September 26, 2017
New York
New York
Hopkinton town supervisor has ‘even more reservations’ about wind farm following visit to Jericho Rise Wind Farm
By Matt Lindsey | North Country Now | September 25, 2017 | northcountrynow.com
By Matt Lindsey | North Country Now | September 25, 2017 | northcountrynow.com
HOPKINTON – Following a visit to a wind farm that is comparable to one proposed for Hopkinton and Parishville, Town Supervisor Sue Wood said she has “even more reservations about the project.”
Four members of the Hopkinton Town Board visited the Jericho Rise Wind Farm in Belmont Sept. 23 to listen for noise from wind towers, meet with local officials there and speak with local residents.
Hopkinton Town Supervisor Susan Wood says she, along with council members Sue Lyon, Greg Crump and Steve Parker Jr. made the trip. Town council member Gilbert Sochia did not attend due to a previous engagement, she said.
When asked if the visit to the wind farms had given her an official opinion on wind farms, Wood said, “I can’t answer that – I don’t know how to answer that – I had reservations about the project and now I have even more reservations about it.”
Avangrid Renewable’s North Ridge Wind Farm calls for about 40 500-foot wind towers to be built in Hopkinton and Parishville.
Wood said the visit included stops at two residences. “One house the tower was maybe 2,000 feet from the home and you could hear them (turbines) – he (the homeowner) said when the leaves fall off the noise is louder and there is shadow flicker.”
A visit to a second residence saw officials stand about 500-feet from a wind tower on a homeowners’ property line. The noise was much louder, Wood said.
It should be noted the noise was from a property line and not the residence. However, a nearby camp was within about 500 feet from the wind turbines where the noise was travelling.
A meeting with Belmont officials saw their town supervisor praise what the towers had done for its town. “He said it was a good deal for his town,” Wood said. A town councilman disagreed with the supervisor. Wood did not elaborate.
Wood has not met with the rest of the town board to discuss their visit to the wind farm, but said she expected after gathering info and meeting with the other officials that their findings would be shared with the public.
Jericho Rise Wind Farm was chosen because the towers there are similar in size as to what is being proposed in Hopkinton, Wood said. Belmont is near Malone and Chateaugay.