October 1, 2019
New York

Guilford town officials pass energy law amid public controversy

By Zachary Meseck | The Evening Sun | September 30th, 2019 | www.evesun.com

GUILFORD – Town of Guilford board members met on Wednesday night and passed a renewable energy law despite facing opposition from several community members who expressed concern about the impacts wind energy could have on their families.

The renewable energy law was passed unanimously by the Guilford Town Board, and while the vote was taking place individuals from the crowd stood up and walked out of the room. Some were yelling at that time, and one person knocked over a chair on their way out.

According to Guilford Resident Deborah Munyan, the town board has made any change Calpine requested of them, and lease-holders may be in danger as she said Calpine has gone bankrupt three times before.

“You’re selling out the town for what?” said Munyan. “We will make changes come election day, this is nonsense, this is not what we want.”

“It hurts my heart to think that the town I love is going to be sold to Calpine – sold.”

Town of Unadilla representatives weren’t present at the meeting, but in August also expressed concerns about the project.

According to Town of Unadilla documents, after receiving numerous complaints, Supervisor George DeNys wrote an email to Guilford Supervisor, George Seneck, Kathleen Burgess and Alex Jarvis in August with his concerns for Unadilla residents that border the Town of Guilford that will be affected by the Wind Turbine project that is being proposed in Guilford.

Later in the meeting Town of Guilford’s Attorney Brady Begeal rebuked those claims and said, “There was a comment made that Calpine got everything that they’ve asked for, and that’s not even remotely true.”

Begeal said there were significant changes made to the law as a result of comments and concerns raised by the public, and said in the version of the law that was passed, there are things that Calpine didn’t include as part of their article 10 application.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/10/01/guilford-town-officials-pass-energy-law-amid-public-controversy/