Maple Ridge withholds payment; Lawsuit filed
Credit: By STEVE VIRKLER, TIMES STAFF WRITER, Watertown Daily Times, www.watertowndailytimes.com 3 January 2010
LOWVILLE — Lewis County has received only one-quarter of its requested $8.99 million payment from Maple Ridge Wind Farm, with the balance being held until its Empire Zone status is cleared up.
Flat Rock Windpower, the company under which the 195-turbine wind farm was developed, also is seeking court approval of a proposed escrow agreement that local taxing jurisdictions recently rejected — and the possible repayment of millions of dollars already sent to the county, towns and school districts.
Based on a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes plan, the county billed Flat Rock for $8.99 million but received a payment of only $2.29 million, according to County Treasurer Vicki A. Roy. That amount is the fall-back payment required under terms of the PILOT if Empire Zone benefits are rescinded.
“Our position has been and remains that the jurisdictions are entitled to the full payment under the PILOT,” County Attorney Richard J. Graham said.
[rest of article available at www.watertowndailytimes.com]
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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