National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Yates residents continue to debate windmills

YATES – Residents of Yates continued to express their concerns regarding the Lighthouse Wind Project to the town board Thursday night.

The residents spoke for and against the wind farm which Apex Clean Energy Holdings has proposed in the towns of Yates and Somerset.

Those against the project brought up methods they alleged the wind industry was using. They cited articles they found which suggested the wind industry do deep research into the area they planned to bring a wind farm to and stack the public hearings with people in support of the project. The fact Apex also hired Five Corner Strategies as its public relations firm also caused worry.

“I would like the board to be aware of a couple of letters that were sent out by Lighthouse Winds in our community,” said Kate Kremer, vice president and director of Save Ontario Shores. “In the letter it was thanking them for turning people out in the meeting in Barker. So, proving an example of how Apex is trying to stack the deck at the town meetings.”

Kremer also expressed worry about the wording of letters sent to community members by Apex which doesn’t indicate the current wind project is proposed and insinuates it will happen.

Those who supported the wind farm argued two board members in particular – Councilman John Riggi and Supervisor James Simon – were trying to stop wind farms.

“Their only agenda is to stop the wind farms, therefore stop money from coming into the town of Yates. The town where the money is badly needed, would lower our taxes and improve our town financially,” said Linda Fisk, a Lyndonville resident. “The economic benefits from the farm would likely draw people to move in, lower taxes and could even bring small businesses in.”

Harvey Campbell told the board he wrote to the New York state attorney general about a conflict of interest which he alleges Riggi has against the wind farm.

In other news, the Yates Town Board scheduled a public hearing to introduce Local Law No. 1 at 7 p.m. on April 11. The local law will review the 2008 local law the town had the wind industry and recommend any changes necessary to protect the residents.