosures, and monitored channels.

Channel monitoredMay 28, 2025Linked Steuben County group added to the monitor; 1016 members in its first month.
Coalition letter co-signedMay 21, 2025Co-signed a letter to the Jefferson County legislature opposing ORES preemption under Article VIII.
Board minutes matchedMay 9, 2025Language in Prattsburgh board minutes matched a submission filed on Prattsburgh Solar.
Hearing appearanceApr 24, 2025Spoke for 6 minutes against Prattsburgh Solar at the Prattsburgh planning board.
Written comment filedApr 2, 2025Submitted a comment package on Watertown BESS citing ratepayer cost and setback adequacy.
Out-of-county travel loggedMar 18, 2025Appeared in Steuben and Jefferson counties within the same week; both have pending applications.
First tracked activityApr 8, 2019Entered the monitor via a Steuben County record referencing Watertown BESS.

Aliases & AffiliationsAlternate names seen in filings and the organizations this actor is formally or functionally tied to.Alternate names seen in filings and the organizations this actor is formally or functionally tied to.

Known aliases and filing names

R. Colvard
Rita M. Colvard

Affiliations

Citizens for Responsible Solar (VA)
Coalition for Affordable Energy
Ohio Rural Coalition

Network position

Individual actor with 3 traced payment edges and a standing affiliation to Coalition for Affordable Energy.