Sunday, June 30, 2013

BP is polluting Lake Michigan

BP, stop discharging toxic mercury into our water supply


BP, one of the world's biggest companies, dumps nearly 20 times more toxic mercury into Lake Michigan than federal regulations permit.

This has been known for years, but BP still gets away with it. How? Ask the people of Indiana. 
 In 2007, a Chicago Tribune investigation documented that Indiana allowed the massive BP refinery in Whiting to increase the amount of pollutants it released into the lake water that's used by millions of people for drinking, fishing and recreation. Permitting the oil company to dump high levels of mercury, ammonia and suspended solids helped to clear the way for a big expansion of the refinery.
 Continue...
[Chicago Tribune]

Lightning may have damaged turbine

By Jessica Bartlett


The blades on Scituate’s 400-foot-tall wind turbine have stopped spinning, following a lightning storm that may have damaged some of the electrical equipment inside the structure Monday night.
“I’m not 100 percent sure if it was caused by a fluctuation in the grid or if it was a lightning strike, but it’s very possible that it was hit by lightning,” said Sumul Shah, owner and operator of Scituate’s turbine affiliate, Solaya Energy LLC.
Continue...[The Boston Globe]

Siemens to cut 1,700 jobs in energy operations: report

WirtschaftsWoche said the unit's main production facilities in Erlangen and Offenbach and a plant in Muelheim an der Ruhr would be affected by the cost-cutting drive.
Around 140 jobs at Muelheim, where Siemens makes steam turbines, will be cut, the magazine said, citing labor representative sources.
A spokesman for the Siemens group declined comment to Reuters.
Siemens' energy business said last December it planned to cut almost 1,100 jobs in Germany as the engineering giant trims costs to make energy operations more profitable.

The energy unit makes gas and wind turbines, subsea power supply systems for oil platforms and power plants. It said earlier this month it would shut the last of its solar energy businesses after it failed to find a buyer.
Continue...[Reuters]

Sinovel Wind Group facing lawsuit from investors

By Wang Xinyuan

Sinovel Wind Group, China's largest wind turbine maker in terms of market share, is to be charged with financial fraud by some of its investors, a lawyer in charge of the case told the Global Times Sunday.

"We have received about 50 individual investors' requests for the lawsuit," Li Jian, a senior partner at Zhejiang Yufeng Law Firm, told the Global Times.

The investors bought shares in Sinovel but suffered losses due to the company's fudging of its accounts, Li said.

Continue...[Global Times]

Jousting over wind farm extends beyond court

 Wyoming County landowners caught in crossfire of $56M legal dispute
A $56 million court battle over costly delays to the Mehoopany Wind Farm last year has a contractor sparring with BP Wind Energy in two states, with subcontractors and area landowners caught in the crossfire.


Colorado-based RES Americas filed suit against BP Wind and a related firm in Wyoming County Court, seeking $56,189,303 that the contractor says it is owed for work done to ensure that the $250 million wind farm went on line by Dec. 31. That deadline was to take full advantage of a federal tax credit set to expire. Continue...[Go lakawanna .com]

Sen Schumer asks FEMA to extend grant deadline for Metalcraft,FDNY

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to swiftly extend the deadline for a $4.7 million grant he helped secure in 2009 on behalf of MetalCraft Marine and the Fire Department of the City of New York.
He requested Wednesday that the deadline for MetalCraft to build a new Firestorm 70 fire-rescue boat for the department with federal funding be pushed back by a year to next May.
Continue... [Watertown Times]

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Noise report cover-up ~ Horse Creek wind farm

 I recently came across this indepth Editorial piece from October 7, 2008 that was compiled and written by

Industrial Wind Action Group


Horse Creek wind farm: Noise report cover-up(Posted October 7, 2008) PPM Energy's Horse Creek Wind Farm proposal, now suspended while NY State officials evaluate the potential high bat mortality from the turbines, is the center of a sobering debate concerning preconstruction sound study reports. The proposed project consists of sixty-two industrial wind turbines spanning the towns of Clayton and Orleans in upstate New York. Over 1000 residents reside within the project's proposed footprint.

In January 2007, shortly after the Town of Clayton adopted its Wind Energy Facilities Ordinance (Local Law 1) governing placement of turbines in the town, PPM released its Noise Analysis report on the project prepared by Global engineering giant CH2M HILL. The report's summary states: "The facilities steady state noise levels are predicted to comply with the Town of Clayton's Wind Energy Facilities Ordinance limit of 50 dBA at offsite residences." It further adds "the facilities noise level may exceed the existing levels by 6 dBA at lower wind speeds but maintains compliance with the Town of Clayton's Wind Energy Facilities Ordinance limit of 50 dBA". New York State guidelines suggest that sound level increases over existing background should not exceed 6 dBA.

Serious and substantial complaints filed by Clayton residents regarding possible excessive and harmful noise impacts from the turbines prompted the Planning Board to hire acoustic engineering firm Cavanaugh Tocci Associates (CTA) of Sudbury MA to evaluate the CH2M HILL report. CTA was specifically requested to "re-evaluate noise impact per NYSDEC guidelines and Town of Clayton Local Law 1 2007 Wind Energy Facilities".

The completed CTA report was received by Clayton officials, Town Supervisor Justin Taylor and Planning Board Chairman Roland Baril, on or around February 15, 2008 but never released to other Planning Board members or the public. Apparently, CTA's report was deemed "too complicated" for review. Three Freedom of Information requests were filed with the town, including one from the local newspaper, and all were denied. Clayton Supervisor Mr. Taylor announced through the Town's engineering consultants Bernier & Carr Associates that CTA's report was sent back with the request that an executive summary be provided to help explain CTA's findings. CTA complied and delivered a 2-page summary on August 25. This summary was again held by Taylor and Baril.

During the Oct 1 regular meeting of the Clayton Planning Board, Planning Board Chairman Baril informed the attending residents as well as the Planning Board that it was the recommendation of Bernier & Carr Associates that CTA's report again be refused as too technical for public review and that CTA's executive summary would be the ONLY document released to other Board members. Taxpayers were welcome to a copy of the summary via a Freedom of Information request submitted to the Clayton Town Clerk.

According to the CTA executive summary, there are serious problems with the methodology employed by CH2M HILL in conducting its noise analysis whereby estimated background sound levels were overestimated. CTA also makes clear that participating property owners, those who've entered into lease agreements with PPM, should update their real estate deeds to reflect noise easements. CTA is clear that noise emanating from the turbines, even if compliant with Clayton's Local Law 1, will affect future property owners who might occupy a dwelling.

The problem of Wind Turbine noise is becoming more pronounced as turbines are built close to where people live. Windaction.org is tracking noise issues in numerous locations including Mars Hill, ME, Lowville, NY, Brownsville, WI, McLean County, IL, and Blair County and Meyersdale, PA, in the UK and Canada. In each of these cases, the question of noise was either never raised prior to the towers being erected or the residents were informed there would be no issue. It's remarkable the lengths PPM and some Clayton officials are going to just to avoid the question. Denying a problem exists in the face of growing evidence is unproductive and will ultimately harm the wind industry and its proponents.

Update: At Clayton's town board meeting on Oct 8, Supervisor Justin Taylor announced the CTA report would now be released to the public.

The Watertown Times : Staff reporter Nancy Madsen
did a story about Clayton Town officials refusing to let residents see a report evaluating the noise study done for Horse Creek Wind Farm. Link -->here<-- about="" read="" span="" style="color: red;" to="">Town keeping mum on noise report

Link here to read the Cavanaugh Tocci Summary and~ Turbine Noise report

Friday, June 28, 2013

Clayton Resident addresses Clayton Town Board Concerning Industrial Wind Development

At the Town of Clayton Town board meeting last Wednesday, Town of Clayton resident Cindy Grant
 spoke to the board about Industrial Wind development


Rare bird last seen in Britain 22 years ago reappears - only to be killed by wind turbine in front of a horrified crowd of birdwatchers

The white-throated needletail is usually only seen in Asia and Australasia Forty birdwatchers dashed to the Hebrides to catch a glimpse of this one But as they watched it was knocked 'stone dead' after impact with turbine 

 By WILL ROBINSON PUBLISHED: 16:52 EST, 27 June 2013 |

There had been only eight recorded sightings of the white-throated needletail in the UK since 1846. So when one popped up again on British shores this week, twitchers were understandably excited.
A group of 40 enthusiasts dashed to the Hebrides to catch a glimpse of the brown, black and blue bird, which breeds in Asia and winters in Australasia.
 But instead of being treated to a wildlife spectacle they were left with a horror show when it flew into a wind turbine and was killed.[Mail online]

Thursday, June 27, 2013

BP's presentation of Cape Vincent Wind Project to the Town of Clayton Town and Village Boards

As required by the Public Service Commission  for the Article 10 process  BP's Richard Chandler gave a presentation to the  Town of Clayton Town and Village Boards Wednesday evening.

Part 1 Presentation                            ~            Part 2 Q&A

BP to Clayton officials: Cape Vincent Wind Farm would be visible from river

A letter to the Article 10 Siting Board: Wind Turbine Projects in the Thousand Islands

This is the latest public comment letter To the Article 10 Siting Board concerning BP's Cape Vincent Wind project.

To the Article 10 Siting Board:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PROTECT THE 1000 ISLANDS at all costs. Tourists and Turbines Don't Mix!
Blanketing this area of Natural Wonders and Wildlife with wind turbines is unforgiveable! Turbines such as
these 497' monsters do not belong around people, domestic animals or wildlife! There are other avenues for
providing electricity to NYS. A solar panel and small windmill provided through tax credits to individuals
would be a good start! Remember we are all entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". These
turbines threaten our health, our prosperity and our ability to pursue happiness. These are foreign corporations,
they have no right to come into our Country and destroy our lives, our scenery, and our wildlife. Shame on
NYS for going along with them and trying to shove them down our throats.

Thank you for the opportunity to express myself.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Henderson snaps up stakes in Barclays and BP t

Veteran UK equity income fund manager James Henderson has moved up the market cap spectrum in his £70m Henderson Opportunities trust, buying up positions in Barclays and BP.

Henderson  typically hunts for value outside FTSE-100 names, said the market has mis-priced the merits of both stocks.Continue...[Investment Week]

 

BP Claims to Be Victim in New Orleans Oil Spill

British Petroleum was the real victim of the New Orleans oil spill, or at least that is what the company is claiming in thousands of legal letters and full page newspaper advertisements. The company, which is directly responsible for the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which is considered the largest marine oil spill and destroyed thousands of business along the coastline, is disputing claims made by those affected by the disaster in both public and private forums. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that the timing of the letters, which were sent to plaintiffs and warned that BP may seek to recover some of their funds from the multi-billion dollar settlement, say that the company is making an attempt to prevent people from claiming their fair share of the settlement.

The letter sent by BP warns lawyers representing many Gulf Coast businesses that the company may seek to recover some shares from the settlement if it successfully appeals a ruling made prior to when the settlement was agreed upon. BP claims that the court-supervised settlement program may have sent out excessive to payments to claimants and that the company will be attempting to retrieve those funds. “BP reserves whatever rights it may have to pursue any legal method to recover such overpayments,” reads the letter.
Continue...

Why Obama's Plan To Accelerate Permitting For Renewable Energy Is A Big Deal

President Obama is expected to make commitments for streamlining the permitting process for renewable energy projects on federal land during his talk at Georgetown University today.
In 2012, the President set a goal to issue permits for 10 gigawatts of renewables on public lands by the end of the year. The Department of the Interior achieved this goal ahead of schedule and the President has directed it to permit an additional 10 gigawatts by 2020. Since 2009, the Department of Interior has approved 25 utility-scale solar facilities, nine wind farms, and 11 geothermal plants . . . Also, the Department of Defense – the single largest consumer of energy in the United States – is committed to deploying 3 gigawatts of renewable energy on military installations, including solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal, by 2025. In addition, federal agencies are setting a new goal of reaching 100 megawatts of installed renewable capacity across the federally subsidized housing stock by 2020.

Federal permitting is a very, very big issue for utility-scale renewable energy projects, especially solar power projects sited West of the Mississippi River. The maps below illustrate why. Continue...[Forbs]

Wind energy firm files Chapter 7 as lawsuits pile up

 The disfavor of wind energy is spreading.
Faced with mounting lawsuits by customers, suppliers and Minnesota's attorney general, Excelsior-based Renewable Energy SD has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The Star Tribune has details on the Friday filing, which lists $15.9 million in debts and $6.2 million in assets from Renewable Energy, which has been accused of selling farmers faulty wind turbines. Farmers complained that turbines were never delivered or, if they were, didn't work properly. 
Continue reading...[Minneapolis St.Paul Journal]

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

DO NOT WIPE OUT OUR HISTORY WITH WIND POWER

This letter concerning BP's Cape Vincent Wind Farm was posted to the Public Service Commissions website.
 June 24/2013

As a private citizen, resident of the Town of Lyme for 84 years, with over 30 members of my immediate family here in this lakeside community, working in agricultural and many other types of careers, I feel qualified to comment on our  environment and quality of life.      My overall thought process is two-fold.  Number one:  In studying the effects of these wind turbines,  I fear for the adverse effect upon:  farm animals, wildlife, birds, and even humans.  Facts bear out these concerns.   Secondly, and VERY important to our way of life, and yes, the INCOMES of everyone who lives here, and has ANY connection to our tourist industry..........installing these life-changing turbines WOULD HAVE MUCH MORE HARM TO THE FUTURE OF THIS AREA   that you can imagine at this time.     Do not discount the fact that we, here by the lake,  are connected just a few short miles from the ST. Lawrence River communities, whose lives are acutely dependent upon tourism, as we are.  DO NOT WIPE OUT OUR HISTORY with wind power.  The wealth of the wind companies  should not be a part of our future.     Brilliant people here in this state and country can come up with modern  energy answers that are much better than this.

  Chaumont, NY
    Thank you.

What to do with the world's unwanted wind turbine?

The research looked at the decommissioning of the machines, the restoration of wind farm sites and also how turbines, towers and the various components can be recycled.

Dealing with the massive devices when they are replaced by more efficient ones is expected to become an increasingly weighty issue.




The SNH-commissioned report quotes a forecast that by 2034 there will be a need to recycle about 225,000 tonnes of rotor blade material every year worldwide.
Several ways of recycling past-it machinery are mentioned in the report.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Visual Simulation of Proposed decommissioning plan for BP's Cape Vincent Wind Farm

"The Town of Cape Vincent considers decommissioning one of the most intractable problems associated with BP's industrial wind development.  The Town has found an alternative plan that makes use of surplus military drones and ordinance left over from the Iraqi War that has made the decommissioning plan for Cape Vincent much more manageable and cost effective.  
The accompanying visual simulation of a decommissioning strike was provided 
by Satanic ~ Pyro ~ Techniques




Friday, June 21, 2013

Don't Pave Paradise

and

Put up a Wind Complex

Photo credit: Rollin Hanson 

Photo credit: Rollin Hanson 


~~~
At the  Article 10 forum held at Jefferson Community College  Thursday March 8, 2012
Charles Ebbing, a retired acoustic engineer with Carrier Corporation made comments about wind turbines.
Normally, when Mr. Ebbing speaks about wind turbines his focus is the low-frequency noise emitted by wind turbines.
However, at this forum Mr. Ebbing chose another topic.
This is what he had to say.
~~~
This morning I went into Google and searched for the top ten natural wonders in New York State.

Of the top ten most were adjacent or near water

1. Niagara Falls
2. Lake George
3. The Catskill and Shawagunk Mountains
4. Finger Lakes
5. Adirondack Mountains
6. Thousand Islands
7. Montauk Point on Long Island
8. Hudson River
9. Chimney Bluffs on Lake Ontario
10. The Grand Canyon of the East in Letchworth State Park
~~~
All of the ten areas consist of fantastic waterfalls, mountains, beaches, lakes and rivers that offer this,vistas fantastic views tremendous recreational activities.
If I say this another way, all top ten areas of New York have fantastic view sheds.

"A view shed is an area of land, water that is visible to the human eye from a fixed vantage point".

It seems, incredible to me that industrial wind could even be considered inside the view sheds of the Finger Lakes and thousand islands region.

"My question to you is; what protection of article 10, provide for these 10 natural wonders of New York State." The areas near New York City of Montauk point, and the Hudson River, all have the status of New York State "scenic areas of statewide significance"
~~~~~~~
Concerning "Viewshed", Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill, D-Kingston,one of the speakers addressing the public at the Article 10 forum ,said that the protection of viewshed will be taken into consideration.
~~~~

Town of Cape Vincent Town Board meeting 6/20/2013 Privilege of the floor Videos

State panel denies DANC’s request for Cape Vincent wind money again

Thursday, June 20, 2013

ATTENTION!!

Residents of Clayton , Orleans,Lyme & Brownville

Plans Are Underway to Change Your Landscape Forever
This add was published in this weeks edition of the Thousand Islands Sun~ 
read it and weep

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Siemens pulls plug on last solar energy business

MUNICH (Reuters) - German industrial conglomerate Siemens is shutting down the last of its solar energy businesses after it failed to find a buyer, the company said on Monday.
[The Courant]

Monday, June 17, 2013

New York ~ Home Rule Rules ~ Home rule upheld in a Hydrofracking case.

  Fracking has been a controversial topic in New York State. The controversy basically breaks down into two issues economic benefits versus environmental and public health issues.
Currently federal regulations do not adequately address many of the potential risks that may be associated with Hydrofracking and Industrial wind development. Leaving the state and local government the responsibility of their regulation.

With both Hydrofracking and Industrial Wind you have a situation where those that stand to benefit may not be within the local jurisdiction . However, the burden of environmental and health impacts associated with fracking and Industrial Wind are carried entirely by the local jurisdictions.

Recently Home rule was upheld in a Hydrofracking case.
The Towns of Dryden and Middlefield consider hydraulic fracturing for natural gas to be a heavy industrial use that conflicts with their comprehensive plan and/ or is not an appropriate land use for them. Consequently, these two towns enacted zoning laws outlawing hydraulic fracturing within their borders.

The drilling industry and a landowners challenged the zoning bans in two lawsuits filed in the State Supreme Courts in Tompkins and Otsego Counties.

The courts in these cases were asked to determine for the first time whether a municipality has the legal authority to use its zoning laws to prohibit natural gas drilling within its borders, or whether its constitutionally guaranteed zoning authority is preempted by the State Environmental Conservation Law (ECL). In contrast, the towns argued that the statute was not intended to preempt generally applicable zoning laws that merely regulate land uses, not the specific activity of gas drilling.

Beginning with the principle that local municipalities are granted significant rights under the New York Constitution to determine what is in the best interests of their residents’ health, safety and welfare, the Court emphasized that one of the most fundamental exercises of these rights is to foster productive land use by enacting zoning laws.

The Court stated:
Regulation is commonly defined as ‘an authoritative rule dealing with details or procedure.’ The zoning ordinance at issue, however, does not seek to regulate the details or procedure of the oil, gas and solution mining industries. Rather, it simply establishes permissible and prohibited uses of land within the Town for the purpose of regulating land generally.
While the Town’s exercise of its right to regulate land use through zoning will inevitably have an incidental effect upon the oil, gas and solution mining industries, we conclude that zoning ordinances are not the type of regulatory provision that the Legislature intended to
be preempted.”

The Court also refused to accept the industry’s and landowner’s contention that local zoning bans on hydraulic fracturing conflict with the policies underlying the provision of the Environmental Conservation Law stating that the State should minimize waste of its natural resources.
 The Court recognized that this statement of policy  “does not equate to an intention to require oil and gas drilling operations to occur in each and every location where such resource is present, regardless of the land uses existing in that locale.”  Instead, as the Court acknowledged, the policies require a balancing of the rights of all property owners, including the general public, which is best promoted by allowing municipalities to decide what is in the best interests of their residents.

 In sum, in a landmark decision for the rights of municipalities to decide what type of land uses should be permitted and/or prohibited within their borders, the Court held that local municipalities have the constitutional right to protect their community character through the use of zoning powers. With the Third Department’s decision, municipalities were rightfully provided an additional measure of comfort that no specific business concern is entitled to a unique exemption from their generally applicable zoning laws merely because it is part of the oil and gas industry.

This ruling may be significant concerning BP and Bob Dudley's Dilemma ~ How to subvert Cape Vincent's  protective zoning law

   In their Preliminary Scoping Statement (PSS) filed on April 19,   BP used a reference to suggest that portions of the Town's zoning law should be waived   " ... the Public Service Law general preemption of local laws should relieve CVWF of the obligation to comply with this section."  The Department of Public Service (DPS) in its review of BP's PSS (p.46) asked for clarification of BP's general preemption statement ~ "The revised PSS should clearly identify what CVWF means when asserting that, "the Public Service Law general preemption of local laws" will relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with a local standard" 
Because the waiver of local laws is the heart of BP's development of their Cape Vincent Wind Farm, the Town of Cape Vincent requested the same clarification and identification as DPS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only one final fight remains in this battle between the right of municipal home rule powers to
define community character through zoning and the natural gas industry’s contention that these
powers are usurped by State Law. This will be in New York’s highest appellate court – the Court of Appeals. We anticipate that the industry and landowner in Norse Energy Corp. USA v. Town of Dryden and Cooperstown Holstein Corp. v. Town of Middlefield will seek a final review of the third Department’s decision from the Court of Appeals. If the Court accepts the case, its decision will, once and for all, finally determine the extent of home rule authority with respect to oil and gas drilling.


Wind developer defies shutdown order

FAIRHAVEN - The developer of Fairhaven's two wind turbines decided Friday night to resume overnight turbine operation just five days after the Board of Health ordered the turbines be turned off overnight.
Palmer Capital Corporation President Gordon Deane wrote in a letter to town officials that the while the turbines had been "voluntarily curtailed" since Monday, "at present there is no legal obligation for Fairhaven Wind to curtail or alter its operations."[Cape Cod Times]

Sunday, June 16, 2013

 Michigan’s renewable-energy mandate has been judged unconstitutional by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals 

While the wind industry celebrates “Global Wind Day,” Michigan’s renewable-energy mandate has been judged unconstitutional by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Saturday June 15, 2013
The court ruled that a state that requires the in-state generation of a particular type of energy, such as wind, is in violation of the Constitution’s commerce clause, which outlaws protectionist policies. Ohio’s renewable-energy law suffers from the same fatal flaw since it, too, places a quota on in-state generation of wind energy.[Columbus Dispatch]

Transport Canada has ordered the removal of eight wind turbines near the Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport.

In an unprecedented move in Ontario, Transport Canada has ordered the removal of eight wind turbines in close proximity to the Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport because of height restrictions.
However, the company that owns the turbines Transport Canada wants dismantled - GDF Suez Canada - claims it hasn't been contacted by the federal agency.
David Timm, vice-president of GDF Suez Canada, told The Chatham Daily Newslate Friday afternoon: "We can't comment or provide any information, because . . . we haven't spoken with Transport Canada at all this week."
When asked if the company has turbines near the airport, Timm reiterated: "I don't know whose turbines are involved, because we have not been contacted."
Chatham-Kent Essex MP Dave Van Kesteren confirmed the action Friday morning.
A Transport Canada spokesperson told The Daily News eight wind turbines violate height limits at the Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport, which are subject to airport zoning regulations.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Big Wind SLAPPs Critic

By Robert Bryce
The Goliath of the wind-energy business is suing David. The defendant is Esther Wrightman, an activist and mother of two from the tiny town of Kerwood, Ontario, which sits roughly halfway between Detroit and Toronto.

Wrightman, 32, has angered the Florida-based NextEra Energy (market capitalization: $32 billion) by starting a couple of bare-bones websites, ontario wind resistance.org and mlwindaction.org, as well as a YouTube channel, which she uses to lampoon the company. In its lawsuit, filed on May 1, NextEra claims that Wrightman has misused its logo and libeled the company by calling it “NexTerror” and “NextError.” And while the company doesn’t specify the amount of damages it seeks from Wrightman, it says that it will donate any proceeds from the litigation to United Way.[National Review on Line]

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Wind Power News From The Watertown Times

Wind Power News