December 26, 2017
New York

Wind farm plans again draw ire of some locals

Katrina Fuller, County Reporter | The Post-Journal | Dec 26, 2017 | www.post-journal.com

MAYVILLE – The construction of a wind farm in the town of Arkwright caused some county residents to speak their minds to lawmakers last week.

Mayville resident Karen Harvey passed out DVDs during the legislature meeting regarding the wind farm project. She called the film a “Christmas present” to legislators.

“The first four minutes shows what you can see currently from the roads in Arkwright along Route 79, Center Road, Route 83 and Straight and Meadows roads,” Harvey said. “I hope you will take a look at what is happening.”

Harvey said the negative economic impact of the wind turbines would affect the entire county.

She said she was making her comment in regards to the county code of ethics law.

“Concerning a code of ethics, I would like to suggest a county statue,” she said. “This would be a statute or regulation that asks each town to inform the county legislature and every citizen in each town that the town board of that town is considering a wind corporation’s proposal to approve the development of a wind factory in that town.”

Harvey said the town of Attica created a questionnaire that was sent to each resident regarding the possible construction of wind farms in the town. The response was negative, and the town “respected their wishes,” she said.

“All over Chautauqua County, turbine companies may be talking to town boards, trying to sign them up before the Federal Production Tax Credits end,” Harvey said. “It is important that the whole county is made aware of these negotiations.”

Tina Graziano, of Forestville, also referenced the wind farms and the county code of ethics. Graziano said her husband, who is a town of Villanova board member, requested three times on public record to send out a notification to all addresses in the township of the pending industrial wind project.

“How does the public find this out when the signed landowners are the only ones ever updated?” she asked. “It is beyond normal comprehension that the wind companies feel that the only the people in side and 500 feet outside this project area, as drawn by the wind company, are the only people that should be notified.”

Graziano said the minimum amount of notice is given by the wind companies for public notification. She said what the wind companies are doing is “underhanded and sneaky.”

“This is now the wind companies work to avoid confrontation from public opposition,” Graziano said. “They often are not put on the meeting agendas, as the come and speak during the public speaking portion of the town meetings. I know this because I have seen this in different townships.”

Graziano also asked that the County Legislature adopt a statute that would require towns to inform the county and each citizen in the town that a wind corporation desires the approval of a wind factory in that town.

“Allowing town supervisors and town board members to make these monumental decisions, without any background or experience without public input from everyone and without being overseen by our county government, is absurd,” she said.