Tuesday, April 30, 2013

BP profit falls on lower output


BP saw underlying profits drop for the first quarter of 2013 as oil and gas production declined mainly as a result of divestments.
The UK supermajor posted a total profit of $16.9 billion for the first three months of 2013, up almost three-fold from the $5.8 billion reported for the same period last year, after receiving $12.5 billion from Russia’s Rosneft for its stake in TNK-BP.[Up  stream]

UK Ministry of Defense Deems Wind Towers a National Security Threat

Twenty-plus years on, the collapse of the USSR in 1991 threatened massive Western defense budgets, bereft of a major enemy like the "Evil Empire."
Western militaries conveniently found a new global enemy a decade later following the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, and since then, they have struggled in the light of invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan to adapt their strategies to cope with the new threat, making defending the "homeland" the highest priority.

The latest threat to Britain?
Wind power, apparently.
The MOD has come out against two proposed 115 foot wind power towers in Cornwall, which they assert are so big they could look like planes on monitoring equipment.[Safe Haven]

Lawsuit alleges wind turbines have caused harm

Michigan
BRIAN MULHERIN - DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Plaintiffs seek cease-and-desist order concerning Lake Winds Energy Park
Residents living near wind turbines in Lake Winds Energy Park filed suit earlier this month in 51st Circuit Court and are seeking a jury trial for their case. (The Daily News reported that it was filed then.)

The plaintiffs in the suit allege the wind farm has caused them physiological and monetary harm and will continue to do so if allowed to continue operations. They are asking for $25,000 plus interest and attorney’s fees, injunctive relief in the form of a cease-and-desist order to shut down Lake Winds Energy Park and any other punitive damages that the court (or jury) might find applicable.[Ludington Daily News]

The worst part about BP’s oil-spill cover-up: It worked


“It’s as safe as Dawn dishwashing liquid.” That’s what Jamie Griffin says the BP man told her about the smelly, rainbow-streaked gunk coating the floor of the “floating hotel” where Griffin was feeding hundreds of cleanup workers during the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently, the workers were tracking the gunk inside on their boots. Griffin, as chief cook and maid, was trying to clean it. But even boiling water didn’t work.
“The BP representative said, ‘Jamie, just mop it like you’d mop any other dirty floor,’” Griffin recalls in her Louisiana drawl.[GRIST]

Gorman to retire as managing editor of WDT


BP hit by wave of new spill lawsuits ahead of April deadline


LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc has been hit by over 2,200 new lawsuits seeking payback for the 2010Gulf of Mexico oil spill in the past few weeks as individuals, companies and government bodies rushed to stake their claim before their right to do so expired.
The British oil company, whose deepwater Macondo well ruptured on April 20, 2010, killing 11 men and spilling crude into the sea for weeks, revealed the number of new claims made since March 6 in its first-quarter results on Tuesday.[Yahoo News]

Couple heartened by court wind decision 11


KINGSTON - Gail Kenney welcomed a court ruling last week that supports landowners' right to seek compensation if their property values are lowered by wind turbines.
But she admitted the ruling will likely not help the couple's property assessment battle.

Special Report: Is going green destroying the lives of locals?

By: Taryn Kane ALBANY, N.Y. -- Huge wind turbines are dotting the landscape in New York and Massachusetts, producing megawatts of green energy. So why would people living near these giant windmills want them out?
[News Fox 23]

Aubertine stresses State Fair continues reforms he helped start

Mr. Aubertine arrived in the midst of a series of highly critical reports issued by the state inspector general’s office that found serious deficiencies in the way the fair was managed, revealing problems with contracts as well as theft and misuse of state property.

As a state senator in 2009, Darrel J. Aubertine sponsored legislation to increase accountability for the New York State Fair, which has been plagued with scandals over how vendors were selected by fair officials.
[Watertown Times]

Monday, April 29, 2013

Clayton ~ Horse Creek Industrial Wind Project Watertown Times & NCPR Articles April 2006 to April 2013

April 28,2006
 Clayton Prepares For Wind Moratorium
~~~
November 17,2006
NCPR Clayton wind forum 
~~~
March 27, 2008
Towns seek atypical PILOT deals

June 7,2008
Horse Creek Wind project held up by bats
~~~
June 21, 2008
Iberdrola admits bat concerns affected decision
~~~
August 25,2008
Clayton~ Town keeping mum on noise report
Link hereTo noise report
~~~
September 26,2008
Session offers wind pros, cons
~~~
October 7,2008
Horse Creek wind farm: Noise report cover-up
~~~
October 8,2008
Clayton Town Council Meeting :  Recap
~~~
November 18, 2008
Amend Clayton's wind-power zoning law
~~~
November 20,2008
Clayton, Orleans organizing wind law committees
~~~
December 11, 2008
Clayton Wind panel to meet secretly
~~~
December 29,2008
 Orleans wind-power panel starts with 5 members
~~~
January 17,2009
Orleans wind group to focus on safety
~~~
January 23,2009
Clayton Wind panel agrees to let public attend
~~~
February 15,2009
Clayton panel rethinking law on wind
~~~
February 27,2009
Clayton wind panel gets Cornell expert's advice on turbines
~~~
March 15,2009
Group agrees to wind rules ~ Clayton
~~~
April 26,2009
Clayton panel seeks to alter wind law
~~~
July 6, 2009
Clayton Planning Board comments on wind law
~~~
July 30,2009
Developers sign on to state wind ethics code
~~~
September 26,2009
Wind farm revenue may take major hit
~~~
November 12, 2009
Wind Law Plan Leads to Feud ~ Clayton
~~~
February 15,2009
Clayton panel re-thinking law on wind
~~~
February 17, 2010
NCPR ~ "Golden Crescent" epicenter of wind farm battles
~~~
December 8,1010
DEC won't claim review
~~~
January 7, 2011
Iberdrola submits redesigned application
~~~
February 23,2011
Board cancels meeting on wind farm statement
~~~
April 8, 2011
Horse Creek DEIS is OK'd
~~~
 April 20,2011
Clayton Planning Board ENB - Region 6 Notices 
Positive Declaration
~~~
April 22, 2011
MONTHS-LONG STUDY ON WIND FARM BEGINS
~~~
April 28,2011
Clayton wind law changes urged
~~~
April 29,2011
Horse Creek Wind Farm ~ A stunning reversal  
~~~
June 12,2011
Clayton ~Town mulls zoning changes
~~~
July 14, 2011
Clayton residents want stricter sound regulations in proposed wind power development law
~~~
July 28, 2011
Clayton’s wind law not strict enough, Jefferson County Planning Board says
~~~
August 11,2011
Clayton wind amendments adopted, council to tackle noise levels next
~~~
September 8, 2011
Clayton council to get first-hand experience on turbine noise levels
~~~
October 11,2012
Iberdrola suspends local application for Clayton wind farm, will seek an Article X process instead
Link to
Iberdrola letter to Town of Clayton
~~~
November 11, 2011
Clayton’s new turbine noise limit based on “invalid” sound test, acoustics expert says
~~~
 October 27,2012
Horse Creek Wind Farm developer might upsize project, begin state siting process as soon as next spring
~~~
January 8,2013
Iberdrola still on the fence about Horse Creek Wind Farm
~~~
April 6, 2013
Deception in Clayton on Iberdola project


BP profits set to fall as it sells assets to pay Gulf of Mexico oil spill compensation

The ongoing fallout from the Gulf of Mexico disaster will overshadow BP’s first-quarter results this week, with profits down sharply. 

 The explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig three years ago this month cost 11 lives and a potential $90 billion (£60 billion) for BP, which is embroiled in a court case in New Orleans over the disaster. Under chief executive Bob Dudley, BP has sold more than $38 billion of assets to raise funds for the compensation payout while concentrating on its core operations of drilling for and selling oil.[This is Money]

Eliminating Energy Subsidies Could Reduce Emissions By 13 Percent


 This is an interesting little paper arguing that one of the simple things we could do to reduce (even if not quite beat) climate change is simply to stop subsidising the use of energy. In fact, they argue that eliminating such subsidies could lead to a reduction of 13% in energy related carbon emissions:

 We estimate that eliminating energy subsidies, including tax subsidies, would lead to a  13% reduction in energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions.
[Forbes ]

If Hillary is running for prez, I’m out


Hillary & who?

Cuomo quietly ‘concedes’ 2016 race


Gov. Cuomo has quietly told associates that he is resigned to the fact that he can’t run for president in 2016 if Hillary Rodham Clinton enters the race, as is widely expected, sources told  
The Post.[New York Post]

Gov. Christie Cuts Clean Energy Program

Detractors say that Christie’s real sin on climate is that he has been raiding huge sums of money from funds earmarked for clean-energy projects, and using the money instead to balance his budget.

“It’s catastrophic,” 

“He’s either a liar or a flip-flopper,” says Dave Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation.

It is especially grating to see the governor do this while saying that New Jersey can afford a tax cut. 


NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION DECLARES OCOTILLO WIND SITE A SACRED SITE; ASKS ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WEIGH LEGAL ACTION


April 26, 2013 (San Diego) – At a hearing in San Diego on Monday, members of the state Native American Heritage Commission heard several hours of emotional testimony from Native Americans who contend that the  U.S. Bureau of Land Management ignored their  concerns and its duty to protect a clearly documented sacred site and cemetery in the fast-tracked approval process for the Ocotillo Express Wind Facility.

By a 4-0 vote, with the remaining commissioners absent, the NAHC voted to grant requests by Viejas and Quechan tribes to declare the 12,400 acre Ocotillo wind project site a sanctified Native American  sacred site.  Further, the commissioners voted unanimously to ask California Attorney General Kamala Harris to research if legal action can be taken.[East County Magazine]


Sunday, April 28, 2013

Department of Public Service Comments to BP's PSS ~

Section 2.6 Wind Power Facilities (1001.6 Exhibit 6: Wind Power Facilities) (pp. 37-41)

1. The PSS at Section 2.6.1 (a) does not address New York State Public Service Commission (NYS PSC) requirements for wind turbine setback from electric transmission facilities. The project layout as depicted in PSS at Exhibit A indicates turbine facilities are proposed for sites relatively close to the proposed 115 kV electric transmission line and the associated collection substation. Staff advises that the NYS PSC policy for wind turbine facilities in proximity to electric transmission facilities should be addressed in developing facility layout and identifying relevant setback criteria. The PSC has established a setback baseline of 1.5 times maximum turbine blade tip height from the edge of the right of way of any electric transmission (or substation facility) designed to operate at 115 kV or more.2 Staff advises that the project layout in the application should reflect this siting setback limitation, and that the application state the design setback distance proposed for turbine(s) near the proposed substation or transmission facility.

 Sec. 2.6.1 Setback Requirements and/or Recommendations- Applicant Specifications

2. Noise studies should be conducted pursuant to Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law Section 6.7 and any noise mitigation plans must be submitted along with the application.

3. The PSS states that the “setbacks for the combined project meet or exceed the setbacks held by the previously proposed SLWF and CVWEP.” The application should include a table of the setbacks (include an explanation of the rationale for the setback distances) for all turbines from roads, public places, occupied and non-occupied structures, electric and gas transmission lines for the previously proposed and the newly proposed wind project, as required or recommended by the manufacturer‟s specifications, the applicant, and any local ordinance or law. If any manufacturer‟s recommended setbacks cannot be achieved, the reasons should be stated in the application.

4. Provide any reports and studies regarding noise level, infrasound, and shadow flicker to nearby dwellings.
5. For any turbine model being considered by the applicant, provide a copy of the manufacturer‟s standards document that provides recommended setback distances.

Section 2.6.2 Accommodation Setbacks Requirements and/or Recommendations

6. Applicant should report results of consultation with turbine manufacturer(s), indicating manufacturer recommendations for turbine setbacks from roads, residences, structures, places of public assembly, and other criteria locations. Written confirmation of manufacturer recommendations should be submitted along with the application.

7. Five full size maps showing the location of the wind turbines with respect to Town of Cape Vincent zoning Law Sec. 10 (from property lines, dwelling places, structures, transmission lines, gas lines, roads, etc.) must be submitted with the application.  


Link below to read PSC comments

Department of Public Service Comments to BP's PSS



What is a Blackstart Capability?

BP’s Preliminary Scoping Statement (PSS)

2.5.9 (i) Facility Maintenance and Management Plans

2.5.13 (m) Blackstart Capabilities

This section is not applicable

In their Preliminary Scoping Statement BP stated that Black Start Capabilities were not applicable.
In their comments to BP’s PSS the Public Service Commission asked BP to explain why the applicant believes provision regarding Blackstart capabilities is not applicable to this facility.

What is a Blackstart Capability?

A black start is a capability of select power stations, which allows a given station to generate its own power to enable it to restart after a power failure. The main purpose of black starts is to allow fast restoration of power to the grid when a power failure, or black out, occurs. Most power stations cannot restart without off-station power after a power failure, so the ability of some stations to perform black starts is imperative to achieve efficient reestablishment of power after a black out. Once these stations have completed their black starts, they can be connected to the rest of the power network and assist in restoring non-black start stations to power.

Special Report: Is going green damaging local lives?

Green energy has become a priority across our nation, offering people a way to lessen their carbon footprint. So what could be bad about that?
On Monday night, NEWS CENTER's Taryn Kane will have a special report with people who say "going green" is damaging their health.
You'll meet people from New York and Massachusetts, living just 120 miles apart, but claiming to have similar health issues they attribute to giant wind turbines in their backyards.

Don't believe everything you're told by 'Big Wind'

There are so many Wisconsin people who believe that industrial wind turbine projects are the greatest. Five years ago I did, too. When we were approached by WE Energies, we agreed to allow them to put electrical lines on our property to help them complete the Blue Sky Green Field wind project here in Fond du Lac County.

 We were thinking “green energy” was great and did not ask for any compensation for the lines across our property. We thought we were helping our community.[FDL Reporter]

Saturday, April 27, 2013

April 26, 2012 ~ Cape Vincent Wind Project gets a new manager Richard Chandler

April 26, 2012 ~ BP Project manager, Peter Gross announced that he was leaving Cape Vincent and BP to “pursue an opportunity at another company” adding that the  CV wind farm project will 
move ahead with a new project manager, Richard Chandler.


 Richard Chandler


 Gross said that BP is not sure which “landowners are getting the shaft” ” but that the company is devoting “a lot of time and attention to create the best layout.”  

  Gross also said the Cape Vincent Wind Farm and the St. Lawrence Wind  projects were merged in such a way as to preserve all permitting options, hinting that  BP would submit an application to the state for approval through an Article 10 process if the town of Cape Vincent adopts a stricter set of zoning laws on wind development,

  August 1, 2012 The Cape Vincent Town Board adopted the newly updated protective zoning law.

 Subsequently, BP submitted their project to the Public Service Commission  for approval through an article 10 process.

 Recently it was announced by BP that they are divesting their wind assets including Richard Chandler.  It looks like BP is giving Chandler the proverbial shaft as well.





Link here for More from the Watertown Times

Vt. lawmakers look into health impacts of wind power

MONTPELIER, Vt. -
Although no meaningful legislation on ridgeline wind development is likely to emerge this legislative session, that's not stopping Vermont lawmakers from looking into its potential health impacts.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard testimony from victims, researchers and doctors concerned about a combination of symptoms that may be caused by low infra-sound vibrations-- from headaches to sleep loss.[WCAX.com]

Kingston flicker study starting

All five wind turbines in Kingston – the Independence, Mary O’Donnell’s three turbines and the T’s turbine – will be part of a shadow flicker study coordinated by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

 Monday night, the Board of Health informed residents and others at a meeting for discussion of possible new shadow flicker regulations that the study would start this week. A report from the contractor CEC chooses to conduct the study would be completed by June 10.
[Enterprize news.com]

The DEC asks BP to list what Local Laws they consider to be unreasonably burdensome



NYSDEC Comments to Cape Vincent Wind Project Preliminary Scoping Statement (Case No: 12-F-0410)

13. A list and description of all local laws, and regulations applicable to the construction, operation, or maintenance of the proposed facility and a statement either providing a preliminary
assessment of an ability to comply or indicating specific provisions that the applicant will be
requesting the board to elect not to apply, in whole or in part, and a preliminary explanation as
to why the board should elect not to apply the specific provisions as unreasonably burdensome
in view of the existing technology or the needs of or costs to ratepayers whether located inside
or outside of such municipality;

Friday, April 26, 2013

BP Wind Sale Piques interest

BP Alternative Energy has launched a self run sale of its U.S. wind platform despite a tough environment . Wind players say that divesting a platform right now is challenging as longer - term development prospects in the U.S. are unclear. The sale comprises 1.6 GW that includes stakes in a 2.6 GW fleet, BP's wind development pipeline and team.[Power Intelligence]

Turbine fire illuminates need for reporting mandate


EDITORIALS
Wind power development offers Maine an opportunity to diversify the state’s energy portfolio by adding a locally generated alternative source to fossil fuels. But the turbine fire at Kibby Mountain in January demonstrates the need to adapt regulation of Maine’s emerging wind energy industry to reflect newly available information.
The Jan. 16 blaze that destroyed the gearbox and electrical components behind the blade of a Kibby Mountain turbine is the first reported case of a turbine fire at a wind farm in Maine, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Speculation about its cause and the possibility that repeat incidents could trigger forest fires is contributing to a heated political debate about wind energy in Maine. Objective, publicly accessible data, not politically motivated guesswork, should drive that debate.[BDN Maine]

BP's cleanup chemical destroying Gulf Marine Life

Three years ago, when BP’s Deepwater Horizon began leaking some 210 million gallons of Louisiana Crude into the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. government allowed the company to apply chemical “dispersants” to the blossoming oil slick to prevent toxic gunk from reaching the fragile bays, beaches, and mangroves of the coast, where so much marine life originates. But a number of recent studies show that BP and the feds may have made a huge mistake, for which everything from microscopic organisms to bottlenose dolphins are now paying the highest price.[Huffington Post]

New York City sues BP over pension fund losses


NEW YORK - (AP) -- New York City is suing BP over the drop in its stock price after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, saying its pension funds lost $39 million.
The lawsuit in federal court in New York claims BP failed to tell shareholders about the risks of its offshore drilling, and that after the spill it tried to minimize the cost to shareholders.[Newsday]

John Johnson Jr. stepping down as WDT editor

 FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013

John B. Johnson Jr., CEO of Johnson Newspapers and the editor and co-publisher of the Watertown Daily Times, has announced he will step down from daily oversight of the companies.[Watertown Times]

Questions remain ~ How does Does BP's divestment of wind affect Cape Vincent and does BP consider CVWF to be shovel ready?


  The DEC's review of BP's Preliminary Scoping Statement highlights an important question. 

 According to the PSS, Cape Vincent Wind Power, LLC is a New York limited liability
company, currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of BP Wind Energy North America Inc., (“BP Wind Energy”) a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Houston, Texas. BP Wind Energy is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BP p.l.c. (“BP”), a company organized under the laws of England and Wales with international headquarters in London, U.K. BP Wind Energy has interests in 16 wind farms in 9 states worth $5 billion and having a gross generating capacity of nearly 2,600 MW.


five days after filing the PSS, it was reported that “Conglomerate BP says it will divest its U.S. wind portfolio - more than 2.6 GW of installed capacity - in order to focus on its core oil and gas
business…According to a company spokesperson, the company's portfolio also includes projects in various stages of development, including an additional 2 GW of projects that are nearly shovel ready.”
How such a divestment will affect CVWP and the project, and whether BP considers CVWF “shovel ready” is not yet known.


Department of Environmental Conservation Comments to BP's PSS

BP divests wind links ~
http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.11326 (see also



BP-project-wind-down-will-involve-big-layoffs

WHITING | The $3.8 billion BP Whiting refinery project is set to wrap up later this year and layoffs of involved construction workers are expected.[NWI.COM]

Thursday, April 25, 2013

“I discovered that there has been considerable underestimation of fatalities reported to the public by the Wolfe Island wind project,”

 The Wolfe Island bird and bat monitoring report covering the period between July and December of 2009 indicated that 602 birds and 1,270 bats were killed by the turbines over that stretch. While the report says the numbers of dead birds and bats are similar to other wind farms in North America, Ottawa-based environmental advocacy group Nature Canada said the figures were actually surprisingly large and represent a significant threat to several endangered species.


 The latest Wolfe Island Wind Project post construction Bird and Bat Mortality Monitoring report indicated an annual bird mortality rate of 0.77 birds/ MW for the Period  of January -June 2012 . This is lower than that observed at the nearby Maple Ridge facility

 A Bird's eye view of Wolfe Island
  Bill Evans, an ornithologist based in Ithaca, N.Y., who has studied the impact of turbines on birds and bats recently made an observation concerning the number of bird kills reported for the Wolfe Island wind project.    


 Evans, who was hired by the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists to study the potential impact of the project on bird mortality,  recently gave his testimony to a tribunal in that county .

I discovered that there has been considerable underestimation of fatalities reported to the public by the Wolfe Island wind project, 
Evans said.
“In my tribunal testimony, I noted a discrepancy between positions taken by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources(OMNR) and Environment Canada regarding the distance of carcasses (that) land from the base of a wind turbine.” 
OMNR states in their Dec 2011 publication Birds and Bird Habitats: Guidelines for Wind Power Projects that “most bird carcasses fall within 50 m” while Environment Canada states in their 2007 publication Recommended Protocols for Monitoring Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds wind energy guidelines that “most carcasses fall within 80 m”.  While I testified that OMNR may be technically correct in that more than 50% fall within a 50 m radius of the Wolfe Island Wind Project (WIWP) wind turbines, I noted this is misleading in not specifying that a substantial portion fall beyond the 50 m survey zone. I presented evidence from the fatality study at the Maple Ridge Wind Project, 70 km to the southeast of WIWP in New York indicating that 40% of small birds fall in that study’s most distant survey zone 50-80 m radius from the wind turbine base. The numbers of bird carcasses that are lofted beyond 80 m are largely unknown but thought to be relatively small. I also noted that the NY wind turbines were an older, smaller variety – the WIWP wind turbines are taller with blade tips traveling over 200 km/hr, so one would anticipate small bird carcasses whacked even further.

I noted that the Ostrander wind turbines (142.5 m agl) would be even larger than those on Wolfe Island with a 1000+ m 2 greater  rotor-swept area, yet the fatality study protocol approved by both OMNR and EC still only involves surveys out to 50 m.

It is difficult for me to believe that the biologists at OMNR and EC who reviewed the post-construction bird & bat monitoring plant for the Ostrander project do not understand that these larger turbines will launch songbird carcasses much further than the smaller turbines at the Maple Ridge project, and that more than half of the small birds may land beyond the 50 m search radius. This appears tantamount to a cover-up, but I have no direct evidence.
   
 Link below for the latest WIWF Bird & Bat mortality monitoring report 



 Sources:

  [The Whig]




Lobbyist for wind power apologizes to Vt. panel

 MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A lobbyist for an industry group supporting wind power apologized to a Vermont Senate committee on Wednesday after a witness she brought in called health concerns connected with wind power "hoo-hah," nonsense and propaganda.

Read more: [Ct post .com]

Lyme Central School District Comments to BP and the Public Service Commission


Transcript :
Original letter can be found at the end of this post

Dear Mr. Chandler:
Our office is general counsel to the Lyme Central School District. Please accept this
 letter as the district comment on the preliminary scoping statement submitted by BP for the Cape Vincent wind farm project.

Section 2.27 on pages 171 through 177 of the preliminary scoping statement discusses the potential socio-economic effects of the proposed wind farm. Page 172 of the PSS provides, in
relevant part, “local spending will result in the increased tax revenue for the towns of Cape
Vincent and Lyme, the project will provide revenues to the local communities through property taxes or through payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) arrangements, increased municipal revenues
will benefit the school district emergency services and essential infrastructure. “

Please note the Lyme Central School District Board of Education has passed a resolution opting out of New York RPTL section 487. Consequently, should BP move forward with the
company in seeking a PILOT agreement pursuant to RPTL section 412 – A, the Jefferson County
Industrial Development Agency policy requires a consent of each of the affected taxing jurisdictions
including the Lyme Central School District.

To date, the Lyme Central school district has not consented to any type of PILOT
agreement for your proposed project or any other wind project. The Lyme Central School
District is willing to meet with BP and other affected taxing jurisdictions to discuss term conditions for a PILOT agreement. We noted that no effort has been made on the part of BP to engage such negotiations to date.

Should Board President desire to enter into PILOT negotiations with the district and other taxing jurisdictions, the district is amenable to doing as part of the stipulation process.

Thank you for your courtesies 

Very truly yours
Ferrara ,Fiorenza ,Larrison, Barrett & Reitz.P.C.

Joseph G. Shields




$4-million turbine fire at Kibby Mountain puts wind energy under new scrutiny by state, opponents


A fire destroyed a multimillion-dollar wind turbine at the Kibby Mountain wind farm in northern Franklin County, which has generated concern about the safety and reliability of turbines, and the process by which these fires are reported to government officials and the public.
Companies that operate wind farms in Maine are not currently required to report turbine fires to any state agency.[BDN Mid Maine]

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Digital Dissemination of Watertown Times story ~ State says BP failed to meet several requirements for Cape wind project

Yesterday the Watertown Times published a story ~ State says BP failed to meet several requirements for Cape wind project . The focus of this story was  the inadequacy of  BP's Preliminary Scoping Statement for their proposed Cape Vincent Wind project.
Since the story was published other news sources are picking it up as well

 State says BP failed to meet several requirements for Cape wind project  

Legislative Gazette.com

 Individual .com


ENR NY

 Renewable biz.com

Energy Blogs.com

Twitter
 Thew Associates

 ENR NY


Iberdrola profits down 14 per cent in first quarter

Iberdrola’s first quarter results today showed profit reductions of 14 per cent, representing €878.6m, compared with €1.02bn in the same period last year.[New Energyworld network]

Ontario court allows lawsuits against wind company and landowners just a matter of time


This is a huge precedent 


Ontario court allows lawsuits against wind company and landowners … just a matter of time
Court Accepts 22% to 50% Loss of Property Values is Occurring Today

Court and Wind Company also Acknowledge Health and Noise Issues in Context of Motion

TORONTO, April 23, 2013 /CNW/ - In a decision released late yesterday, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has determined that while residents of Clearview Township cannot bring claims for a proposed industrial wind project at this time, the ruling is "without prejudice to the plaintiffs' rights to commence an action for identical or similar relief when and if the Fairview Wind Project receives the necessary approvals to be constructed." [Para. 6]

The court has specifically recognized that claims against wind companies and against landowners who agree to host wind turbines are possible as soon as projects receive approval. [Para. 37] 

 
 Continue reading ...Wall Street Journal

Air National Guard drones support Army activity at Fort Drum, as unit prepares for expansion

FORT DRUM — New York Air National Guard officials like the prospects for their use of unmanned aircraft over the post’s airspace, as they showed off their support Tuesday for the training of the 10th Mountain Division.[Watertown Times]

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Why is Karst Geology an important issue for BP's Cape Vincent Wind Project?


Karst is a landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks including limestone, dolomite and gypsum. 
It is characterized by sinkholes, caves, and
Underground drainage systems.[1.]

 In a letter submitted to the Public Service Commission in January concerning additional impacts and recommended studies for BP's Cape Vincent wind complex, The Town of Cape Vincent  
 stated that conducting a comprehensive assessment of the Karst Geology in the Town of Cape Vincent was probably the most egregious lapse in oversight by the Lead Agency during the 2008 SEQRA review of the BP and Acciona project proposals.

The Town's engineering consultant recommended at the time that the applicants include an evaluation of the bedrock geology, in particular the karst geology. They stated, “This work is critical to maintain suitable foundations for future turbines, as well as to protect and maintain any regional geological and hydro geologic conditions of the karst geology.” Regrettably, the karst assessment was never completed, but it nevertheless should be a part of BP's list of issues that require study during the application phase of Article 10.[2][4.]


Recently the DEC submitted comments to BP and the Public Service Commission concerning BP's Preliminary Scoping Statement.
One of the issues addressed by the DEC was Karst Geology.


 "The Article 10 Application should also include detailed local geotechnical investigation on all proposed turbine locations to ensure that the stability of the bedrock is compatible with the additional load of concrete base pads and wind turbines. The emphasis of the study would be to identify potential problem areas such as Karst formations, sinkholes, or other solution-enlarged conditions before
construction begins
." (p.35 
[3.] 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 New York's Construction codes  require that the wind turbine reaction forces be pre-determined in conjunction with the wind pressure forces on the towers, and the turbine blades themselves to withstand the overturning moments developed, that are being resisted by the soil or rock material that is, part of the anchorage resisting system.

 The overturning moment of an object is that moment of energy capable of upsetting the object enough to destabilize it so that it overturns, topples or collapses. The wind pressure forces exerted on wind turbines can generate a reaction force that will actually cause a turbine to unscrew itself from the ground.



This is why the anchorage systems and sub-surfaces are critical factors in wind turbine design.

Sources:


Lyme resident Tells the PSC that Legislative Chairwoman Carolyn Fitzpatrick simply avoided her responsibility and endorsed the very questionable names put forth by Cape Vincent Supervisor Urban Hershey.

Honorable Secretary Jeffrey Cohen
2813 APR 22 PH f: 30


Dear Mr. Cohen,
My husband and I are long-standing residents of the Town of Lyme and volunteer in fire service, EMS, Chamber of Commerce and many other local organizations. Three generations of our family have gone to Lyme Central School. Just as our friends in Cape Vincent, we know industrial wind can help sustain our small schools.
We have read the preliminary scoping statement for the Cape Vincent Wind Farm and feel it is thorough and well done.
We are however, very concerned about the lack of a level playing field in the names being offered for the ad hoc committee.
I am enclosing a letter which was sent to each member of the Jefferson County Board of Legislators in hopes that they would encourage their legislative chairwoman Carolyn Fitzpatrick to include a person knowledgeable in local agriculture as a nominee to the siting board's ad hoc membership. We have found no evidence that the matter was ever officially discussed. Ms. Fitzpatrick simply avoided her responsibility and endorsed the very questionable names put forth by Cape Vincent Supervisor Urban Hershey.
Those who tell you that the majority of people in our two towns don't want industrial wind are incorrect. They simply yell louder and longer.
Please help us get industrial wind in our neighborhood. It's ironic that we are relying on the state to give us back the "home rule" that our two town boards continue to take away from us.
Sincerely,

Julia Gosier

28589 Empie Rd.
Three Mile Bay
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Dear Jefferson County Legislator,

I am writing to you today on behalf of the over 450 member families of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau and the board of directors that represents our membership. The Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, volunteer organization financed and controlled by member families for the purpose of solving economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural industry and our rural communities.

As you know, the Article X permitting process empowers the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) to issue Certificates of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) authorizing the construction and operation of major electric generating facilities. This letter should serve a'i an official request by the Jefferson County Farm Bureau to have one of our members considered for a spot on the Article X Siting Board that will be reviewing the permit process tor the proposed 200 -285 Megawatt Cape Vincent Wind Farm to be located in the Town of Cape Vincent. It is our understanding dial you will have the authority to submit up to four names for consideration as "county representative" to the ad hoc committee. Our organization has surfaced two individuals that would be 'willing to serve if selected
Kurt Gehrke of Belleville and Adam Miner also of Belleville have expressed an interest to serve on the ad hoc committee as the "county representive". Kurt is the current Vice President of the county farm bureau and also a Town of Ellisburg board member. He has an extensive knowledge of town issues and the agricultural industry that would make him a valuable resource to the committees review process. Adam is currently the county farm bureau's Young Farmer Chairman and an agricultural industry professional with Poulin Grain.

The Jefferson County Farm Bureau feels strongly that the agricultural community and other land owners in the area of the proposed project would greatly benefit from having a member of the farming community as part of the review process.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions at 486-9324. Thank you for your time and consideration of our organizations request to have one of our members names put forth for a position on this review committee.
Sincerely,

Roger E. Eastman
JCFB President