Acciona releases Conflicted Offical's payment figures

Watertown Daily Times | Acciona releases payment figures

WIND ETHICS CODE: Town of Cape Vincent land contracts of officials, relatives disclosed
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2010

CAPE VINCENT — The developer of St. Lawrence Wind Farm has released a revised list of town officials who have land contracts with the developer.

Acciona Wind Energy USA LLC, which has proposed the 53-turbine, 79.5-megawatt project, included the amount town officials or their relatives with contracts had been paid through Aug. 19.

The disclosure fulfills the requirements of the Wind Industry Ethics Code, which was introduced by state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo in July.

"What's important to us is that the level of disclosure we've done as far as any potential conflict of interest is far beyond what other industries have done in New York state," project manager Peter E. Zedick said. "There are competing interests on every issue and we're taking the high road in the level of disclosure we've given."
Town Councilman Marty T. Mason has leases and power line easements from 2005 on three parcels that brought between $5,000 and $20,000. Councilman Donald J. Mason has a lease for a parcel that accrued $5,000 to $20,000 in payments for him.

The two also have or have relatives with leases for Cape Vincent Wind Farm, as reported by developer BP Alternative Energy. BP's report gives the annual estimated value of the lease as opposed to what has been paid through mid-2009. The Times reported on the BP disclosure Feb. 24.

BP estimated that the lease with Marty Mason is worth $24,400 annually. His parents also have a lease, with a possible value of $1,500 per year, and his sister is Town Clerk Jeri Ann Mason.

Councilman Donald Mason's brother has a lease with BP, valued at $1,500 annually.

Code Enforcement Officer Alan N. Wood owns multiple parcels with leases with Acciona that have totaled between $5,000 and $20,000 for him and other owners. Planning Board member Karen Bourcy is related to Mr. Wood and the other owners of Wood Farm.

In Lyme, new Councilman Donald R. Bourquin has a brother with a transmission line easement, which has brought in less than $5,000. His two brothers also have leases with BP, with values of $8,133 and $2,633 annually.

Two members of the Thousand Islands Central School District Board of Education also are listed with relatives with leases with Acciona.