LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Open houses show split between Jefferson, Lewis counties on wind turbine development near Fort Drum 

Credit:  By Gordon Block | Watertown Daily Times | November 15, 2017 | www.watertowndailytimes.com ~~

WATERTOWN – As the community looked toward potential development conflicts with Fort Drum, wind turbines kept coming to the forefront.

In Jefferson County, the issue has sparked a coalition among Fort Drum advocates, echoing military concerns about the impact of turbines on aviation and weather radar systems, and residents who oppose turbine projects in the area.

“We don’t want anything to happen to Fort Drum, we love Fort Drum,” said Cindy L. Grant, a Clayton resident who has spoken against the Horse Creek Wind Farm project in the towns of Clayton, Orleans, Brownville and Lyme. “I’d hate to think wind projects encompassing the area could affect Fort Drum.”

In Lewis County, the turbines are seen as a key part of the county economy that officials want to keep in place and grow.

“We’ve benefited from it,” said Terry Thisse, Martinsburg supervisor. “Our towns, our schools, everything.”

Open houses at Watertown High School on Tuesday and Lowville Academy Monday showed a difference in priorities as officials look to plan their next steps after last week’s release of the draft Fort Drum Joint Land Use Study.

The study, facilitated by the Development Authority of the North Country and paid for by the Department of Defense, looks at wind turbines as one of about 20 potential areas of conflict, along with housing, the environment, safety, aviation and noise.

“We’re optimistic the study will better educate local government officials to make better decisions,” said Michelle L. Capone, DANC’s regional development director. “It’ll take a collaborative effort, and different solutions may be needed for different communities.”

The study, which has no regulatory effect, included recommendations for military officials to identify areas where wind turbines could pose a threat, to create a Regional Wind Energy Policy Steering Group to raise awareness of potential projects, to become an “Interested Party” on the state Siting Board and to coordinate with wind developers.

The study also included recommendations on ways the post can better connect with the community on different development priorities, and recommended that the post provide the public maps on topics like low-level flight paths and potential encroachment issues.

“It’s a small part of the overall puzzle, but an important part,” said Bren A. Cox, an associate planner with consulting firm Matrix Design Group, during a presentation on Monday night.

DANC is also working to put its collection of maps online.

Lt. Col. Todd Polk, of the post’s Plans, Analysis and Integration Office, said the post was “pro-development,” and that the study is key for getting ahead of potential issues that could negatively impact the post.

“We’re working all those avenues to find out what is best,” he said.

Military officials told the Times in July that turbines can display as planes on their radar, which could overwhelm their system. Their lone option to lessen that effect is blocking all computer tracking in the area of turbines, creating what officials called a “black hole” for viewing air traffic.

For weather operations, Air Force personnel said turbines can contaminate information and create a secondary layer of phony weather data known as a “ghost echo.”

Stephen N. Bernat, Harrisburg supervisor, said Monday that he was concerned Jefferson County officials would have more say on the turbine issue than communities in Lewis County. As one example of that concern, he pointed to a resolution passed by the Watertown City Council in October opposing wind development near the post.

“It’s not the city of Watertown’s place to comment on business in Lewis County,” he said.

The city’s resolution was matched by one from the Jefferson County Board of Legislators, and groups like the Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization voiced concerns turbine projects could negatively affect the post. In October, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said his office will review the impact of turbines on the post.

“I see the potential danger, and it’s something I take very seriously,” he said.

Lewis County legislators have taken a more moderate approach, supporting the possibility of new wind development while addressing interference issues with new technology or other means.

Earlier this week, state Sen. Joseph A. Griffo and Assemblyman Kenneth D. Blankenbush said they thought the post and wind projects could coexist.

“There’s a balance here,” Sen. Griffo said.

Public comments on the study will be taken by DANC through Nov. 27, with a hope of finalizing the study toward the end of the year. Ms. Capone said the process of implementing the study’s recommendations will take place next year.

“This isn’t a report that sits on the shelf,” she said.

More information about the study can be found at http://wdt.me/danc-study.

Source:  By Gordon Block | Watertown Daily Times | November 15, 2017 | www.watertowndailytimes.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon