February 21, 2017
New York

Members of group fighting wind turbines speak at state conference

Staff reports | Niagara Gazette | February 21, 2017 | www.niagara-gazette.com

Representatives of Save Ontario Shores met with town leaders from across New York state on Monday to continue their fight against industrial wind turbines.

During a presentation Monday afternoon at the Association of Towns of New York meeting in mid-town Manhattan, Pam Atwater, SOS president, spoke to attendees about a statement made by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo during a recent State of the State address. In discussing a proposed industrial wind project 30 miles off the coast of Long Island, Cuomo said, “Not even Superman standing on Montauk Point can see these wind farms.”


“Why should rural residents end up living within 1,500 feet of industrial wind turbines if they don’t want to?” she asked. “The governor should give rural residents the same consideration as well-heeled Long Island residents.”

Kate Kremer, SOS vice president, added that there are 30 industrial wind turbine projects on the drawing board in New York.

“If all 30 projects are approved, New York state will be tripling the number of projects and the number of towns impacted. The proliferation is alarming,” she said. “These proposed industrial wind turbines are increasing in height. Because they are taller, they can go in more locations.” 


Kremer also raised questions about how Article 10 is eroding Home Rule for New York’s 950 towns.


Article 10 gives a siting board the power to approve new, repowered or modified major electric generating facilities in the state. 

In the towns of Somerset and Yates, a siting board, with most members appointed by the governor, will be considering the proposal by Apex Clean Energy to install up to 70 industrial wind turbines along the Lake Ontario shoreline.


“Once these towers are up, rural New York state will be changed forever,” Kremer said. “We’ve been involved in this process for two years and we still do not know where these industrial turbines are going to be located.”

Atwater also talked about the emotional toll this kind of debate can have on a community. “Industrial wind projects are very divisive and cause serious rifts in communities,” she said. “Our towns are largely agricultural. The Town of Somerset is a “Right to Farm” community and historically has been very supportive of farmers. There is a marketing campaign by Lighthouse Wind, with full page ads and billboards, that equates saving family farms with hosting industrial wind turbines. In reality, some farmers oppose the projects and other families are split on the issue.”

Carl Calabrese, SOS consultant and former Town of Tonawanda supervisor, also spoke at the meeting and said Article 10 is usurping Home Rule.


“Governing towns of any size in New York state is difficult,” he said. “Town officials are constantly confronted with challenges delivering basic town services. The last thing they need on top of these normal pressures is their divisiveness when out-of-state corporations can enter New York, bypass town zoning laws, town boards and master plans, and inject an issue that will not only cause discord, but will add significant costs to towns attempting to legally oppose these projects.

“These are disruptions that town officials do not need.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/02/21/members-of-group-fighting-wind-turbines-speak-at-state-conference/