Sunday, February 27, 2011

Anti-wind group to show film, host talk


  Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times Anti-wind group to show film, host talk

Anti-wind group to show film, host talk
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2011


Northern New York isn't the only place where residents struggle with industrial wind development.
"Windfall," a documentary about potential development in Meredith, Delaware County, will be shown at 12:30 and 4 p.m. March 5 at the Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive.

The 83-minute film shows people in the town discussing their research, experiences and fears as they work on a local zoning law and the conflict that erupts.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Horse Creek wind proposal trimmed

  Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times Horse Creek wind proposal trimmed

NEW APPLICATION: 12 turbines cut from plan, generating capacity reduced from 130 to 100 megawatts
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2011

The new Horse Creek Wind Farm application presents a slightly smaller, less productive project than the original application.

The project cuts out 12 turbines and knocks down generating capacity from 130 megawatts to 100 megawatts.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Wind PILOT must protect property values ~ letter

     Wind PILOT must protect property values

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2011


Jefferson County legislators may soon have to approve a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement for the St. Lawrence Wind Project in Cape Vincent. In the rush to embrace economic development, tax revenue and the purported advantages of wind power, the county better ensure there is some provision to protect landowners from potential property devaluation.

The wind industry has gone to great lengths to claim wind turbines will not devalue nearby, nonparticipating properties. On the other side of the debate, however, leading professional appraisers and realtors demonstrated losses of 25 percent and more for distances up to two miles from turbines. My intention is not to settle this argument, but to only conclude there is uncertainty and with uncertainty there is risk.

For most north country residents our homes represent our biggest financial investment and asset. If we were informed by our local bank that they were going to change their savings program so there would be no FDIC insurance and that there may also be a possibility for a loss in our savings of 25 percent or more, how would we react? My guess is that most of us would say no way and probably pull savings out for the mere mention of the idea.

What makes sense for our bank savings makes sense for our property value as well. From my understanding, zoning laws and land use planning are intended to prevent "significant" negative impacts on property values and the use and enjoyment of our property. Massive industrial scale wind development definitely has the potential for "significant" negative impacts.


One way to guard against property devaluation and mitigate any potential loss in value is with a property value guarantee, the equivalent of FDIC insurance for our bank deposits.

The best endorsement for a property value guarantee comes from Ben Hoen, the wind industry's property guru who stated, "I think one of the things that often happens is that (wind) developers put our report forward and say look property values aren't affected, and that's not what we would say specifically. On the other hand, they have little ground to stand on if they say we won't guarantee that." Hoen is right, how can wind developers claim no devaluation, but not guarantee it?

I hope that county legislators agree and that when they negotiate new wind PILOT agreements they insist on a property value guarantee. After all they have experience with this type of property protection — they did it with the Rodman landfill.

Clif Schneider

Cape Vincent

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Wind Facilities Law Review Now Complete

  Link here to continue readingThe Journal | Wind Facilities Law Review Now Complete


By MATT MCALLISTER
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011


HAMMOND - With two final meetings last week, the Hammond wind committee has finished its section by section review of the current law - now the town board has until July to decide how the committee's recommendations will affect the wind law.

Committee members Ronald R. Papke and Allan P. Newell have volunteered to write an "overview report", which will contain a number of conclusions that the committee has come to. This report, along with several recommendations and supporting documentation, is expected to be presented to Town Supervisor Ronald W. Bertram at the town board's special wind recommendation review meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. in the town offices.

Board cancels meeting on wind farm statement

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | Board cancels meeting on wind farm statement

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011

CLAYTON — The joint village and town Planning Board canceled a special meeting planned for Thursday to consider accepting a draft environmental impact statement from the proposed Horse Creek Wind Farm. Acceptance of the statement would begin the public consideration period on the possible environmental effects of the wind power project.

Chairman Roland A. "Bud" Baril said Tuesday that the holiday week made holding the meeting difficult. The board will not consider accepting the statement at its regular meeting March 3.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

T.I. board appoints man to complete Edsall's term

  Link here to continue readingWatertown Daily Times | T.I. board appoints man to complete Edsall's term

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2011

CLAYTON — The Thousand Islands Central School District Board of Education has appointed Brian J. Lantier to serve the remainder of the term of former board member Virginia W. "Cindy" Edsall, who resigned last month. The term expires May 17.

Mr. Lantier, who has been a member of Guardino Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization for the past six years, said he will seek election to the board in May.

Wind company puppet Letter

 Wind company puppet

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2011

This letter is in response to the many that Harvey White has written.

The biggest puppet this town has seen is Tom Rienbeck. He has always been a wind-company puppet. Those "confidential" letters and memos from the wind companies were stamped "confidential" because the wind company lawyers told puppet Tom to do so. What the wind companies and puppet Tom were trying to keep hidden was just how much the wind companies were running the town board and the Planning Board.

Supervisor Urban Hirschey ran on an open government platform because the "Rienbeck gang" refused to disclose anything. The documents released clearly show the back-room planning and decision-making puppet Tom Rienbeck, Marty Mason, Don Mason, Joe Wood and Mickey Orvis were involved in.

Harvey (if that's who is really writing those letters, many of us think not) is getting paid right now by a wind company. He has a signed contract. He is one of the 3.9 percent of Cape Vincent residents who will benefit from these wind turbines. Urban has opened the books, and what did he find?

Scott McCarthy

Cape Vincent

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Galloo developer pushes NYPA deal

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | Galloo developer pushes NYPA deal
LOBBYING EFFORT: Upstate NY Power Corp. tells state's Public Service Commission project dead without contract to sell power

By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2011

Galloo Island Wind Farm's developer is lobbying state officials to push the New York Power Authority to give the project a contract for its power.

Attorneys for Upstate NY Power Corp. have talked to local officials and at least the chairmen, if not the members, of the state Assembly and Senate Energy Committees.


Click link -- here -- to original WDT article and comments

Monday, February 14, 2011

DEC still taking comments on Cape wind farm permits

  Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times DEC still taking comments on Cape wind farm permits



DEC still taking comments on Cape wind farm permits
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2011


The state Department of Environmental Conservation has extended the deadline for public comment on three permits for St. Lawrence Wind Farm until Feb. 24.

DEC Region 6 spokesman Steven W. Litwhiler said the full application materials had not been available at the libraries in Cape Vincent and Lyme, as promised, when the comment period began.


(Contact: Stephen M Tomasik NYSDEC Headquarters 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 (518)402-9167

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Kessel: Galloo won't get pact

  Link here to continue reading  Kessel: Galloo won't get pact

POWER PURCHASE: NYPA has no plans to buy project's output
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011

The New York Power Authority won't offer a power purchase agreement to Galloo Island Wind Farm, Richard M. Kessel, president and CEO said Wednesday.

"We're not talking with Galloo Island about any PPA," he said.


Click link at top to read WDT comments

Harvey Whites Gang Green ~ Hirschey manipulated by anti-wind group




Watertown Daily Times Hirschey manipulated by anti-wind group
Gang Green~
The Rot Spreads, the purification, fouling our air, contaminating our town, manifested from the greed of
desperate men…

As demonstrated by this letter in the Watertown Times by Harvey White , just in time for tonights Town Board meeting


The above link will take you to the Watertown Times and to comments to this Harvey White letter!!!

anti-wind group
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011

At a recent town meeting, Cape Vincent residents asked town official Urban Hirschey to resign because he knowingly gave out confidential town documents, even after being told by the Planning Board's lawyer that giving out the confidential documents would be against town law.

Since Urban is a puppet of Cape's anti-wind group, the anti-wind ringleaders accused the residents of being blindly pro-wind. But it's not an anti-wind or pro-wind issue. Urban did something he knew was wrong. The anti-wind ringleaders assured Urban he did nothing wrong, so Urban responded to the charges by saying he expected to be exonerated. The next day, New York State's Committee on Open Government publicly confirmed that Urban's actions were wrong.

A wind company wrote a letter to the town saying they're concerned about Urban's unlawful actions. Anti-wind ringleaders want you to think the wind company is concerned about the public reading the documents. But the wind company has made it clear what the documents say isn't the issue. In fact, the wind company shows zero concern with people reading the files. It's Urban's unlawful actions that concerns them.

There are individuals on the town board who do not share the anti-wind views of the anti-wind ringleaders, and just because of this, the anti-wind have made it their mission to drag these individuals through hell until they resign. For five years, these individuals have been harassed, bullied and accused of corruption. The anti-wind ringleaders tried suing them for corruption, but no corruption was found, so their lawsuit failed. They demanded the attorney general investigate the individuals for corruption. The investigation was conducted, and no corruption has been found.


Yet within 11 months of the anti-wind's puppet being on the town board, he was caught engaged in conduct that a state official without hesitation recognized as wrong. And the anti-wind ringleaders are crying foul and screaming "no fair." The anti-wind ringleaders aren't good at recognizing what's truly fair and unfair.

If Urban refuses to resign, will he recuse himself from future votes? It all depends on what his anti-wind puppetmasters tell him. Urban probably regrets trusting the anti-wind ringleaders and being manipulated by them.

The Cape community could be discussing how revenue and jobs from wind development would prevent the potential closing of the Cape elementary school, but we can't, because we're too busy dealing with the nonstop drama the anti-wind ringleaders are dragging this community through.

Harvey White

Cape Vincent

Link here to Watertown Times To read Comments to Harvey Whites Letter

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Galloo Island Project may need NYPA pact

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times Project may need NYPA pact
GALLOO ISLAND WIND FARM: Upstate NY Power Corp seeks electricity sale to authority opposed to deal
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011

The Galloo Island Wind Farm's future may hinge on an agreement with the New York Power Authority to buy its electricity — perhaps as part of NYPA's offshore wind initiative.

Upstate NY Power Corp is asking NYPA to buy the power from Galloo Island, even after the authority's leader said it wouldn't buy any wind-farm power from Jefferson County
more here

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Journal | Committee Takes No Action On Proposals

  Link here to continue reading The Journal | Committee Takes No Action On Proposals

By MATT MCALLISTER
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011
HAMMOND - It will take at least one more meeting for the Hammond Wind Committee to finish its recommendations to the town board after no action was taken at Monday evening's gathering in the library at Hammond Central School.

Two proposals - one concerning complaint resolution, the other, the possible creation of a Project Oversight Control Board - were distributed by Ronald R. Papke, but neither was voted upon. Both were tabled and will be part of the agenda on Feb. 15, when the committee meets again at 7 p.m., back at the school.


more here...

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Hammond ~ More talks set on wind rules

  Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times | More talks set on wind rules

HAMMOND PROJECT: Panel member says family link not an ethics issue
By MATT MCALLISTER
JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011


HAMMOND — The Town Council took no action Monday night on a series of recommendations made by the Hammond Wind Committee.

The committee has recommended strict noise-level regulations, decommissioning rules and a property buyback program Iberdrola said threatens the viability of its project.

Hammond~ More talks set on wind rules

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | More talks set on wind rules

HAMMOND PROJECT: Panel member says family link not an ethics issue
By MATT MCALLISTER
JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011

HAMMOND — The Town Council took no action Monday night on a series of recommendations made by the Hammond Wind Committee.

The committee has recommended strict noise-level regulations, decommissioning rules and a property buyback program Iberdrola said threatens the viability of its project.
 more...