To the people of the 1000 Islands

Below is the last letter to the PSC commenting on Horse Creek

July 10, 2013

To the people of the 1000 Islands:

I am a native of Alexandria Bay (Alexandria Central class of 1958) with my mother's family being from Clayton and Grindstone Island (my great grandparents were the owners of Potter's Beach).  After spending many years away from the area, I returned to live in Clayton from 1980-1989 (worked at E.J. Noble) and recently came up for a visit in 2012.  After reading the July 3rd edition of the paper with the articles on wind power, the national TV crew coming to look at Casa Blanca and mansions at Edgewood, and the possibility of the Thousands Islands being declared a region of scenic significance all right next to each other on Page 1, I felt compelled to write to the citizens of the North Country about my love for the area and my concerns that its fabulous natural beauty be protected at all costs. 

I live in Gainesville FL, which was a nice little college town when I arrived in 1990, and I've traveled all over the US teaching seminars and noted what happens when development comes to town, both here in Gainesville and in other locales.  It can divide populations, create havoc with infrastructure and the environment and, in general, cause a lot of problems especially if planning is not done in advance.  I would hope that the residents of Cape Vincent, Clayton, Alex Bay, Hammond and other towns along the river would come together to protect and treasure this great natural resource of the Thousand Islands.  And, that can probably be a bit tricky when money comes to town. 

The very thought of seeing our shorelines lined with 500 ft. tall wind power machines visible from the TI Bridge, watching cheap developments crop up and big box stores come to the area only to move out later, leaving empty shells of buildings in their wake, is paralyzing to me.

  

Remember, as habitat is destroyed, species become extinct and places change character when outside people come, make changes only to disappear when the economy turns sour, that is forever. Please, for the sake of the generations to come, think of the future and come together so that this piece of Paradise on Earth can remain beautiful and accessible for all to enjoy.

   

Sara Mecomber Meeks

1842 N.E. 7th Street

Gainesville, FL 32609

 Link here to read or make comments on  Iberdrola's proposed Horse Creek Wind project
 in Clayton, Orleans, Brownville, and Lyme

 Link here to read or comment on  Cape Vincent Wind proposed project