August 11, 2018
New York

Farmersville wind turbine law hearing postponed

By Rick Miller | Olean Times Herald | www.oleantimesherald.com

FARMERSVILLE – There are two new developments related to the proposed Alle-Catt Wind Farm in northern Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and the Arcade area.

The Farmersville Town Board has cancelled a public hearing on its proposed wind turbine law set for Monday night because the Cattaraugus County Planning Board has not reviewed the plan. Additionally, Cattaraugus County lawmakers are waiting to see how their proposed resolution blocking large-scale wind energy projects will be received.

The Town of Freedom approved a local law in July slightly different than the one proposed in Farmersville, which has larger setbacks. Both have a 50-decibel limit on noise from the turbines, which will be nearly 600 feet tall from the ground to the tip of the blades.

The hearing on the proposed wind turbine law is expected to be rescheduled for next month, Town Clerk Bridget Holmes indicated.

Four Cattaraugus County lawmakers introduced a resolution asking the county Industrial Development Agency to not approve payment in lieu of taxes (P.I.L.O.T.) agreements for wind energy projects larger than 5 megawatts.

The proposed Alle-Catt Wind Farm by Invenergy is 380 megawatts with more than 100 wind turbines in Farmersville and Freedom in Cattaraugus County, Centerville and Rushford in Allegany County and Arcade in Wyoming County.

Majority Leader Donna Vickman, R-Farmerville; Robert Breton, R-Franklinville; Richard Helmich, R-Delevan; and Joseph Synder, R-Ischua are sponsors of the resolution. It will be discussed by the Development and Agriculture Committee and the Finance Committee on Wednesday night.

Snyder, a member of the IDA, has expressed concern over the wind project in the past.

Contacted by the Olean Times Herald, Breton said the resolution just asks the IDA not to approve any large wind projects.

Breton said the four legislators are opposed to the project. “I don’t think people know enough about it.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2018/08/11/farmersville-wind-turbine-law-hearing-postponed/