Sunday, March 30, 2014

Cape Vincent Attractions missing from new website. Is this an oversite ?

1000 Islands council launches website for French visitors

The website aims to introduce French-speaking residents from Quebec to the Thousand Islands region across the north country and southeastern Ontario.
The website aims to introduce French-speaking residents from Quebec to the Thousand Islands region across the north country and southeastern Ontario. 
Continue...

This website is very well done however, I was surprised to note that the only mention of Cape Vincent was a link to the visit the 1000 Islands web site giving a list of places to stay.There was no other reference to Cape Vincent, there was no mention of Tibbetts Point lighthouse as an attraction and notably no mention of Cape Vincent's French Fest. 

Visit new website at this link

  

Monday, March 17, 2014

Save The River: Respect the Conditions on the River, Delay the Seaway Opening

Respect the conditions on the River, delay the Seaway opening. Save The River has long advocated a research-based list of criteria be used to set the shipping season on the St. Lawrence Seaway. But it really is simple. Get the ice out and the navigational aids in. Don’t send ships through until its safe for the River. http://ow.ly/uGjTg





Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Committee to examine Obama Administration’s approach for enforcing wildlife laws and impacts on U.S. Energy; Subpoena issued for long-sought documents

“There are serious concerns that the Obama Administration is implementing these laws in an arbitrary fashion based on an undefined definition of ‘cooperation’ from affected parties. The Administration has repeatedly chosen to only prosecute select violations of these strict liability acts and our goal is to gain a better understanding of how and why these enforcement decisions are made and what defines ‘cooperation’ to the Administration."

U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources - March 11, 2014 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a Full Committee oversight hearing on Wednesday, March 26th entitled, “Collision Course: Oversight of the Obama Administration’s Enforcement Approach for America’s Wildlife Laws and Its Impact on Domestic Energy.” The hearing will examine the Obama Administration’s approach for enforcing wildlife laws, including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as it relates to U.S. energy producers, and the Administration’s failure to fully respond to repeated requests from the Committee for documents. Continue...

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Remember when...The Buck stopped here

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN by Perry White

Saturday October 31,2009

There was a time, not so long ago, when town officials both elected and appointed felt a necessity to comport themselves with dignity, to try to uphold their oaths of office, to set an example through word and deed for their constituents. It was sort of what we expected from the people we put in office, and the people that they appointed to unpaid, volunteer posts.

But somewhere along the line, all that stopped. Somewhere, local officials got it into their heads that a town post was a good path to take for personal enrichment. And I have to admit, the sudden proliferation of proposed wind farms has brought this out in spades. Continue...

Friday, March 7, 2014

Horse Creek wind farm: Noise report cover-up

 Maple Ridge wind turbines

I recently came across this in depth 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 pre-construction 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 off site 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 Town keeping mum on noise report

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

Will Iberdrola ditch Horse Creek?

 This letter concerning the Iberdrola Horse Creek wind farm was posted in a local newspaper last April,
it is just as relevant today as it was back then.
~~~

Many of us have closely followed the nearly decade-long history of proposed wind development in the Thousand Islands region and hated what we have seen.

People on the lakeshore with views of the Galloos and residents of Lyme, Cape Vincent and Hammond have been put through hell trying to beat back ill-conceived wind projects in their towns. 

There is yet another wind project in the area that many had been led to believe was dormant, if not off the table altogether.
This project, known as “Horse Creek,” is proposed by Iberdrola. Iberdrola has been very quiet lately about its plans for Horse Creek, but the government of the town of Clayton has been even quieter, making no effort to keep people informed.

The common thought around our area was that this project was being set aside as Iberdrola took steps recently to shrink its wind business nationwide. However, an interesting letter has just emerged.
Inconspicuously posted on the Public Service Commission website is a letter that was only first noticed recently. There is a letter from Iberdrola dated Dec. 14, 2012, to the Public Service Commission with copies to Clayton Supervisor Justin Taylor and Roland Baril, chairman of the Clayton Planning Board. The letter formally and officially gave notice to the PSC of Iberdrola’s “Election to Proceed” with their Horse Creek project under Article 10.

A renewed major wind project proposal within the St. Lawrence River valley and yet we hear nothing! Was this official correspondence read in a Clayton town board meeting? Certainly the significance of this news would qualify for such disclosure.

More digging into this project proposal has caused us only now to learn that Iberdrola sought support last May for the Horse Creek project through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Energy Highway Initiative.” 

Wind power has been the most controversial public policy issue along the St. Lawrence River for the past decade. In Clayton a major wind developer gives official notice of intent to proceed under Article 10 and seeks support through the governor’s Energy Highway for a project up to four times larger than originally planned that will include not only Clayton but also Brownville, Orleans and Lyme.

This is no oversight. Iberdrola has made no attempt at public disclosure. Perhaps we shouldn’t expect better from them. But the Clayton Town Council and Planning Board are inexplicably mum about the disclosure they have been given! Adjoining towns are given no notice at all!

Can’t we fairly ask, “What’s going on here?” And expect some answers?

Judy Tubolino
LaFargeville

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Horse Creek Wind Farm bid opening on May 1, 2014???


 NY Bid Net[link] calls itself "...a leading government bid aggregation and e-procurement service provider." Bid Net is a marketplace where businesses, like utility and wind giant Iberdrola, can seek bids for a variety of services, including building a wind farm.

The Bid Net notice below was posted by Iberdrola for the Horse Creek Wind Farm in the town of Clayton, but Orleans, Lyme and Brownville were also included in original DEIS documents. This notice will likely generate more questions than bids.

First, how can Iberdrola seriously consider moving ahead with any kind of bidding for their Horse Creek Wind Farm without even beginning the Article 10 application process? Bid date and time are listed as May 1, 2014.

In the section titled Notes, there are a number of updates along with the dates of the updates. The last update by Iberdrola was on November 13, 2013 where they noted: "Iberdrola Renewables will pursue the Horse Creek Wind Farm, but could deviate from its latest plan. The company will ditch Horse Creek and move out of Clayton - as it did in the nearby town of Hammond."

This November 13, 2013 update is very odd. It suggests in the first sentence that Iberdrola will be moving ahead. Then in the second sentence says the company will ditch the project. Even odder is the phrasing regarding ditching the project - that comes directly from a Watertown Daily Times article [link]. In fact, other updates in Iberdrola's BidNet notices were copied from Times articles.

So, what does all this mean? It probably means that no one is minding the store at Iberdrola. They have not begun Article 10, but still have notice that they want to build a $230 million wind farm. Their notice updates make us wonder if Iberdrola is reading their own copy.

 


 

 Click Link Below to view large map of Iberdrola Turbine array plan as proposed in 2007

 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B948cRPMn0HXMWZWX3MtbWxWM3M/edit?usp=sharing


New York Bid Network
 Electrical Bid Network

 
 Links below to past Watertown Daily Times stories

 Horse Creek Wind Farm developer might up size project, begin state siting process as soon as next spring

 Iberdrola back on track with Clayton wind project

Cape Vincent looks ahead following BP withdrawal; Clayton, Orleans uncertain

By Pamela McDowell, Staff Writer
  Cape Vincent – Emotions are mixed following the announcement February 26 that British Petroleum is ending its long reign of uncertainty in Cape Vincent, and abandoning its plans for a wind project that would have included up to 124 turbines measuring nearly 500 feet high.

  After about a decade of starts and stops, and deep divisions forming in the town due to the proposal of industrial wind, BP wind energy announced that, as of March 31, it will end the leases with property owners.

  The industrial giant confirmed its intention in an email, stating that the company will terminate its position in the Cape Vincent Wind Farm, withdraw from the New York State Article 10 permitting process, and wind down all of its contracts and agreements for the project. The company had attempted to sell its interest in Cape Vincent Wind Farm but failed to do so.

  The recent news caused a sigh of relief for some and a gasp from other residents of the town.

  Town Supervisor Urban Hirschey said he is relieved, and he feels the termination of the application is definitely positive for the town.

 Pick up your copy of the Thousand Islands Sun at Cape Dairy or Aubrey's market to continue reading this extensive review of Cape's past wind history.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Leonard weighs in on the Watertown Times editorial
“Blown Away”

Watertown Times Editorial Blown away [link]

Not with a bang but a whimper

BP Wind Energy this week ended a protracted effort to establish a commercial wind farm in Cape Vincent with the announcement that it is simply dropping the project and walking away.

For a number of property owners who had lease agreements with the company, this no doubt comes as bad news. Hopes of lease payments of some substance over at least 20 years have dried up, disappeared on the wind that is now not likely to produce electricity on any grand scale.  Continue...

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Life Long Resident of Cape Vincent Sets the Record Straight With an "extreme measures score card"

 The following comment came in response to a recent post (Times Editors Miss the Bus)  concerning the uninformed and misleading editorial done by the Watertown Times, in regard to BP's Cape Vincent Wind project. 

The writer highlights important issues that have been ignored by the Watertown Times.

 ~~~~


Mr. Schneider,

The Editors of the WDT might want to check out this "extreme measures score card"

Cape Vincent Pro Wind full time residents.

1. A sitting State Assemblyman told wind lease conflicted members of the town board that it was their duty to vote their conflict of interest and not make a decision based on public referendum.

2. Voters for Wind and Accionia tried to get the JCIDA to take away the school, county and town right to vote on a PILOT.

3. Pro wind passed a petition that claimed voter irregularities that were never proven. It was aimed at legal Cape Vincent residents and voters who they thought would vote against the conflict of interest board members.

4. The conflict of interest board members passed and then refused to rescind an illegal voter identification resolution.

5. Letters with the names of the Cape Vincent pro-wind Democratic Chair and CGF chair on it were sent to the assessors of seasonal residents who owned residences in other communities but choose Cape Vincent as their home of voter choice. One "friendly" assessor took the bait and made a voter fraud accusation that was never proven. Those whose assessors received letters felt singled out and intimidated.

6. Voters for Wind, CFG and Bp lease holders filed A SLAPP action against two Cape Vincent bloggers and John Does who were voicing their opinion.

7. An affidavit filed in the Supreme Court by one of the plaintiffs verified that formal methods were being taken against part time residents that would protect the interests of full time residents.

8. A list of 80 Absentee voters were challenged by pro wind Democrat-CFG town office candidates. The three candidates then filed a signed affidavit in Supreme Court alleging fraud by legal Cape Voters and the Jefferson County Board of Elections.

Cape Vincent Anti Wind full time and part time residents.

1. Exercised their legal right to vote against unethical lease holding public officials and threw them out of office.

John Doe Citizen
and life long resident of Cape Vincent.




Link to post ~Times Editors Miss the Bus