November 9, 2019
New York

Invenergy hopes to work with winners in Tuesday’s town elections

By Rick Miller | Olean Times Herald | November 8, 2019 | www.oleantimesherald.com

A project manager for the proposed Alle-Catt Wind Farm said she is looking forward to working with newly elected council members in northern Cattaraugus and Allegany county towns in the wind farm’s footprint.

Valessa Souter-Kline of Invenergy congratulated winning candidates on Wednesday.

“Congratulations to the candidates who were elected to work hard for their community,” Souter-Kline said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the town boards as we proceed through the Article 10 permit application process.”

Souter Kline said Alle-Catt Wind Farm is an “enormous economic opportunity” with the potential to bring more than $9 million in new revenue each year that will go toward town budgets, local schools and infrastructure, and healthcare.

“We greatly appreciate all those who work tirelessly to bring economic development and sustainable American-made energy to their region,” she said in a statement.

Alle-Catt opponents were elected in three towns on Tuesday: Farmersville, Freedom and Rushford. Farmersville and Freedom elected majorities of candidates who are opposed to the wind farm due to setback issues, shadow flicker and infrasound concerns.

The 2018 Freedom wind law was struck down in state Supreme Court in Cattaraugus County, and opponents hope to overturn the Farmersville wind law as well. The new wind laws increased the maximum height of the turbines from 450 to 600 feet at Invenergy’s request.

In Farmersville, Pete Lounsbury Jr. won the town supervisor’s seat and Farmersville United president Mark Heberling won a seat on the town board.

Donna Vickman, who worked closely with Heberling’s group, won a second seat on the Farmersville Town Board.

Geoff Milks, whose wife Stephanie is president of Freedom United, won a seat on that town’s board, while Freedom United member John Hill was re-elected to the town board.

County Legislature elections also turned the Coalition’s way.

Ginger Schroder of Farmersville, an attorney and active foe of the proposed wind farm, won a seat on the Legislature, and several legislators who earlier this year supported a policy to deny tax breaks for wind farms by the county Industrial Development Authority were reelected.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/11/09/invenergy-hopes-to-work-with-winners-in-tuesdays-town-elections/