Wednesday, September 26, 2012

BP's Community Outreach Non ~ Existent


Below is the text of the latest letter from  Richard F. Chandler Director, Development
BP wind energy North America to the public Service Commission
Re:  BP's proposed Cape Vincent Wind "Farm" This letter was accompanied by a Cape Vincent Wind Farm News Letter
Apparently the news letters are only available to a select 4% of Cape Vincent's population
link here to view the newsletter


September 18, 2012
Honorable Gary Brown
Chairman
NYS Board of Electric Generation Siting and the Environment
Agency Building 3
Albany, NY 12223

 Dear Chairman Brown,
As a native New Yorker I am excited to be working in my home state to develop the Cape Vincent Wind Farm.
As you may know, BP has spent the last six years working with local officials, stakeholders and community groups in Cape Vincent throughout Jefferson County. We look forward to continuing to build on this effort as we move through the article 10 state permitting process . We will leave the article 10 statute offers an open and transparent legal process for reviewing our project, and the opportunity for constructive dialogue regarding the best ways to minimize impacts of the project.
As you know, yesterday we submitted the Cape Vincent wind farm public information plan (PIP) to the state of New York board on electric generation siting and the environment. The PIP details the history to date of the public involvement that has been undertaken by BP to inform, engage and solicit input from the local community, elected officials, general public, and other stakeholders in the development of the wind farm. It also details the future activities the company will take in continuing to build on its strong record of close community outreach any engagement.
At a size of approximately 200 – 285 MW, development of the Cape Vincent wind farm will require BP to invest in excess of $300 million. In the first year of operation, the wind farm is estimated to deliver 1.7 million of new tax revenue to be decided between school districts, the town of Cape Vincent, and the community based on a previously approved payment in lieu of Texas structure in Jefferson County. In addition, annual royalty payments in excess of 1.2 million will be paid to local landowners once the wind farm is in commercial operation. This substantial tax revenue and personal income will enable a sickness again number of landowners to remain stewards of their land and drastically offset the local tax burden on this community.
Please find enclosed a Cape Vincent wind farm newsletter that has been sent to all our stakeholders it will be updated on a regular basis as the project moves through the development and permitting process. I look forward to updating you on the status of the project and to bringing renewable power, jobs, and economic development to the state of New York.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"...strong record of close community outreach ..."

Yeah, right.

I am so happy the town sent the PSC a copy of the Watertown Times article describing how the NY Attorney General launched an investigation into that "strong record of close community outreach."

Chandler is either naive regarding BP's previous activities or he is an unscrupulous used car salesman trying to sell us a lemon.

Stay Focused said...

Except for the first sentence where Chandler gratuitously tries to get be friendly with Chairman Brown, this letter is a standard file letter that BP spits out in other places for other projects. They just plug some various numbers into the letter depending on the specifics of the project.

What comes through over and over in all of this going back several years is that BP (and Acciona)does not care one iota for the well being of the town and its future prosperity. That is of zero interest to them.

They are trying to sell something and they pretty much don't care how much they have to make things up and twist things to get the deal done. Period.

Anonymous said...

The only argument BP can make in this farce is the money they will pay to make their project palatable to our community. But, even then they are only offering to pay 20% of what every other taxpayer would be required to pay. What a snow job. No jobs, no reliable energy and shortchanging the local community in the process.

Anonymous said...

And remember....THERE IS NO ACCEPTED PILOT FORMULA IN JEFFERSON COUNT! BP keeps using the Gallo Island pilot that the county would NEVER again support. And...once again in this letter he ignores the fact that his imaginary $1.7 million (based on a formula approved by no one) is to be divided 5 ways (Town of CV, Town of Lyme, Lyme Central, TI School District and Jefferson County). His $1.2 million is for LEASEHOLDERS ONLY....just like the newsletters they have been mailing for the past several years.

Now is the time to show BP the exit door!!!

Anonymous said...

It always amazes me how they assume these turbines will be producing at full out put 100% of the time.

60,000 homes? What a TOTAL LIE!

At 20%, it would be more like 12,000, and then when you consider the intermittency and unreliability, it just doesn't add up.