January 13, 2008
New York

Town board still weighing option in Lyme wind debate

The Lyme Town Board says it needs some time to think before voting on a proposed local law regulating wind power.

The decision comes after a second public hearing on the proposed law Saturday.

At the public hearing it became clear the wind debate is no longer divided among those in favor or against wind power in the town.

The debate is now complicated by how far setbacks for turbines should be and whether another moratorium on wind power should be put in place.

(See related story here.)

The Town Board says it needs time to process all the opinions from the two public hearings held on the proposed law.

It took nearly two hours to read all the written opinions on the law before those who attended Saturday’s public hearing spoke.

When the public did get up to speak the opinions were all different.

A big issue in the proposed law are 4500 foot setbacks from the waterfront, the Chaumont river, and the villages of Chaumont and Three Mile Bay.

Newly elected Town Supervisor Scott Aubertine says the proposed local law and the wind power debate overall have made for many sleepless nights.

Aubertine would not say how long he felt the board needed before voting on the proposed law or making changes to it.

Watch Jessica Cain’s report:

12 January 2008