Thursday, April 29, 2010

VISUAL AND SOUND IMPACTS FROM THE WOLFE ISLAND WIND

Presented at: Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources ~ April 29,2010

Learning Expedition – Wolfe Island, Ontario





VISUAL AND SOUND IMPACTS FROM THE WOLFE ISLAND WIND
PROJECT ON RESIDENTS OF TIBBETTS POINT ROAD, CAPE
VINCENT, NY


Clifford P.Schneider1


PO Box 165
Cape Vincent, NY 13618

SUMMARY

This report outlines the acoustic and visual impacts of the Wolfe Island Wind Project on
residents 2 miles (3.2 km) across the St. Lawrence River along the Tibbetts Point Road, Cape
Vincent. Sound levels measured in January-February 2010, when the wind farm was operating,
were 3 to 4 dBA greater than background sound levels measured in 2008, prior to construction of
the wind farm. A mail-questionnaire was sent to 43 residents of the Tibbetts Point Road to assess
their reaction to noise and visual impacts from the Wolfe Island Wind Project. Twenty-seven
questionnaires were returned for a 63% response rate. Most respondents did not notice wind turbine
noise, but at times, 38% were annoyed by the wind turbine sound. For the level of sound increase
over background levels, respondents were more annoyed than New York DEC noise policy predicted.
Those respondents that heard the turbines described the noise as a low frequency/low pitched sound
that is louder on summer evenings when winds were weak or non-existent. This supports other
research linking annoyance with wind turbine noise and atmospheric stability.
Far more respondents (88%) were annoyed by the change in landscape view than with
noise. Ninety-two percent said these changes were for the worst and the blinking lights at night were
especially disturbing; some comparing them with a commercial airport. Policy makers should know
that visual and acoustic impacts for non-participating, waterfront residents are likely more negative
than they may have initially thought. Furthermore, current NYSDEC noise guidelines may not
adequately predict human response to wind turbine sound levels. (Note respondent comments in
Appendix A)


Commercial wind developers began offering lease agreements to land owners in
Cape Vincent beginning around 2004. Formal application for two commercial wind project
proposals were submitted to town authorities beginning in 2006. The initial projects
proposed nearly 250, four-hundred foot (122m) wind turbines, which would have covered
nearly the entire geographic footprint of the town. Opposition to these projects has been


1Retired Lake Ontario Unit Leader, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Clifford P. Schneider


widespread and has focused on visual and noise impacts, as well as potential conflicts of
interest for a number of town elected and appointed officials.
In 2009, operations began for the Wolfe Island Wind Project located directly across
the St. Lawrence River from Cape Vincent (Figure 1). The project includes 86, 2.3 MW
wind turbines for a rated capacity of nearly 200 MW. The wind project is located on the
western end of Wolfe Island and is closest, and has greatest visual impact, to Cape Vincent residents living along Tibbetts Point Road (Figure 1). The closest wind turbine is
approximately 1.9 (3.1 km) miles away.

 
Cape Vincent is a community that has been struggling to find a way to integrate the
proposed commercial electric power production complex into its rural landscape and
tourism-based local economy. To say it has not been easy is to understate the extent of the
problem. The Wolfe Island Wind Project probably did more to help Cape Vincent and

Jefferson County, NY residents understand the potential visual impacts than any of the
visual simulation reports that were submitted with the environmental impact statements for
the two project proposals in Cape Vincent. Although wind turbine noise impacts were
expected to be minimal to non-existent, a number of residents were able to hear the nearest
wind turbine nearly 1.9 miles (3.1 km) away.

Mr. Schneider Presented his report at: Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources April 29,2010 Learning Expedition – Wolfe Island, Ontario.
To read the complete 27 page report link here


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

New York State Apollo Alliance and the Albany Law School Environmental Law Society.

APOLLO ALLIANCE
"Climate, Jobs and Justice:

Copenhagen Report and Next Steps for Labor and the Environment At the forum, environment, labor and environmental justice leaders who took part in the Copenhagen meetings, as well as other experts, discussed next steps to a meaningful response to the climate crisis.
The event was co-sponsored by the Workforce Development Institute, Albany Law School's Government Law Center, New York State Apollo Alliance and the Albany Law School Environmental Law Society.

These Pod Casts are very dry; however, they are worth listening to. I have recently only begun to understand the scope of the alliances between business and government, and environmental organizations, how they together are shaping policy, this policy has a profound effect on our daily lives. The context of these podcasts will help bring to light the views of these people that are in key positions to change our future.

Keynote speakers were

Pete Grannis, Commissioner, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Sean Sweeney, Director, Cornell Global Labor Institute
Cecil Corbin-Mark, Deputy Director, WeAct for Environmental Justice
Additional speakers included:

Mark Watson, Program Manager, Environmental Research, NYSERDAJill Kubit, Assistant Director, Cornell Global Labor Institute
Jared Snyder, Assistant Commissioner for Air Resources, NYS Department of Environmental
Mark Bettinger, Director of Sierra Club's Federal and International Climate Campaign
Ed Murphy, Director, Workforce Development Institute
The event was co-sponsored by the Workforce Development Institute, Albany Law School's Government Law Center, New York State Apollo Alliance and the Albany Law School Environmental Law Society.

 The Copenhagen podcasts are no longer available.  They have been removed from the internet.
Copenhagen1


http://www.divshare.com/download/11001757-fd6


Copenhagen2

http://www.divshare.com/download/11001757-fd6

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Towers, towers everywhere ~ WDT ~ Editorial

Towers, towers everywhere

SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010
The news last week that the Ontario Power Authority has awarded a contract for a 300-megawatt wind farm in the shallow Lake Ontario waters west of Wolfe Island further complicates the work of Cape Vincent and Clayton and Lyme municipal governments that are already struggling to determine how to treat commercial wind proposals in their towns.

Wind Stream Wolfe Island Shoals Inc. is owned by the same developers who built the Wolfe Island wind farm. That 86-windmill farm could be dwarfed by the new proposal; a 300-megawatt farm using generators of 1.6- to 2-megawatt capacity could add between 150 and 187 new towers to a Thousand Islands landscape that is already pretty full when you look north.

Link here to the Watertown Times to read the full letter
Towers, towers everywhere

Friday, April 16, 2010

Department of Energy - Secretary Chu Announces New Partnerships Under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas

Department of Energy - Secretary Chu Announces New Partnerships Under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas


April 15, 2010

Secretary Chu Announces New Partnerships Under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas
Initiatives will help develop clean energy resources and strengthen energy security

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy today announced a series of partnerships and other initiatives to address clean energy and energy security in the Western Hemisphere as part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced new projects focused on clean energy cooperation, technical assistance and financing, renewable energy, and electricity infrastructure and earthquake preparedness.

“Dozens of countries from across the Americas have come together today to promote clean energy future for our Hemisphere,” said Secretary Chu. “By expanding our cooperation and collaboration on key energy and climate issues, we will lay a foundation for broad-based economic growth while helping to protect our environment.”

Energy ministers and delegations from 32 countries gathered at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, DC on Thursday for the start of the two-day Energy and Climate Ministerial of the Americas. Energy officials joined with more than 200 businesses and non-governmental organizations to advance initiatives under ECPA that will help countries across the Hemisphere develop and deploy clean energy technologies and achieve low carbon economic growth.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Property values blowing in the wind

By Nancy Madsen Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Publication: Watertown Daily Times (New York)
Date: Wednesday, April 7 2010

Apr. 7--Sales records show that Cape Vincent has had a steeper decline in residential property sales than its neighbors and real estate professionals are starting to blame proposed wind power developments.

"People do not want to buy near windmills," said Amanda J. Miller, owner of Lake Ontario Realty, Dexter, who specializes in waterfront property sales. "They avoid purchasing in towns like Cape Vincent."


Link here to original WDT story

Sunday, April 4, 2010

New York Invests in Green-Collar Jobs : Apollo Alliance


New York Invests in Green-Collar Jobs : Apollo Alliance

Gov. David Paterson signed the Green Jobs/Green New York Act of 2009 into law. The product of active collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders,

Green Jobs/Green New York sets a goal of retrofitting a million homes across the state, and establishes a revolving loan fund, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), to cover up-front costs of residential and commercial energy efficiency improvements. The bill encourages NYSERDA and the Public Service Commission to establish a mechanism to allow loan repayment over a number of years through an added charge on homeowners’ utility bills, but since it does not specifically mandate “on-bill recovery,” this will be the subject of additional legislation. The loan fund will be supported by an initial $112 million in proceeds from a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction. An additional $2-4 million in auction proceeds will go toward job training in weatherization.

The bill is the product of two years of work by a coalition of multiple stakeholders, led by the Center for Working families (CWF) and the WFP, with active engagement by the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), the New York Apollo Alliance, and many others. The coalition worked in cooperation with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who authored the bill and carried it through unanimous passage in the Assembly.