Impact of Article 10 Siting on NYS Local Governments in Rural Counties

Source: Calvin Luther Martin | Action alerts, Law, New York

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The NYS Legislative Commission on Rural Resources has just circulated the attached 2-page questionnaire to all municipalities throughout the state, asking for comment on industrial wind projects in these communities.

This document was kindly brought to my attention by our town supervisor, Howard Maneely. I called the Commission office in Albany and had a long discussion with one of the staffers. It turns out the Commission (chaired by State Senator George H. Winner, Jr.) is very interested in hearing from all parties and individuals throughout the state, not just town supervisors, describing their experience with wind energy projects coming to town.

I urge you to look over the attached request for information by the Commission, and urge you to fill out the attached 2-page form and submit it by the February 20th deadline.

Let me emphasize: Ignore the fact that the questionnaire is directed to town officers; I was told by a Commission staffer that they’re interested in hearing from anyone who has experienced the wind developer onslaught. (“Onslaught” being my word, but it conveyed the tone of the woman I spoke to. Yes, I got the sense that the Commission is clued in to the bullying and outrageous ways of the wind developers.)

Keep in mind that Article 10 is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, we may have more intelligent, educated, and informed people making decisions for siting wind farms; on the other, the people sitting on the Article 10 “decision panel” might be puppets for the wind energy industry. (Don’t forget that in Congress, there are 4 health insurance lobbyists for every member of Congress. How many wind developer lobbyists do you imagine there will be for every member of the Article 10 “decision panel”?) And what about towns like mine, Malone, which have banned industrial wind? Will the Article 10 panel overturn our ordinance?

These are thorny questions. But we fight one battle at a time. Right now it’s a free-for-all, featuring rampant corruption and other conflicts of interest among town board members and the wind developers. I believe the Commission truly wants to address this free-for-all. It is possible, after all, to craft a suitable Article 10 for the state – one that does not deprive towns like Malone of their wish to keep out industrial wind.

Feel free to circulate the attached questionnaire. Remember the deadline for submission: February 20th.

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