Allegany wind turbine project stirs citizen protest  

Credit:  Eileen Buckley, WBFO, www.publicbroadcasting.net 29 August 2011 ~~

The Allegany Town Board is scheduled to vote tonight on the proposed Allegany Wind Project. But citizens against the wind turbine project plan to hold a demonstration early Monday evening before the vote.

Along the south side of the Allegany River, visible from the Southern Tier expressway in Cattaraugus County, a New York City based company called EverPower wants to build a wind farm.

The Allegany Planning Board already approved a permit for the project. But Monday night the town board must decide whether to rezone to allow the project to move ahead.

Gary Abraham is an environmental attorney and legal adviser for the Citizens Against Proposed Allegany Wind Turbine Project.

“We think some board members, rather uncritical, think wind power is all good that it really doesn’t have much of an impact,” said Abraham.

The company, which specializes in wind power, wants construction 29 500-foot-high wind turbines along a wooded area in the town of Allegany.

Abraham tells WBFO News he believes that most of the town board members are puzzled by the opposition to the wind project. But Abraham said residents list several reasons for opposing the turbines.

“They feel they are going to have all of the adverse impacts of noise and visual blight of the hillsides,” said Abraham.

EverPower is working to gain all its approvals as it tries to convince the board of future benefits including its impact for future job creation.

According to EverPower’s Website on the project, it would initially create some construction jobs. But when complete it would only mean four to six full-time employees.

The project would provide approximately $10-million in payments to the county, town and school district over 20-years.

You can read more about the Allegany Wind Project at EverPower