Wind Power News: New York
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
List of town officials with wind farm interests grows
FARMERSVILLE – Invenergy, the Chicago-based wind energy company and developer of the 380-megawatt Alle-Catt Wind Farm, has revised its list of municipal officials with interests in the project. The Alle-Catt website still shows only one official, Farmersville Town Board member Richard Westfall, who has signed wind leases. In its revised report to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Invenergy lists 10 officials from four towns in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties on a list titled Financial Interests of Municipal Officials and . . . Complete story »
Turn it down: Local siting board should deny Apex’s Article 10 application
Either Apex doesn’t know how to properly assess environmental conditions on the island, calling into question its competence in this crucial matter, or it intended to deceive state officials in its application, casting doubts on its integrity. Given this, how can the firm be trusted to proceed through the Article 10 process? The siting board should dismiss the application immediately. Complete story »
Richland adopts wind law
RICHLAND —The Town Council adopted a law that regulates wind energy facilities Tuesday to prepare for possible development down the road. The local law, which has been in the works for three months, limits turbine placement for small and large-scale wind energy facilities to the rural agricultural and industrial sectors of the town and establishes maximum height, setback and sound levels. It also establishes decommissioning requirements. While no wind farm has been proposed for construction in Richland, Town Supervisor Daniel . . . Complete story »
Fenner 2019 final budget approved, includes tax increase
In 2018, the windmills were assessed at $25 million, which was in-line with the company’s agreement with the town 15 years ago. Canastota Wind Power challenged the assessment as being excessive, stating that it felt the assessment should be only $4 million. After months of legal wrangling, and state supreme court judge who sided with the town of Fenner’s argument, the company accepted an assessment of $11 million on its wind farm. Complete story »
Cassadaga wind farm gets state approval
A wind farm that will bring 48 high-capacity turbines to Cassadaga was approved Thursday by the state Public Service Commission. The Cassadaga wind farm will have the capacity to generate up to 126 megawatts of electricity and will include substations and other interconnection facilities and transmission lines that will be located in the Chautauqua County towns of Cherry Creek, Charlotte and Arkwright. The PSC said the project is financially viable and has received all of the required municipal approvals. A . . . Complete story »
Information sessions and comment hearings held on Number Three Wind project
LOWVILLE – The Number Three Wind company’s application to create a wind farm spanning the towns of Lowville and Harrisburg moved forward in the state’s vetting process with official public hearings Wednesday. The process, known as Article 10 under the Public Service Law, was set in motion in January when the wind company filed an application seeking the coveted certificate that ensures the public need and environmental compatibility of their 105.8 megawatt wind farm. The hearings, held at the Town Hall . . . Complete story »
State seeks input on Lewis County wind farm
The state is taking comments from folks who live near a wind farm project that’s in the works in Lewis County. A state board will consider concerns brought forward at a meeting in Lowville Wednesday. The proposed wind farm would run along Number Three Road. Many farmers and other residents who spoke at the meeting are satisfied with what wind farm officials have put forward, although members of a group called the Tug Hill Alliance for Rural Preservation have voiced . . . Complete story »
Judges: Galloo Island study neglected bald eagles
ALBANY – After findings surfaced that an application for a Galloo Island wind farm failed to include the discovery of a bald eagle’s nest, two state agencies have withdrawn from certain agreements and judges postponed the evidentiary hearing schedule on the project. The revelations and a judgment about the findings led to the state departments of Public Service (DPS) and Environmental Conservation (DEC) to withdraw their signatures on executed stipulations, agreements between parties that can pertain to studies that must be . . . Complete story »
Letter: Engineer opposes wind turbines
As a mechanical engineer with 15 years experience in wind energy, I oppose installation of industrial wind power in Western New York, specifically the Farmersville proposed Invenergy wind farm. Wind turbines exert large disturbances into the fluid conditions of the air, like a boat wake extending downwind, many rotor diameters, from the turbines. There is violence involved with wind power. The speed of the blade tips is approximately 160 mph. The reality of a runaway wind turbine is a terrifying . . . Complete story »
Henderson opponents of wind farm host informational session
SACKETS HARBOR – The Henderson Business and Community Council, an avid opponent of the Galloo Island Wind project, will host an informational session at 7 p.m. today at the Sackets Harbor Ballroom, 103 W. Main St. The group will discuss Apex Clean Energy’s 109-megawatt project, the reasons they oppose it, the state Article 10 and VII review processes and other relevant topics. Members of the council have spoken out against the wind farm in other meetings, saying they fear the project . . . Complete story »
