Friday, April 29, 2011

Horse Creek Wind Farm ~ A stunning reversal~ Editorial

Editorial
Link to original Watertown Daily Times
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011

At this week's Clayton Town Council meeting, the developers of the proposed Horse Creek Wind Farm must have thought they were watching a replay of the 1929 Rose Bowl wherein University of California, Berkeley, center Roy Riegels scooped up a fumble and ran 65 yards in the wrong direction against Georgia Tech. At Wednesday night's meeting, Supervisor Justin A. Taylor, after nearly relentless support of commercial wind projects, suddenly offered a series of amendments to the town's zoning law regarding wind projects that surely must have flummoxed wind power advocates everywhere.
The amendments, if accepted, will probably send the Horse Creek project back to the drawing board or beyond. Atlantic Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, has submitted a draft environmental impact statement to the Clayton Planning Board and review of that document has begun. But the amendments proposed by Mr. Taylor appear, at least on the surface, to throw a serious monkey wrench into Atlantic Wind's plans.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Clayton wind law changes urged

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | Clayton wind law changes urged


This WatertownDailyTimes article about the Iberdrola wind targeted town of Clayton, NY misquoted Clayton resident, Cindy Grant and the comment they made regarding wind turbine noise.Read about it here at Jefferson's Leaning Left

SUPERVISOR SHIFTS STANCE: Taylor calls for far stricter criteria for projects, including increase in setbacks
By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011

CLAYTON — Town Supervisor Justin A. Taylor, who voted against stricter regulations on wind development exactly a year ago today, called for a far stricter set of criteria for commercial wind farms to follow that would have an impact on any projects proposed for the town.

Included in his recommendations at a Town Council meeting Wednesday are increased setbacks for wind turbines and measures to protect property values in the wind overlay district.

Ritchie supports deal for Galloo Island power

  Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times Ritchie supports deal for power


GALLOO ISLAND: Senator says lines must go under water
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011

State Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, has voiced her support for a power-purchase agreement for Galloo Island Wind Farm, but only if the electricity travels on an underwater route.

Sen. Ritchie sent a letter to New York Power Authority Trustee John S. Dyson, supporting an agreement that would give developer Upstate NY Power Corp. the guaranteed revenue it needs to attract investors for the project.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Hammond Hears From Iberdrola

Link here to continue reading The Journal | Hammond Hears From Iberdrola

Hammond Hears From Iberdrola
By MATT MCALLISTER
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2011

HAMMOND - The Hammond Town Board heard a final plea from an Iberdrola spokesperson and decided to look to its attorney for wordsmithing its wind law, but took no other formal action on recommendations made by the wind advisory committee at a special meeting Monday.

Iberdrola's Jenny L. Burke said her company "believes the existing law is reasonable and consistent with the majority of 15 operating wind farms in New York State."

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Former Cape councilman again opts to pursue seat

Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | Former Cape councilman again opts to pursue seat

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011

CAPE VINCENT — Clifford P. Schneider, former town councilman, has announced that he will run for a seat on the Town Council this fall.

Mr. Schneider, who served one year on the council in 2006, wants the Republican nomination for a four-year term, he told local residents in an email.

Friday, April 22, 2011

MONTHS-LONG STUDY ON WIND FARM BEGINS

 Link here to continue reading Watertown Daily Times MONTHS-LONG STUDY ON WIND FARM BEGINS

HORSE CREEK: Clayton takes first look at revised statement

By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011


CLAYTON — The joint town and village Planning Board will take months to review the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Horse Creek Wind Farm in public sessions.

The board held its first workshop on the statement on Thursday night.

"My schedule is whatever it takes for us to feel comfortable with what we see," Chairman Roland A. "Bud" Baril said. "We have an agreement between the wind company and us to waive the 45-day requirement. We will move forward in a timely manner, but we're not set to a time."

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Clayton Planning Board ~Positive Declaration~ For Iberdrola Wind Complex

ENB - Region 6 Notices 4/20/2011
Positive Declaration
Jefferson County - The Joint Town of Clayton Village of Clayton Planning Board, as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Atlantic Wind LLC - Horse Creek Wind Power Project may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement must be prepared. The action involves a proposed wind-powered generating facility of up to 50 wind turbines each anticipated to have a generating capacity of 2.0 megawatts (MW) for a total maximum project capacity of 100 MW located in the Town of Clayton. The project area covers approximately 10,420 acres. The project will be constructed in one phase, anticipated to commence in April 2012 and finish in December 2012. The project is located approximately 5 miles south-southeast of the Village of Clayton and 3 miles northeast of the Village of Chaumont, New York. The project boundary abuts the Towns of Brownville and Lyme between Perch Lake and the Chaumont River.

Contact: Roland Baril, 405 Riverside Drive, Clayton, NY 13824, Phone: (315) 686-3512.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Galloo line path remains in limbo

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times Galloo line path remains in limbo

WIND FARM PROJECT: Developer awaiting purchase agreement
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011


The route for the transmission line from Galloo Island Wind Farm to the power grid still hangs in limbo.

In a conference call Wednesday, project developer Upstate NY Power Corp. told the Public Service Commission and other interested parties that it has not secured a power purchase agreement, which would allow the developer to pursue a locally supported underwater route.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Cape wind power development still stalled

 Clayton Planning Board ~Positive Declaration~ For Iberdrola Wind Complex Watertown Daily Times | Cape wind power development still stalled

PAPERWORK AWAITED: BP project documents months in review by town consultants; Acciona has yet to submit site plan
By NANCY MADSEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011

CAPE VINCENT — The town is in a waiting game again on working on wind power development.

The Planning Board did not schedule a second meeting in April to consider the supplemental draft environmental impact statement from BP Wind Energy's Cape Vincent Wind Farm. The supplemental statement was submitted Feb. 10. The board canceled a second meeting in March because the town's consultants had not finished reviewing the document for completeness, which still isn't done.

Chairman Richard J. Edsall repeated during the board's meeting Wednesday night that the other proposed development in the town, Acciona's St. Lawrence Wind Farm, has not submitted a site plan application yet.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

North country power goes south with Kessel

 Link here to continue reading North country power goes south with Kessel
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011


So now New York Power Authority Chief Executive Officer Richie Kessel is the great protector of the north country power?

The fact is, from his earliest days at NYPA, Kessel presided over a scheme to ship 15 megawatts of cheap Power Authority hydropower, almost all from the project at Massena, to the Brookhaven energy lab. And where is Brookhaven located? On Kessel's own Long Island. I think Northern New York could have used that electricity to create jobs or lower rates.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Lyme ~ Wind project lines opposed

 Link here to continue reading   Lyme: Residents want transmission wires under ground
By CRAIG FOX
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011


Acciona Wind Energy USA has been fighting for years opposition from some neighbors to its proposed 53-turbine wind farm in the town of Cape Vincent.

Now it has trouble brewing in the town of Lyme as well.

Several Lyme residents want Acciona to bury its proposed transmission line, which would travel 7.5 miles through the town. The added cost could make the St. Lawrence Wind Farm economically marginal.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Officials should assess wind power's impact on tourism in NNY ~ Opinion

 Officials should assess wind power's impact on tourism in NNY
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011


In reference to the Watertown Times Tuesday, April 5, edition, and the article entitled "Funds coming to boost tourism": While that is welcome tourism funding news for the north country, I couldn't help but wonder why our north country officials have been silent when it comes to assessing the potential tourism impact of converting our aesthetic Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence coastal areas to industrial wind farms.

Where and what is the tourism impact assessment by the Seaway Trail, a publicly funded agency dedicated to promoting tourism and protecting the natural beauty of our coastline?

Given the economic importance of tourism to the north country, isn't it time our regional and county leaders, and tourism officials responsibly address this developing matter?

Thomas E. Brown


Cape Vincent

Horse Creek DEIS is OK'd

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times Horse Creek DEIS is OK'd

Horse Creek DEIS is OK'd
CLAYTON BOARD: Public can review documents, discuss matter at hearings
By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011

CLAYTON — The joint town and village Planning Board accepted Horse Creek Wind Farm's draft environmental impact statement Thursday night, allowing the public to review the documents and air their concerns at public hearings.

The DEIS was not made immediately available.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Bird Deaths Prompt Wind Rules

 Link here to continue reading  The Journal Bird Deaths Prompt Wind Rules

By NANCY MADSEN
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2011


After some wind power projects have had dramatically higher bird deaths than predicted, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a set of voluntary guidelines to reduce bird deaths.

Those guidelines, if adopted by the government and developers, could force significant changes to projects, including those along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.

Watertown Daily Times Editorial | Stay with Kessel

 Link here to continue reading  Watertown Daily Times | Stay with Kessel
Stay with Kessel
NYPA CEO has protected NNY power
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2011


The appointment of John Dyson to the New York Power Authority has generated considerable speculation, primarily coming from downstate, about the future of Richard M. Kessel, who has served as NYPA's president and chief executive officer since 2008.

Mr. Dyson, who has clashed with Mr. Kessel in the past, was confirmed by the state Senate as a member of the New York Power Authority Board of Trustees. Mr. Dyson is expected to be voted in as chairman when the term of the current chairman, Michael J. Townsend, ends in May.