PANDORA'S BOX OF ROCKS

The comprehensive plan and zoning law are meaningless if not respected and enforced.

2012-01-27T08:40:00.001-05:00

This year has brought positive change to Cape Vincent

Newly re- elected Supervisor Urban Hirschey has begun the process of updating Cape Vincent’s zoning law and Comprehensive plan.
The zoning law committee has been consulting with Jefferson County Planner Mike Bourcy on a rewrite of Cape Vincent’s Zoning Ordinance.
Additionally Cape Vincent’s Comprehensive Plan the blueprint for the physical development of our community will be developed to dovetail with the updated zoning law.
The stated purpose of our current zoning law is, among other things, to encourage the development of land for its most appropriate use within the town, and to conserve and protect the rural, agricultural, and scenic resources of the Town... Specifically the intent of the Agricultural residential district is to promote all types of development in the interior portions of the town in a manner that protects the rural character and promotes active farming operations.

Industrial wind development does neither.

Cape Vincent’s current comprehensive plan concerning the area where the industrial wind projects are proposed, clearly states the uses to be discourages are "Location of towers, prisons or utility facilities where there [sic] impact would have a negative impact on scenic vistas and tourism assets" while at the same time, the uses to be encouraged are " Agricultural development that has minimum impact on important resources such as scenic natural vistas, working landscapes and tourism assets.

In September of 2002, the Comprehensive plan was updated so the village and town could revise zoning codes in a coherent manner and so the municipalities were not following an outdated development model from 1983.
Cape Vincent's Comprehensive Plan Committee set five goals:
(1) Maintain the small-town quality of life that makes Cape Vincent a desirable place to live and raise a family.
(2)Further, develop the tourism industry by enticing more long-term vacationers and day visitors to the community.
3) Improve the opportunities for employment in the community.
(4)Revitalize the downtown area into a healthy retail center.
(5)Enhance housing opportunities for all residents and income groups.

There was concern that over development could be potential problem, but one that could be avoided. Chair of the committee Michael J. Bourcy, community development coordinator for the Jefferson County Department of Planning said the town and village need not worry about development as much as attracting growing businesses to the area.
~~~
The interpretation that the only legally defensible position is that Industrial wind turbines are not permitted under the comprehensive plan may not hold water.
Why we must develop a strong wind law.
A comprehensive management plan for a jurisdiction, such as a township or municipality, can be developed to serve as a guide to plan for future development, including prospects to develop wind energy. The subsequent zoning decisions must then be consistent with the municipality’s comprehensive management plan (Salkin and Donohue, 2005). Developing a comprehensive management plan to support zoning ordinances and community planning will help to identify and address community concerns about wind energy development early in the community planning process. Additionally, zoning ordinances specific to wind energy development may be developed in combination with or in lieu of a comprehensive plan for a jurisdiction.
However, although zoning ordinances can regulate development if adopted prior to project construction, even special zoning provisions may not necessarily entirely prevent wind energy development from occurring (Salkin and Donohue, 2005).

In some instances, other laws governing the zoning and use of private land may supersede the zoning ordinances pertaining specifically to wind energy development.

Agriculture operations in particular may be regulated under a specific agricultural law, which supersedes the zoning decisions that would ordinarily prohibit wind energy development in an area.
Many agricultural laws may have specific zoning codes promoting agricultural operations, including the construction of auxiliary wind energy facilities (Salkin and Donohue, 2005). For example, there are specific agricultural district laws in New York, which allow for wind energy development exploration and development, effectively superseding any local zoning ordinance, which may prohibit development (Salkin and Donohue, 2005).
In New York, zoning ordinances are superseded by the agricultural district law because it was determined that the zoning ordinance unreasonably restricted farm operations within the agricultural districts (Salkin and Donohue, 2005).

New York is also a state where high potential for wind energy development is observed in many areas statewide, as well as a state where wind farms have been and continue to be proposed on agricultural land.

In the end, the guiding principles laid down by a comprehensive plan and zoning law are meaningless if not respected and enforced by the representatives appointed and elected to t make decisions for the benefit of their constituents and community.

Link here to read Darrel Aubertine's Letter encouraging Board members to represent their special interests over those of the community at large.

Sources:
Wind Energy Development in the United States:Applying the Nuisance Argument to Address Impacts to Visual Values

Link here to read Cape Vincent Town Village ~ Comprehensive Plan 2003

link here to read Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law

Watertown Times archives

Industrial Wind under a Green Umbrella

2012-01-26T21:47:00.000-05:00

The political powers in our state and our nation have been pushing the development of Wind energy without bothering to examine the safety of Industrial Wind development.

Wind power has fallen under a Green umbrella of protection, mischaracterized as the perfect embodiment of green energy.

Wind power is unreliable, expensive and highly subsidized additionally, Industrial Wind energy development is not a benign process.

Emerging research shows that living in close proximity to turbines can cause very serious health problems. The Bruce McPherson Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Study released December 14, 2011 confirms that adverse Health Effects are produced by Large Industrial Wind Turbines.
The recent passing of the Power Act of New York may streamline the permitting process making it nothing more than just a routine formality. Our representatives have forgotten about the citizens that they were elected to serve. We have been cut out of the democratic process by aggressive wind development promoted by our Government.
The lure of subsidies, and tax incentives are attractive to foreign investors that descend upon communities tearing them apart pitting neighbor against neighbor destroying lives all for their bottom line.
The days of plausible deniability are over for our legislators they must be held accountable for their actions. The distorted perception that wind power is the panacea of all energy sources is rapidly eroding with widspread reports of health problems associated with living in close proximity to industrial wind turbines.
Green bay Wisconsin:
Aid for turbine victims sought
Saying the state allowed "irresponsible placement" of industrial wind turbines in the Glenmore area, the Brown County Human Services Committee has approved a measure to ask the state to pay emergency aid to families living near the Shirley Wind Farm.
January 26, 2012 by Doug Schneider in Green Bay Press-Gazette
Brown Co. panel: State should pay medical bills for those near wind farm
Wisconsin should pay the medical bills of Brown County residents who were made ill by industrial wind turbines, some county supervisors say.

Saying the state allowed "irresponsible placement" of industrial wind turbines in the Glenmore area, the Brown County Human Services Committee has approved a measure to ask the state to pay emergency aid to families living near the Shirley Wind Farm.

The request, which seeks an unspecified amount until the "hardships are studied and resolved," could come before the full County Board next month.

More here

Malkin:Obama's pals: the green robber barons

2012-01-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

By Michelle Malkin
Updated: 01/26/2012
Had enough of fat-cat Barack Obama, his jet-setting wife and his multimillionaire Chicago consigliere/real-estate mogul Valerie Jarrett attacking the "rich"?

Well, brace yourselves. You'll be hearing much more from the White House about the "wealthy few" who aren't paying their "fair share" as Obama's re-election campaign doubles down on class-war demagoguery.

As usual, there's always a set of immunity charms for the privileged friends and family of the ruling class. When it comes to all the Green Robber Barons who've reaped an obscenely unfair share of billions of tax dollars from the Obama administration, the envy trumpeteers will be quieter than a nest of mute church mice.

Obama's State of the Union address defiantly pitched a new round of clean energy spending orgies to help the "middle class." But how have the serial bankruptcies and near-bankruptcies of several federally subsidized solar companies -- all under Obama's watch -- helped anyone but an upper-crust elite of ecocrats and their lobbyists and consultants?

* Bankrupt Solyndra, billionaire George Kaiser. In the wake of the half-billion-dollar Solyndra stimulus bust, company officials revealed plans to hand out hefty bonuses totaling $500,000. Months before the politically connected solar energy manufacturer went belly up, it was doling out bonus payments of from $40,000 to $60,000 to several executives. Last week, a local CBS News crew caught employees at the Silicon Valley headquarters trashing solar panel glass tubes worth an estimated $10 million.

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/opinion/ci_19825459?source=rss#ixzz1kbKRNiyJ

NH Senate blocks eminent domain for Northern Pass

2012-01-26T15:29:00.000-05:00

By GARRETT BRNGER, The Associated Press
Posted Jan. 25, 2012,

CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Senate voted 23-1 to prohibit a 180-mile electrical power project from Canada into southern New Hampshire from using eminent domain to acquire private land.

After a series of amendments to a House-passed bill on the project, the Senate agreed on a version that would block the Northern Pass project from using eminent domain but would leave the door open for future transmission projects that provide needed power to the region. Senators also added protections for property owners and created a commission to develop policies for burying power lines.

The House-passed bill was borne from opponents’ fear that eminent domain would be used to take private land for Northern Pass. The project proposes to build 180 miles of power lines through the center of New Hampshire, including 40 miles through the scenic North Country.

More ...

Iberdrola Suspending New US Wind Farms Without Tax Credit

2012-01-26T08:26:00.000-05:00

Published January 25, 2012
Dow Jones Newswires

WASHINGTON – An arm of Spain's Iberdrola SA (IBDRY, IBE.MC) has suspended planning for new wind farms in the U.S., an executive said Wednesday, anticipating that Congress may not extend a popular tax credit for the industry.
Rich Glick, vice president of government affairs for Iberdrola Renewables, also predicted Wednesday that there would be "close to zero" megawatts of wind power built in the U.S. in 2013 if the credit isn't extended soon. "This is a really urgent situation," he told congressional staffers at a briefing here.
The statement came as lawmakers consider whether to extend the credit in coming weeks as part of a broader legislative deal to give payroll tax breaks to U.S. workers. If the wind provision isn't included in that bill, which is expected to be voted on next month, it might not be considered again until after the November elections, when Congress is next expected to take up tax issues.
Wind farms that are producing electricity by the end of this year can claim the credit, and industry observers say 2012 could be a record year for wind installations as developers race to complete projects before the deadline.
More here

Adverse Health Effects Produced By Large Industrial Wind Turbines Confirmed

2012-01-25T21:37:00.001-05:00

The Bruce McPherson Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Study
December 14, 2011
Stephen E. Ambrose, INCE (Brd. Cert.)
Robert W. Rand, INCE Member

This study was initiated by the concerns of a private citizen, Bruce McPherson who enjoyed the many quality of life benefits of living on Cape Cod. He was disappointed that there were no efforts being made by developers or government agencies, to determine the real cause for the many complaints from Falmouth residents living near three new industrial wind turbines. He knew that neighbors were constantly complaining to town officials about receiving excessive noise, adverse health effects and the loss of well-being. Thanks are given by so many for the generosity of Mr. McPherson, who initiated and funded this independent investigation.

This study was launched with the mission of identifying the presence or the lack of low frequency and infrasonic sound. Conducted in a home in Falmouth Massachusetts this study confirmed that Industrial wind Turbines cause adverse health effects .

Within 20 minutes of being in the study area, the researchers began experiencing the exact same adverse health symptoms as those described by people living near wind turbine sites, motion sickness, ear pressure, headache, nausea, dizziness and vertigo to name a few. Additionally ,these symptoms continued for some time after leaving the study area. It took about a week to recover from the adverse health effects that developed during the study, with lingering recurring nausea and vertigo for almost seven weeks for one of the investigators.

This research is more than just an assessment of the negative health effects experienced by the residents of Falmouth. The manifestation of these health impacts by the researchers confirms that industrial wind turbines can produce real discomfort and adverse health impacts.

Reportedly during numerous presentations, town officials and neighbors were assured by the applicants environmental engineers and scientist , that the proposed wind turbines would not cause an adverse public reaction or generate excessive noise impacts,
This study emphasizes the need for research to determine the health implications of living in close proximity to industrial wind turbines to protect the health and wellbeing of the public...

Additionally, this study re enforces the need for more effective and precautionary setback distances for industrial wind turbines.

Link to Rand Acoustics to read this important research work
~~~~~~~
There are currently three industrial wind turbines
(Vestas, model V82, 1.65 MW each) installed in Falmouth with two, municipally owned and operated, near the wastewater treatment facility.

Figure 1 shows the locations for the two municipal wind turbines; Wind 1, Wind 2, and further east, the private NOTUS wind turbine owned by Daniel H. Web band operated by NOTUS Clean Energy LLC, in the Falmouth Technology Park. All of the turbines are located east of Route 28, north of the Blacksmith Shop Road and south of Thomas B.Landers Road as shown on Figure 1.

Commercial operation of the Town of Falmouth's Wind 1 began March 23, 2010.
While Wind 2 is still waiting for startup. The NOTUS turbine also started operation in 2010. For reference, the study measurement locations were at two residential homes, shown as ML1 (indoors and outdoors) and ML2 (outdoors).

~~~~~~
Figure 1

The Austrailian News Reports

Danish wind industry heavyweight Vestas is certainly aware of the infrasound generated by its wind turbines and keen to ensure that any restrictions are minimal.

Last year, the company successfully lobbied the Danish government to weaken proposed infrasound restrictions, fearing they would hurt the company's business globally.

In a letter dated June 11, Vestas chief executive officer Ditlev Engel wrote to Danish environment minister Karen Ellemann claiming the proposed infrasound regulations would hit the company's three-megawatt turbines hardest.

Engel said it was "not technically possible" to meet the proposed infrasound limits of 20 decibels 24 hours a day.

What is missing is rigorous analysis of what impact, if any, infrasound from wind turbines has on human health. In the absence of proper research, testimony such as Rand's is dismissed by wind industry supporters and proponents as anecdotal.

Link here to read letter from Vestas to the Danish Environment Minister

Iberdrola Renewables announces layoffs

2012-01-25T21:33:00.001-05:00

Wind farm developer announces layoffs
Energy company Iberdrola Renewables cited multiple factors for a decision to scale back on new projects. That led directly to layoffs in engineering, construction and development. "The low energy prices and the regulatory uncertainty here in the U.S. are by far the biggest decision makers," says company spokeswoman Jan Johnson.
January 25, 2012 by Tom Banse in Oregon Public Broadcasting
One of the Northwest's biggest wind and solar power companies is laying off people. Tuesday, Iberdrola Renewables let go about 50 workers out of a nationwide staff of more than 900. The cuts affect 25 workers based at its North American headquarters in Portland. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Energy company Iberdrola Renewables cited multiple factors for a decision to scale back on new projects. That led directly to layoffs in engineering, construction and development.

"The low energy prices and the regulatory uncertainty here in the U.S. are by far the biggest decision makers," says company spokeswoman more

Revenge of the Birds?

2012-01-25T15:43:00.002-05:00

AWEA (American Wallet Emptying Association) spokesperson Gale Vientos recently reported an unprecedented incident at a wind farm in Montana. As a technician was setting up an anemometer (wind measuring equipment), a large bird swooped down and attacked the technician. Fortunately, the tech was not seriously injured.

Wlofe Island Ontario: Windstream pushes ahead despite moratorium

2012-01-25T07:54:00.001-05:00

Ontario: Windstream pushes ahead despite moratorium Jan 24, 2012

Why Windstream Energy believes it stands a chance of developing its 300 MW offshore Wolfe Island Shoals project in lake Ontario.

By Rikki Stancich

Canadian wind developer Windstream Energy’s decision to push ahead with a proposed 300MW offshore wind farm up to sixteen kilometers off the southwest shore of Wolfe Island, eastern Lake Ontario, sends a clear message to Ontario’s local authorities.

Windstream Energy is currently the only offshore wind developer in possession of an offshore wind power Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) contract in the Province of Ontario, which was awarded by the Ontario Power Authority in May 2010.

But when Ontario’s government unexpectedly placed an indefinite moratorium on all offshore wind power development in the Great Lakes last February, Windstream Energy’s project - along with many other developers’ - was left in limbo.

At the time, the government explained that more studies were needed before it could approve any offshore wind projects. Several months later, however, local government officials told developers: “There is no political appetite to deal with offshore wind, either before or after the election.”

The offshore wind moratorium has dealt a crippling financial blow to local developers, and has cost the province billions in foregone gross domestic product and tax revenues. A study published at the end of 2010, indicates that installing 10GW of offshore wind would create roughly 32,000 jobs, C$25bn in gross domestic product, C$50bn in capital investment and C$5bn in tax revenues.

More: From Offshore Wind

Obama touts Solyndra at State of the Union

2012-01-25T07:42:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Obama touts Solyndra at State of the Union
"You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy."

"And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy. A North Carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries. Or in the California business, that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels," President Obama said in his State of the Union address in 2010.

MORATORIUM MORATORIUM MORATORIUM

2012-01-24T21:43:00.001-05:00

July 9, 2009: The Town Council under the leadership of Thomas K Reinbeck introduced a sham moratorium to protect the Lake and River district, two districts never intended for wind power development. Town officials were asked if they would consider extending the moratorium to all parts of the town, including the areas that were slated for industrial wind development.
“The projects are too far along I don’t think It’s fair to the wind companies” Supervisor Reinbeck said. “We don’t want to suspend those. One is almost complete.”

August 04 2009: The Jefferson County Planning board sent a letter to Supervisor Reinbeck recommending a town wide moratorium, because Cape Vincent Town zoning law does not have a definition for wind generating facilities, and a town wide moratorium would allow time to refine and adopt specific land use regulations for wind generating facilities in all zoning districts.
[ JCPB letter here]
Reinbeck said that the Jefferson County Planning Department had stepped out of line in making their recommendation. Rather than addressing the content of the Jefferson County Planning Department’s letter Reinbeck questioned their authority and took issue with their letter being posted on this blog.
This letter was not a top-secret document; in fact, the Watertown Times had previously printed an article that mirrored the content of this letter. [link to WDT article here]

August 7, 2009: Save the River sent a letter to Supervisor Reinbeck, urging the Town to enact a moratorium throughout the entire town, for all projects currently under development and future projects for one full year. Rienbeck did not make the community of Cape Vincent aware of Save the River’s letter regarding their stand on this important issue.
[S.T.R. letter pg.1] ~ [S.T.R. Letter pg.2]

August 13, 2009: an 800-signature petition was presented to Supervisor Rienbeck and the Town Board ~ this petition supported a full wind development moratorium.[petition page,1]

A moratorium under Supervisor Reinbeck and the conflicted town board members was never addressed seriously. Perhaps they were fulfilling their wind lease loyalty clauses. Whatever the reason they never respected the will of the people they were elected to serve.
.
May 30, 2011: The results of the Cape Vincent ZOGBY poll clearly indicated that three out of five surveyed want the Cape Vincent Town Board to impose a moratorium on wind turbines.
In addition, (59%) said that they wanted the wind moratorium to allow time to amend the zoning law to address industrial and individual wind turbines. In accordance to the wishes of the community as indicated by the Zogby, poll [Zogby results here]

Jan 19, 2012: Following the will of the community.
Supervisor Hirschey proposed a resolution for seven-month moratorium on all aspects of wind to provide ample time to rework the zoning law.
February 7, 2012 : was set for a public hearing and special meeting with respect to the moratorium on wind generation facilities; a vote was taken on the resolution.

Supervisor Hirschey yes,
Brooks Bragdon yes,
Clif Schneider yes,
John Byrne yes
Miki Orvis no
Resolution number 10 passed

Link here to Steve Weed CVTB video

For those unable to attend the Feb.7 Special Meeting of the Town Board addressing a wind moratorium
~~~
Written comments will be accepted send your letter to town clerk Michelle Bouchard at Capevincentclerk@nnymail.com
Or
Michelle Bouchard
PO Box 915
Cape Vincent, NY 13618
Letter should specifically say that they want to be part of the official record.

VESTAS: WORRIED ABOUT REGULATION OF LOW-FREQUENCY NOISE

2012-01-23T21:20:00.002-05:00

Vestas writes a letter expressing concern over proposed limits for low frequency noise emitted from wind turbines WORRIED ABOUT REGULATION OF LOW-FREQUENCY NOISE

Author: Engel, Ditlev

Dear Karen Ellemann,*

Following previous correspondence, I am writing this letter to express my concern regarding the limits for low frequency noise from wind turbines now being proposed.

Back in January 2011 we applauded your announcement of the new regulations regarding low frequency noise and the fact that you also then emphasised that those regulations would not be tightened and that it was a question of improving the security in connection with the installation of wind turbines. Accordingly, the reaction from the industry branch back in January 2011 was positive, although as an industry we were uneasy about having heavier demands imposed on us than other industries.

When the new regulations were then published on 26.05.2011, we were of course convinced of your initial point of view. As a result, we were extremely surprised to find that the proposed new regulations do in fact include a significant and severe tightening of the previous noise regulations.

In fact, according to our analyses, the most economical turbines, the 3 MW category, are the ones that will be strongly affected by the new rules. This applies to open terrain in particular, where in future low frequency noise will dictate and increase the distance requirements to neighbours for close to half of the projects that we are already aware of over the next 2 to 3 years.

In a small country such as Denmark this means that a significant number of projects will not be viable as the increased distance requirements cannot be met whilst maintaining a satisfactory business outcome for the investor.

The Danish market for wind turbines is of minor importance for Vestas in terms of sales, typically less than 1% of our sales per year. However, the Danish market provides a number of other functions for Vestas which are of considerable value from a business point of view. By means of its high wind penetration, 24% in 2010 – still a world record – Denmark has a role as a forerunner country and a full scale laboratory for conversion to renewable energy.

This means that other countries often look to Denmark when adjusting their legislation regarding wind energy. We are therefore concerned – justifiably so as history shows – that the proposed Danish regulations for low frequency noise from wind turbines will spread to a large number of other markets with much higher commercial impact for Vestas and consequently for employment in the business.

The Danish wind turbine industry employs approx. 25,000 people in Denmark and boasts an export which is about 8.5% of total Danish exports. Such “over-proportional” presence has become possible because Denmark has been able to create the conditions for good correlation between demonstration, education and industry research and development. In reality we fear that the demonstration element will suffer irreparable damage as a result of the new regulations regarding low frequency noise. When combined with the imminent danger that important markets will copy the new Danish regulations, I consider the new regulations to be extremely damaging to the prospects of further popularisation of land-based wind energy.

At this point you may have asked yourself why it is that Vestas does not just make changes to the wind turbines so that they produce less noise? The simple answer is that at the moment it is not technically possible to do so, and it requires time and resources because presently we are at the forefront of what is technically possible for our large wind turbines, and they are the most efficient of all.

In the light of this it seems strange that the wind turbine industry is being discriminated against compared to other industries. All other industries are subject to differential noise requirements regarding low frequency noise for night and day (20, respectively 25 dB), whereas the wind turbine industry are subject to requirements of 20 dB 24 hours a day.

The proposed low frequency limit values may hinder the development of onshore wind in Denmark, including meeting our commitments in relation to the EEC. Ultimately, we consider there is a danger that the regulations will be copied by other countries and accordingly this will provide an obstacle to the popularisation of wind energy at a global level. Both issues will damage Vestas as a business, including affecting Danish activities.

Yours sincerely,
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
[Signature]
Ditlev Engel
Chief Executive Officer
Alsvej 21, DK-8940
Dir. +45 9730 0000, www.vestas. com

A copy of this letter was sent to Lykke Friis, Minister for Climate and Energy

*Karen Ellemann, Minister of Environment
Department of Environment
Højbro Plads 4
1200 Copenhagen K

Randers, 29 June 2011/erlgs

Translated from Danish by Bente H. Sorensen, Translationz.com.au

Majestic Wind Turbines

2012-01-23T21:19:00.002-05:00

COMMUNITY ~ UNITY

2012-01-22T22:51:00.001-05:00

Recently A resident of Cape Vincent approached me with concerns over the Cape Vincent Town Board passing a resolution authorizing a quarterly payment of 7,500 to the LDC to help them reach their development goals for our community.

This resident was concerned about the LDC assisting the Wood farm and the Mason farm to obtain grants. They took issue with Mason & Woods involvement with industrial wind development and they thought that the financial support of the LDC by the Town Board was counter to the direction that the board should be taking.

Our new town board represents all residents of our community even those that may not have voted for them. The grant for the Wood farm would assist them in building a large addition on one of their barns and the grant that Mason farm is applying for will update their milking process.

The Cape Vincent Local Development Corporation (CVLDC) is a not-for-profit public benefit organization in place to facilitate economic development in the Town and Village of Cape Vincent. Their Objectives are to protect and grow the tax base, provide opportunities to new investors for business development, preserve Cape Vincent’s historical value and provide for new job opportunities.
Helping the Wood farm and the Mason farm grow and remain profitable is a good thing for our community and for our country. The following is from the Richmond County Journal. What farmers provide to our nation is invaluable. They put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, provide excellent goods and raw materials for export, represent a significant part of the economy in every state in the Union. No nation can truly be free and secure unless it can provide for its own food, clothing, fuel and economic stability. Therefore, it is no exaggeration that farmers are vital to America’s maintaining its role as a world power.

Yet, all too often, family farmers are taken for granted. As we enjoy the many benefits of a productive agricultural sector, we should never forget the hard work, and the risk, and the investment, and the skill required to bring these products to market

The LDC is there to serve anyone that would like to keep or bring a business to CV. In addition, these two farms are a valuable asset to our community.

The crickets chirp no more…

2012-01-21T21:58:00.003-05:00

This sad little note came to me in an email . The hopelessness is haunting .

~~~~
My Life has been transformed seemingly overnight; misery and suffering have replaced the happiness and joy that were once part of my life.

Living with the quiet noise that comes under the cover of darkness, a pulsating reminder of another sleepless night, staring out my window at those hideous flashing red lights .

the thumping beat the never ending thump ,thump, thump...

The first time it happens, you think it is your heart beating, you think that you can hear your heart beating in your head, and then you realize it is something entirely different.

Resonating through your body, the indefinable the undeniable.

The night sky now shattered with red lights and the crickets chirp no more…

Turbine Weary

Industrial Wind Development Boom Poised to Bust in 2013

2012-01-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

A U.S. boom in wind farm projects is poised to bust in 2013 as tax breaks by President Barack Obama’s administration prompt developers to rush through construction of new sites this year, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

More than 9 gigawatts of turbines may be constructed by the close of 2012 when the Production Tax Credit ends, said Justin Wu, head of wind analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The U.S. Treasury Department’s cash grant, which expired on Dec. 31, also spurred financing for projects to be built this year.

While 2012 will be a “bumper” year, Hong Kong-based Wu said, “the U.S. wind market will likely crash in 2013 as uncertainty over the Production Tax Credit extension this year means that little development activity will take place.”

Congress faces pressure to extend the credit after Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS), the biggest turbine maker, said it would cut 1,600 U.S. jobs without the incentive. Companies such as Aarhus, Denmark-based Vestas and General Electric Co. (GE) rely on the credit to provide a buffer against narrowing margins from subsidy cuts in Europe, and Chinese rivals such as Sinovel Wind Group Co.

Worldwide, about 40 to 43 gigawatts may have been installed last year including offshore projects, a recovery from 2010, Wu said. The Chinese market will slow after this year, following expected 2011 installs of 20.66 gigawatts, he said.

The U.S. Production Tax Credit grants an incentive worth 2.2 cents a kilowatt-hour of wind power generated by projects.

Bloomberg Related By Sally Bakewell - Jan 20, 2012

Alan Wood Says...

2012-01-21T06:25:00.002-05:00

CAPE VINCENT — The town’s longtime zoning officer, who argued that he lost his job because of local politics, says he is disappointed by his “very unprofessional” treatment by the Town Council but holds “no hard feelings.”

“After 13 years of service to the town, 700 permits issued, and I didn’t even get an acknowledgment,” said Alan N. Wood, former chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals who became Cape Vincent’s zoning offer in 2004. “But no hard feelings; life is too short to worry about that stuff.”

“The zoning law is so gray; it’s unbelievable that I could even do my job. And the town board hasn’t given me any guidance for eight years,” he said. “You could put a nudie club in Rosiere if you wanted to.”
~~~~

Mr. Hirschey said the town board also thought Mr. Bender would better understand Cape Vincent’s newly revised zoning law because he serves on Cape Vincent’s zoning law revision committee.

“There’s going to be a lot of changes; let’s get a guy who can understand them,” he said.

~~~~~~

Ousted Cape Vincent zoning officer upset with “unprofessional treatment”By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012

Ontario Federation of Agriculture Calls on Government to Suspend Wind Turbine Development

2012-01-20T22:05:00.002-05:00

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture wants the provincial government to temporarily pull the plug on industrial wind turbine development until serious shortcomings with the program can be fixed.
Federation president Mark Wales says the developments are pitting rural residents against each other. In addition during the past few weeks, members have told federation representatives about health problems associated with the turbines, concerns over the loss of farmland, encumbrances on their properties and other issues.
link here to read the Story posted on Better farming
by SUSAN MANN

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture position statement on Industrial Wind Turbines
January, 2012
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) supports the intentions of the Green Energy Act. We agree that Ontario needs to secure affordable and renewable energy for its future while reducing green house gas emissions. We encourage efforts to replace imported power, facilitate conservation and stimulate economic development through our energy requirements.
However, the situation regarding Industrial Wind Turbines (IWT) has become untenable. The proliferation of wind turbines across rural Ontario has seriously polarized our rural communities. Residents not engaged in turbine developments have been pitted against neighbours, over concerns with health impacts and quality of life issues. IWT development currently preoccupies the rural agenda.
However, the expansion of Ontario’s dependence on wind turbines as a source of energy has been shown to be inefficient. Wind power is not dispatchable power. That means it is available only when the wind blows with it being highly unlikely this coincides with peak power usage at any time, let alone on a regular basis.
The Ontario Auditor General’s 2011 Annual Report highlighted this significant weakness in the developing green energy system. Data in the report indicates IWT operate at a power capacity factor of 28% but have only 11% availability at peak demand due to lower wind output during the summer months. The seasonal fluctuation ranged from <1% on summer days when power demand is high, to 94% on winter days during low demand periods. An inverse relationship was observed between daily average wind output and daily average power demand – an effect referred to as “surplus base-load generation.”
Although potentially economical as a peak power provider, wind generation is not presently capable of being such. Consequently, wind power is a costly means of generation as its output is most often sold at a loss on export markets. This cost to provincial customers comes with the significant externalities noted above.
In addition, technical concerns remain unaddressed with regards set-back issues, induced current and noise impacts.
The OFA believes that the amendments to the Planning Act made under the authority of the Green Energy Act are not having the desired effect of providing for good planning. Removal of municipal input into IWT projects has alienated the rural population and ignored competing community needs and policies.
It is not appropriate to take the decision role entirely outside the hands of municipalities. The use of site plan approval and site plan agreements under the Planning Act would enable agreement on final design and setbacks and provide a framework for the municipality to ensure appropriate treatment of matters such as road access, drainage, and proximity to property boundaries and natural heritage features. A balance between the province’s power requirements and local autonomy regarding land use must be struck.

As a result, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture respectfully and strongly recommends that the province of Ontario suspend the award of FIT contracts for industrial wind turbine development projects pending resolution of the following:
 Because IWT projects can have a significant and lasting impact on neighboring farm businesses with regards future expansion and succession planning, the Ontario government must enable an acceptable level of planning control for IWT at the municipal level.
 Prices paid for IWT power (and indeed, all renewable power) should not exceed the expected price of peak power imports six years in the future, to ensure a long term supply or reasonably priced power.
 The province must require IWT developments to secure the capacity to provide dispatchable power using battery or other such environmentally acceptable storage.
 Wind turbine developments must be required to use sufficiently gauged service lines and sufficiently high capacity transformers to eliminate current inducement in adjacent lines or buildings by IWT collection lines.
 Rural residents’ health and nuisance complaints must be immediately and fairly addressed.
 Because varying conditions and larger generating equipment can create exceptions to a maximum of 40 dba at a minimum setback of 550 meters for an IWT development the province must conduct a comprehensive analysis using local empirical data and international studies on adequate setback distances for IWT based on the technology employed.
 The regulation governing participating receptors must be amended to require the appropriate minimum setback, determined through analysis, for all IWT developments.
 To directly address the real issue of noise levels and to ensure that the 40 dba guideline is achieved across Ontario, the provincial government must develop and implement a protocol to measure noise from IWT developments, including continuous tone and low frequency noise and that measurement equipment and training be made available to municipalities.
OFA supports green energy but is working to ensure that green energy projects will respect concerns for noise, community involvement and price, balanced against the effective provision of power.

Link to OFA position statement on Industrial Wind Turbines

GOP chairman shelves Stop Online Piracy Act

2012-01-20T18:15:00.003-05:00

GOP chairman shelves Stop Online Piracy Act

By Brendan Sasso - 01/20/12
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) announced on Friday that he will postpone consideration of his Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) until there is wider agreement on the controversial legislation.

"I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy," Smith said. "It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products."

More from Hillicon Valley ~ The Hill's Technology Blog

Turbines How Close is TOO Close?

2012-01-20T08:18:00.001-05:00

Dr. Nina Pierpont recently posted a letter from a man describing his 15-month nightmare caused by six giant wind turbines that he cannot even see from his house. These Turbines are 7.1 miles away from his home as the crow flies. He describes all the classic symptoms of wind turbine syndrome lack of sleep, loss of energy, lack of concentration, He says the noise and not just the lack of sleep is driving him crazy.
~~~
He wrote that ~ he tried last month to go 10 miles away to try find some sleep at friends’ and I couldn’t: the noise, though a bit weaker there, was still around and I slept very badly. Badly enough to see one small hope of living normally from time to time—vanish.
After one year in the dark, I am beginning to think of other people like me around the world.
I am still in great danger, but the thought of others sharing the same nightmare as mine, well, helps, if I may say so.
~~~

This letter got my attention because Cape Vincent is in close proximity to the wind turbines on Wolfe Island, and I have not yet any heard any reports of negative health effects concerning the wind turbines In Cape Vincent.

It would be logical to assume that people may be affected and are just writing in off as something other than wind turbines. They may have considered that their problems are caused by wind turbines and felt that they did not want to be labeled a nut case, or they may be in denial having decided that this cannot be the case because of the distance the turbines are from Cape. There are many other reasons that may come into play as well. I have read that some people are more sensitive to the low frequency noise emitted by wind turbines but ,what is the distance that is necessary for turbines to be safe?

To read the letter to Dr. Pierpont link below

French writer going nuts from wind turbines( France)

Town Board Meeting Jan 19, 2012

2012-01-19T23:19:00.007-05:00

Tonight town board meeting began at 5 PM
Matt Cooper, of Bernier Carr discussed the current five water districts He presented the board with a map showing all the water districts and how they are connected and how district 6 and 7 will play into the picture he discussed the feasibility of the western portion of the town to connect to a water line

Once they construct the final district boundary they will be applying for funding.

The board they went into executive session to interview applicants for the positions of zoning enforcement officer and for the zoning board of appeals.
When they came out of executive session to start the board meeting, they explained that they had not completed the interview process and it would resume after the board meeting and prior to the approval of the vouchers, they would pass resolutions approving the decisions

Mike Bell spoke during the privilege of the floor, Mike Bell said that the last board was loyal to their benefactors, and the new board was elected because the of the issue over wind generating machines, and he said he hoped this board will have an allegiance and loyalty to the taxpayers.

Michael Docteur briefly spoke about his appointment to the finance rules committee, the health and human services committee. In addition, being named Jefferson County legislative representative to the JCIDA. Additionally, he mentioned the states rule change concerning not counting prisoners for the purposes of redistricting. However, he did say that he did not think it would have a great effect on district number one because one was somewhat on the high side for population count. The next topic of discussion was a shared services grant.

A Geographic information system shared services grant between Cape Vincent, Chaumont that would ultimately provide a website that contained maps of all water infrastructure all lines, and hydrants mapped to manage our water structure.

Bob Barnard spoke about the wind economic committee report and the results of the final report will be posted on the website all supporting documentation will be on file at the Town Offices for anybody that wishes to read it.
Michelle Bouchard spoke about the town website describing the features that are on the new town website.

Supervisor Hirschey mentioned his intent to propose a resolution for seven months moratorium on all aspects of wind explaining this should be ample time to rework the zoning law.
Additionally, they would be developing the comp plan.
A committee was being formed to update the comp plan. Cliff Schneider would be committee Chair other committee members include Brooks Bragdon, Richard McSherry Rockne Burns, Pam Young's from the village. Dennis Faulkinham ,Tom Brown, from the village and Greg Ingerson citizen a large from the town.
It was also mentioned that they would have room for a couple more people if anyone were interested.

Cliff Schneider explained that the comp plan tells you what the essence of the community is. They will be sitting down and looking at issues that were not addressed in the Comp plan of 2003, such as wind development hydrofracking and mining. Additionally,the comp plan and the zoning plan will be on a parallel path to completion, The zoning law will be adopted following the adoption of the comp plan.

The town board appointed Supervisor Hirschey as delegate for the NY State Association of town's annual meeting.

The board voted unanimously to terminate the Towns relationship with Whiteman Osterman and Hanna and to hire Shulman, Curtin, and Grundner.

Supervisor Hirschey proposed a resolution for seven months moratorium on all aspects of wind explaining this should be ample time to rework the zoning law. It was decided a resolution was passed resolution number 10 February 7, 2012 was set for a public hearing and special meeting with respect to the moratorium on wind generation facilities, a vote was taken on the resolution.

Supervisor Hirschey yes,
Brooks Bragdon yes,
Clif Schneider yes,
John Byrne yes
Miki Orvis no

The next topic of discussion was the Tri-City tourism initiative between Kingston Wolfe Island and Cape Vincent; they have been discussing how to improve tourism for our three communities. After the meeting, they went back into executive session.

And finished interviews
The choice for zoning enforcement officer is Ed Bender, Two people were chosen for the Zoning Board of Appeals Hester Chase and Edward Hludzenski, the vote was unanimous for the two ZBA positions.

The Vote for The zoning enforcement officer .

Hirschey yes,
Schneider yes,
Byrne yes,
Bragdon yes
Orvis no

Wind Development ,Cape Vincent "Please take the time to learn the whole story."

2012-01-18T23:55:00.005-05:00

Recently Beth White wrote a letter to the Watertown Daily Times titled
Wind power can support school funding promoting the financial benefits of wind energy. Her letter was an appeal to Assemblywoman Addie Russell asking her to support "an actual real solution" to the problem of Funding education by promoting development in a sustainable and responsible manner.
Additionally,Mrs. White wrote in her letter to Russell. “ Please take the time to learn the whole story."

Mrs. White is correct Assemblywoman Russell should take the time to learn the whole story. Wind energy is expensive inefficient and unreliable, turbines kill thousands of birds & birds .
That is not the whole story, as we know it.

Beth White is a wind spokesperson bought and paid for by British Petroleum she is also a wind contract holder, and a founding member of Voters for Wind, a sham organization started in 2007 by British Petroleum to promote their wind agenda under the guise of a grassroots community effort.

As a voter for wind Mrs. White has been quite involved in the wind developments in Cape Vincent/ Lyme she was appointed to a wind law committee, created to produce a zoning amendment that would protect the health and welfare of the citizens of Cape Vincent. With regard to the wind farms in our community .

Mrs. White’s personal financial stake in the Cape Vincent wind projects became blatantly obvious at the final wind committee meeting held May 1, 2010, when White passed out a wind economic proposal, Mrs. White claimed that this proposal was of her own making however, as it turned out that was not the case, BP’s project manager Jim Madden sent the same figures in a letter dated May 5, 2010 to the town planning board.

Maddens letter clearly demonstrated how protective noise restrictions would negatively influence project size and diminish the economic benefits to all taxing jurisdictions. He also stated that a noise restriction of 42 dBA would effectively kill their project.
Prior to this point, the committee had been debating restrictions 32 to 42 dBA. Madden's analysis was obviously given to White, she did not make the calculations herself and she misrepresented the origin of her figures to the committee.
White had taken BPs recommendations 45 and 50 DBA and derailed all the previous work of the committee and the earlier sound presentation of Bill Elliott.

Additionally,White had the support from the conflicted members of the wind committee Donny and Marty Mason as well as Tom Reinbeck and Mickey Orvis.

Some members of the committee were concerned with the White/BP proposal because it negated the previous long hours of work done by the committee. It represented an industry proposal, completely devoid of scientific data and oriented solely towards economic benefit.

A discussion ensued between committee members concerning PILOTS, MONEY, NOISE STANDARDS, HOW TO MEASURE AMBIENT.
Richard MacSherry stated that the Town's potential was not going to be as great as he had imagined earlier and would probably only be 12- 15%. To adjust our lives considerably without much to gain, that makes a difference to me.

Mickey Orvis wanted to move ahead with the White/BP proposed wind law.
Andy Binsley suggested averaging the sound levels 37 and 32 and adding 6 . Binsley certain that a common agreement could not be reached suggested that they just quit .
Brooks Bragdon thought that Tocci’s data deserved respect, but Mason , Mason and
Reinbeck did not agree.

The idea of a compromise was suggested to White by a committee member

She refused to budge saying “enough compromises had been made.” “When I suggested this proposal that's what it is. “ “When you reduce from 50 dBA you’re reducing economic benefit and it is a substantial amount of money.”

White and her conflicted supporters completely dominated the meeting turning it away from one of constructing a law to protect the community and taking it to the lowest common detonator (money ). Pushing to adopt BP's proposal using the least restrictive noise constraints.
At the preceding meeting of the wind committee in February, Edsall and all other PB members as well as Rienbeck had all supported the revised noise restriction, e.g. 6 dBA above background sound.
Town board member Donny Mason became so excited by Beth White's proposal that he made a motion to “get it done today.”
Donny Mason said the reason he was in favor of the White/BP proposal was because if setbacks were too restrictive turbines would be eliminated “ I wasn't for losing a lot of turbines.”

When Supervisor Hirschey said -so you are making your recommendation based on monetary?
Mason replied - Yes, but stated that he had been upfront from day one.
Hirschey continued-- I hate to think our decisions are based solely on monetary issues.
M.Mason - What isn't nowadays?
Hirschey - Well there is a quality of life to consider...
D. Mason explained that - the money from the turbines would improve the quality of his life.

Gebo asked Donny Mason if he was suggesting that the sound analysis and how to determine ambient, and collect data, would come out of the proposed law, as well as the a section on compliance.
D.Mason - Yeah, it doesn't need to be in there with what I've got proposed there.
Gebo - So you are suggesting we don't need any methodology at all we just have the number?
D. Mason -yup
By the time, Donny’s resolution was put to a vote, Reinbeck and Orvis were missing in action having left the meeting because they had other things to do.

Donny desperate to approve the White/BP proposal asked if Mickey could vote even though he was not there.
~~~~
This marked the end of the 2010 wind committee's attempt to provide a draft wind law.
Although, conflicted town board members did not pursue adoption of BP's 50 dBA noise limit,Collectively, the conflicted members, the leaseholder representative and wind project Supporters killed this attempt at adopting a zoning law designed to protect non-participating Landowners. Their actions also demonstrated the futility of including officials with contracts moreover, other officials who have openly supported wind development in a process designed to afford protection to citizens whose property will be in close proximity to wind development. The efforts in this session were to open the door as wide as possible for wind development in Cape Vincent at the expense of protecting many residents.

Wind committee members Meeting Facilitator
Attorney mark Gebo ,
Supervisor Urban Hirschey , Dick Edsall, Richard Macsherry Beth White ,Mickey Orvis , Tom Reinbeck, Marty Mason ,Donny Mason ,Brooks Bragdon ,Andy Binsley

DOE will Waive Buy American Requirements on Some Renewable Energy Projects funded by the EERE

2012-01-18T11:59:00.006-05:00

The Department of Energy announced December 29 that it will waive Buy American requirements contained in the Recovery Act for a number of products after determining an insufficient quantity of the goods nationally.

Federal Register/volume. 76, No. 250/Thursday, December 29, 2011. Notices.

US Department of Energy is hereby granting a nationwide limited waiver of the by American requirement of section 1605 of the recovery act under the authority of section 1605(iron, steel, and the relevant manufactured goods are not produced in the United states in the nation and reasonably available, quantities, and other satisfactory quality) with respect to recovery act projects funded by the office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Under the authority of the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009 (recovery act), public law 111 – five, section 1605(B)(2), the head of the federal department or agency may issue a "determination of the applicability"(a waiver of the by American provision) if the iron, steel, or relevant manufactured good is not produced or manufactured in the United States, in sufficient and reasonably available, quantities, and of a satisfactory quality(" non-availability"). The authority of the secretary of energy to make all in applicability determinations was re- delegated to the assistant secretary

Link here to read DOE notice

Wind Power limited by lack of power lines .What about Jefferson County?

2012-01-18T07:45:00.006-05:00

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — North Dakota is expected add hundreds of megawatts of wind energy this year, while development has slowed to a near stop in South Dakota. The difference seems to be the availability of high-voltage power lines to ship the power to cities that need it.

South Dakota has more than 30,000 megawatts of proposed wind energy projects in the queue, according to the American Wind Energy Association, but a state association director said he's received no indication from developers that they're ready to start building new wind farms. More...

Is there enough Grid capacity in our area?

Is there enough Grid capacity and infrastructure to handle all the projects planned for Jefferson County NY?

In early August of 2005, Acciona's project developer Todd Hopper said that Acciona (NY Wind) was considering installing 1.5-megawatt wind turbines in the town near the shore.
May 14, 2006~Mr. Hopper said ~ The Company was hampered more by the transmission lines 130-megawatt capacity.

Has the grid system in Jefferson County changed?

The Projects Proposed for Jefferson County

Acciona ~ St. Lawrence wind ~ 76.5 MW
Bp ~ Cape Vincent wind ~ 210 MW
Iberdrola Horse Creek ~ 100 MW
Upstate NY Power ~ Galloo with 252
For a total of 638.5 MW

Even if you subtract the 252 MW from the Galloo Island the remaining projects add up to a total of 386.5 MW more than double the 130 MW capacity of the Jefferson County Grid system.

Link here
Wind Projects in NY State listed by County

The Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law Committee

2012-01-17T17:14:00.001-05:00

The Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law Committee met today at 1:30 at Rec Park. They are moving forward with their work. Today’s session was spent reviewing comments from County planner Michael Bourcy and planning Board member Butch Cullen.

Additionally, the focus was on editing the language of the draft zoning law to best represent its intent.

The public is encouraged to attend these meetings. There is no discussion with the public or privilege of the floor at these meetings, however there is a form available that can be filled out to make your questions and concerns known to the committee. After the committee finishes their work, the document will be reviewed by Attorney Paul Curtin then it will go back to the Town and to Jefferson County Planning for review and then the committee will release the document, it will be open for public review and discussion.

~~~~
Committee members present
Chairman~ Bob Brown
Town Board ~ Clif Schneider
Planning Board ~ Richard Macsherry
Zoning Board of Appeals rep ~ Ed Bender
Community precipitants Deb Suller, Bill Desouza, and Paul Docteur

Secretary: Kathleen Pierce
~~~~

Cape Vincent Zoning Law committee
Comment Sheet

Could Laura Israel’s New Film ‘Windfall’ Damage Wind Energy’s Reputation?

2012-01-16T23:54:00.002-05:00

The film, which was an official selection at the Toronto Film Festival, shows both the pros and cons of living with turbines - from the noise to the positive environmental impact. However, what it highlights most is how the technology bitterly divides a community.
January 12, 2012 by Timon Singh in Inhabitat
We all know the impact of documentary films: Super Size Me changed how many people looked at McDonald's, The End of the Line warned of the threat of overfishing, and Grizzly Man taught us that wild grizzly bears are not to be messed with. Now a new film from Laura Israel is set to shine some light on what happens to a community when they bring wind turbines into their town.

To quote Windfall‘s official synopsis: "Wind power... it's sustainable ... it burns no fossil fuels...it produces no air pollution. What's more, it cuts down dependency on foreign oil. That's what the people of Meredith, in upstate New York first thought when a wind developer looked to supplement the rural farm town’s failing economy with a farm of their own — that of 40 industrial wind turbines.”

“Windfall documents how this proposal divides Meredith’s residents as they fight over the future of their community.

Read more: Could Laura Israel's New Film 'Windfall' Damage Wind Energy's Reputation? Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Acciona SA downgraded Below Average

2012-01-16T17:07:00.008-05:00

SADIF Analytics downgraded Acciona SA to Below Average

2012-01-02 13:55:25 - SADIF-Investment Analytics has applied its StockMarks™ stock-rating system to Acciona SA and produced a Rating Update Report, rating the company's attractiveness to long-term investors.
Acciona SA has weak business growth and is run by efficient management.

More...

~~~~~~~
European broker round-up
Tue 10 Jan 2012

LONDON (SHARECAST) - Acciona: Barclays downgrades to UNDERWEIGHT from neutral; Bank of America Merrill Lynch also downgrades its recommendation to UNDERWEIGHT from neutral.

more...

Map of today's Visitors

2012-01-16T14:09:00.004-05:00

Here is a map of today's visitors ~ Main Keyword activity of the Day

ACCIONA CORRUPTION

Tax dollars backing some "risky" energy projects

2012-01-16T09:49:00.003-05:00

By Sharyl Attkisson.

CBS News reports
"It's been four months since the FBI raided bankrupt Solyndra. It received a half-billion in tax dollars and became a political lightning rod, with Republicans claiming it was a politically motivated investment.

CBS News 12 clean energy companies that are having trouble after collectively being approved for more than $6.5 billion in federal assistance. Five have filed for bankruptcy: The junk bond-rated Beacon, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt, AES' subsidiary Eastern Energy and Solyndra.

Others are also struggling with potential problems. Nevada Geothermal -- a home state project personally endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- warns of multiple potential defaults in new SEC filings reviewed by CBS News. It was already having trouble paying the bills when it received $98.5 million in Energy Department loan guarantees."

link here to read complete CBS news story

Spain’s 18,000 wind turbines may be killing 6 to 18 million birds and bats yearly

2012-01-15T22:26:00.003-05:00

This story published in the Canada Free press reports that a shockingly high number of bird deaths can be attributed to wind turbines in Spain.

Additionally this report highlights the point that the developers give the contracts to consultants who come in with the lowest dead bird & bat counts .The story also points out that some wind development employees may be concealing the Bird and Bat corpses .
~~~~~~~~~~~
On 12 January 2012, at the First Scientific Congress on Wind Energy and Wildlife Conservation in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, the Spanish Society of Ornithology (SEO/Birdlife) made public its estimate that, yearly, Spain’s 18,000 wind turbines may be killing 6 to 18 million birds and bats The average per turbine comes down to 333 – 1,000 deaths annually, which is a far cry from the 2 – 4 birds claimed by the American wind industry, or the 400,000 birds a year estimated by the American Bird Conservancy for the whole United States, which has about twice as many turbines as Spain.

Bats are included in the Birdlife estimate, comments Mark Duchamp, president of Save the Eagles International (STEI). “Therefore, supposing for example that wind farms would kill twice as many bats as they do birds, the figures would be: 111 - 333 birds per turbine per year, and 222 – 666 bats per turbine/year. The mortality figures that were recorded in Germany and Sweden in the early nineties are not unusual after all”, he notes. Quoting from a California Energy Commission study: “In a summary of avian impacts at wind turbines by Benner et al. (1993) bird deaths per turbine per year were as high as 309 in Germany and 895 in Sweden.”

Duchamp has always maintained that earlier studies, made when bird mortality at windfarms wasn’t such a hot potato, were more credible than recent ones. “It is a curious business where those consultants who find or predict the lowest mortality land all the contracts. This is what is being asked of them, and this is what they do.

This unethical conduct has already condemned the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle to extinction and more recently the Golden Eagle in the United States . Another factor is the occultation of carcasses by windfarm employees,( To conceal or cause to disappear from view.)
as may be seen in the SEO/Birdlife report.”
~~~~~~~

The SEO/ Bird life report is available at this link however it is in Spanish the
translation of excerpt referred to in this article is below
~~~~
In any case must be taken with caution as
foregoing as the magnitude of the problem suggests
be much higher than detected. The underestimation of the threat
may be due to the following factors:
1) There are few published follow-up studies. It
There is a general lack of transparency in
companies and public administrations. A greater number
studies could change the patterns detected.
2) It has been shown concealment of corpses
by workers of the wind farms, such
After thinking that their jobs depend on
birds that die in the park, reducing the
mortality rate obtained in the monitoring plans

Link here to read the rest of the story

Canada Liberals elect Mike Crawley as new party president

2012-01-15T16:13:00.009-05:00

This is my visitors map for today .
The most popular key word activity for today was Mike Crawley.

Liberal’s elect Mike Crawley as new party president
Postmedia News Jan 15, 2012 –

OTTAWA — Federal Liberals have selected Mike Crawley, the former head of the party’s Ontario wing, to be their new national president.

Crawley, a private businessman who started his own renewable power generation company, defeated three other contenders at the party’s biennial convention, including former cabinet minister Sheila Copps, who was considered the favourite.

The second-highest position in the party after the leader, the president’s duties are onerous and include overseeing party organization, fundraising, expanding membership and liaising with local riding associations. Given the state the Liberal Party is in, the stakes are considered higher than ever as a poor choice could threaten the party’s ability to compete and succeed — or even its existence. More Here

The post on my blog that has garnered so much attention today is a letter to Mike Crawley from Dr. Nina Pierpont link here to read a transcript of Dr. Pierpont's letter.

If at first you don't succeed lie,lie,again

2012-01-14T22:36:00.009-05:00

At the second Wind Committee Workshop February 2010, Mr. Elliot from Cavanaugh Tocci Associates told members of Cape Vincent's Town Council, Planning Board and Wind Committee that the sound study results produced by Acciona's consultant, Hessler did not statistically support the correlation between wind speed and noise. To get a stronger correlation, the wind speed and noise levels would have to be taken at the same location.

Additionally, Tocci and Associates were not the only acoustical experts to question Hessler’s findings. Paul D. Schomer of Schomer & Associates Inc. questioned Hessler’s methodology as well.

As a result of the presentation given to the Wind committee in Feb 2010 , By Bill Elliot of Cavanaugh Tocci, Acciona Energia made arrangements for Hessler Associates to give a presentation to the planning board outlining “critical issues” and methodologies for assessing sound impacts. Acciona felt this was necessary because, in their words," assessing sound impacts from wind turbines can be a difficult task given some variability of opinion.”

David M. Hessler of Hessler Associates defended his noise analysis explaining to members of the board, Town Council and Wind Committee how the noise analysis was done.
"The source of the sound is a function of the environment -- turbines are not running all of the time," he said. "The background sound level needs to take that into account somehow."

Hessler reported an average of 44 decibels during the summer and 37 decibels during the winter when the wind is blowing.
However, Schomer found the noise levels averaged at 30 decibels, with the quietest nighttime hours at 20 decibels and the entire night at 25 decibels.
"Using an inaccurate, elevated A-weighted ambient level ... allows wind developers to place wind turbines much closer to nonparticipating residents," Schomer's report said.

The difference is because Hessler chose noisy sites during the noisiest times of year and noisiest positions at each measurement site, the Schomer report said.

"There aren't any homes inside a 42-decibel boundary," Mr. Hessler said in describing a map with isobars showing the sound levels. "That's very unusual. We've done 30 projects in New York state and only one other complied with the DEC guideline."
Additionally, David Hessler said Mr. Schomer took back his criticism after the winter study was released. Mr. Hessler said the summer measurements, which had rampant insect noise, were thrown out for planning purposes.

However, Mr. Hessler’s statement about Mr. Schomer taking back his criticism is anything but the truth.

Paul Schomer and Associates sent the following letter to Cape Vincent Town Supervisor Urban Hirschey in response to the April 14, 2010 sound presentation, given at recreation park, by Hessler and associates .

Sources:
Transcript and Video recordings of Hessler presentation 4/14/2010

Transcript and Video recordings of Bill Elliot sound presentation 2/6/1010

FOILED correspondence

Watertown Daily Times archives

Canadian Senate calls for moratorium on some turbines due to bird kills

2012-01-14T10:28:00.004-05:00

OTTAWA – January 13, 2012 The Senate of Canada recently unanimously backed a motion by Senator Bob Runciman calling on Ontario to institute a moratorium on wind-farm development along eastern Lake Ontario until the impact on birds and bats can be studied.
Runciman noted the region from the eastern tip of Wolfe Island to the western end of Prince Edward County is a crucial route for migratory birds and bats.He is concerned about plans for wind energy projects on Amherst Island west of Kingston and at Ostrander Point in Prince Edward County, both of which would be located in internationally-recognized important bird areas.Both projects were in the final stages of approval by the Ontario government.

“Much of my concern flows from the bird and bat kill rates experienced with the development of the wind farm on Wolfe Island, east of the two proposed projects and also in a designated important bird area,” Runciman said, noting that Nature Canada officials stated Wolfe Island has a kill rate for birds and bats seven times the industry average in Canada primarily because it is located in the wrong spot.
More from The Wellington Advertiser here

Additionally, the Eastern southern shore of Lake Ontario and the eastern shore of Lake Erie, these are documented and well recognized migratory bird pathways, which are important within Eastern North America on a regional scale, particularly During spring migration as birds move North this is an important bird area . The DEC also noted that the habitat within a half mile of the shoreline along Lake Ontario held higher numbers and diversity of migrant birds than several miles inland.

Acciona Energia & Bp Renewables are in the process of developing two giant wind projects in Cape Vincent NY . Cape Vincent is within 2 miles of the shores of Wolfe Island Ontario. The project on Wolfe Island has been operational since April of 2009 and avian and bat mortality rates have been available since May of 2010.
However , Acciona and Bp have chosen to use data from Maple Ridge Wind farm some 40 miles away to calculate projected avian and bat mortality rates.

Cape Vincent 2010 Wind Law Committee Meeting # 2

2012-01-13T23:08:00.011-05:00

The second wind law committee workshop held Feb 6, 2010

At the second wind committee workshop February 6, 2010, Bill Elliot of Cavanaugh Tocci gave a presentation about understanding what sound is and how it is perceived .
Additionally he explained that the methods Hessler , Acciona’s consultant was using to evaluate the turbine noise was problematic and would result in inaccurate results. Mr Elliot explained that Hessler uses a Regression analysis, the averaging of individual sound level positions to predict typical background sound .

The regression line method approximates typical conditions averaging together sound levels for all locations. This method results in levels at quieter locations exceeding NYSDEC recommended margins of 5dba (for a total post construction sound level 6dba higher than the pre- existing ambient ) nearly all the time , while at nosier locations sound levels will be compliant. Using the regression line method to predict noise - 50% of the time, it will over predict and 50% of the time it will under predict the sound levels.
Additionally, Kris Dimmick of Bernier Carr, added - We had concerns with Hessler's predictions when he said their predictions were anywhere from 1/2 as much to 2X as much as their prediction.
~~~~~~
Note: Cavanaugh Tocci Associates (CTA) has been firm in their criticism of using regression analysis to predict average background sound. Although the PB's attorney worked diligently to change CTA's critique, they remained firm up to this point in their contention that wind speed should not be a factor in the estimation of background sound levels.
Additionally Mr.Elliot said that they recommend ignoring wind speeds. If you use wind speed at met towers how does it relate to sound locations if its miles away and at different heights.

What was remarkable is that the members of the PB and members of this wind Committee who had both direct conflicts of interest (monetary compensation) and a bias toward the financial incentives, all viewed the recommendations of the town's consultant as just another competing viewpoint from an acoustic consultant, whose recommendation they all realized could reduce the number of turbines. There was never the feeling that PB members should rely on CTA's recommendations principally because they were hired to advise the PB. They always viewed them as an equivalent, the low-ball estimate. Their conflicts and bias toward the wind, projects undoubtedly fostered their view.

This workshop resulted in a decision concerning sound and setbacks for wind turbine zoning.
The decided requirements for turbines ~ that they be placed no closer than 2,500 feet south of Route 12E between the village and Clayton, and east from County Route 6; and no closer than 3,000 feet from the village boundaries .The turbines would not be allowed to raise the sound levels more than 8 decibels above the background noise at non-participating residents' property lines.
Eight of the 10 members of the Town Council, Planning Board and wind committee present agreed on the requirements. But the dissenters, Supervisor Urban C. Hirschey and Councilman Brooks J. Bragdon, viewed the sound requirement as not protective enough.
~~~~~
Beth A. White, a proponent of wind power in the town who served on the wind committee, said, "We carefully discussed each of these setbacks as a committee last year. I just think we already have enough restriction."

Article 10~ Working draft

2012-01-13T14:07:00.002-05:00

There is a link to this document on the right side of this blog ~
no down loading required

Working Draft of Article 10 Regulations
For Stakeholder Review and Comment
(NYSDPS, Dated: January 13, 2012)

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment
Enacted Article 10 Statute:

On August 4, 2011, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law Chapter 388 of the Laws of 2011 that enacts Article 10 of the Public Service Law. The primary purpose of Article 10 is to provide for the siting review of new and repowered or modified Major Electric Generating Facilities in New York State by the Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) in a unified proceeding instead of requiring a developer or owner of such a facility to apply for numerous state and local permits. A previous version of such a law expired on January 1, 2003. Key provisions of the law include:
1. Defines a major electric generating facility as facilities of 25 megawatts or more;
2. Requires environmental and public health impact analysis, studies regarding environmental justice and public safety, and consideration of local laws;
3. Directs applicants to provide funding for both the pre-application and application phases. It allows funding to be used to help intervenors (affected municipalities and other parties) hire experts to participate in the review of the application and for legal fees (but not for judicial challenges);
4. Requires a utility security plan reviewed by Homeland Security and, for New York City (NYC) plants, NYC's emergency management office;
5. Provides for appointment of ad hoc public members of the Siting Board from the municipality where the facility is proposed to be sited; and,
6. Requires a public information coordinator within the Department of Public Service (Department) to "assist and advise interested parties and members of the public" in participating in the siting process.
Chapter 388 of the Laws of 2011 can be accessed via the link below:
CHAPTER 388
Other useful information on the enacted Article 10 statute: Peter McGowan, General Counsel, Department of Public Service, Presentation at ACE NY Conference

The working draft of the Article 10 Regulations is now posted to our
website and may be accessed by clicking to the link below or by visiting
the Commission's website at http://www.dps.state.ny.us/ In addition the
electronic version of the document is attached below.

http://www3.dps.ny.gov/W/PSCWeb.nsf/All/64C8A03C408086EB85257687006F3ABE?OpenDocument

It's all about the wind issue ~ Live at five Pod cast

2012-01-13T07:35:00.007-05:00

Live At Five with Glenn Curry on AM1240

Glenn Curry's live at five
It's all about the wind issue . Once again, Glenn invited Rob Aliasso, Hester Chase, and Brooks Bragdon to the studio to discuss the latest on the windmill farms proposed for the Golden Crescent region. The main point today, was all about 'Article 10', a new mandate created by Governor Cuomo to override local law makers when it comes to energy-related projects.

2010 ~ Wind Law Committee Meeting # 1

2012-01-12T23:17:00.004-05:00

WIND COMMITTEE
Meeting number one
Jan 30 2010

Committee members

Richard McSherry, Urban Hirschey, Andy Binsley, Donny Mason ,Brooks Bragdon, Tom Rhinebeck, Richard Edsall, Beth white ,Marty Mason ,Mickey Orvis.

Meeting facilitator
Town Attorney Mark Gebo
~~~
Highlights of meeting

Rienbeck indicated the last version of the wind committee's draft law was August 2009, yet that copy was unavailable in 2010 to the new supervisor or to the town's engineering consultant, Kris Dimmick. However, during a wind committee meeting, Rienbeck offered a personal copy to the town's attorney Mark Gebo, the meetings facilitator.

OVERALL DISCUSSION OF THE DRAFT WIND LAW

2010/01/30
Kris Dimmick Municipal engineer, with Beriner & Carr opened a conversation comparing the DEC noise guidelines to the recommendations of the town’s consultant Cavanaugh Tocci.
Attorney Gebo – asked the committee which version do you want to go with? The Original Committee preferred Tocci and the engineer's recommendations to current DEC policy.
However, Donny Mason’s words may well reflect the opinion of the other members of the committee
“ If DEC is good for a factory it's good enough for us.” Mason said.

A discussion ensued and it was decided to leave sound regulations and setbacks for another meeting.
However, the committee did agree on a noise complaint process.

The Complaint process follows Cape Vincent Local Law 2-10-10.
Gebo stated, "After the investigation, if the Town reasonably concludes that operational violation of any applicable permit conditions or modeled sound levels are shown to be caused by the Wind Energy Facility, the licensee/operator/owner shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate such problems. These reasonable efforts include such measures as temporary cessation of operation." Item 7 in the complaint plan states "If the operator of the Wind Energy Facility does not mitigate such problems they will be subject to enforcement penalties in the Town Zoning Law."

Gebo asked if anyone on the committee had any problems with the language in this section. No one on the committee had any problems with the language in the complaint process.
This complaint resolution plan was approved by the same board members that approved Acciona's FEIS in September 2010, (Edsall, Rienbeck, Binsley and Mingle )

In Acciona’s FEIS complaint plan, some of the initial points are identical to the same
Components of this 1/30/2010 version. There is uncertainty where the framework for this plan
Had its origin, whether in law or in wind industry policy. However, at the end of each plan there is wide divergence in their respective provisions. Two sections of this plan quoted above are not in Acciona's version. There is no language in the approved FEIS complaint plan that refers to cessation of operation nor is there any reference to them being subject to the enforcement penalties in the town zoning law.<

Acciona's version, instead, sets up a complaint group comprised of three people , a town official, and an Acciona representative and a third party, which has to be approved by Acciona. This version of a complaint resolution plan is much more Developer-friendly.

The complaint plan in the FEIS takes on a more important role than otherwise because Acciona was unwilling to conform to the recommendation of the town's acoustic consultant. At one point Tocci suggested that Acciona better have a good complaint plan because they can expect lots of complaints. Acciona went on to suggest the complaint plan will be the solution to the unresolvable differences between Cavanaugh Tocci and Acciona/Hessler.

New fuel for coal vs. natural gas debate

2012-01-12T11:45:00.002-05:00

Natural Gas Versus Coal.
By Steve Mocarsky
The Times Leader
Excerpts:
A research group based at Wilkes University recently revised its position on whether burning coal or natural gas has a worse impact on the environment and global warming.
Based on several new studies, the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research of Northeastern Pennsylvania concluded that, contrary to findings in an April study by researchers at Cornell University, natural gas produced from Marcellus Shale wells has a lower greenhouse footprint than coal.
Wilkes University ~ professor Kenneth Klemow
“The main message is that seven independent studies now agree that shale gas has a lower greenhouse footprint than coal. That conclusion largely contradicts the findings by a team of researchers at Cornell who published a paper last April that argued shale gas has a higher footprint than coal due to inadvertent releases of methane at gas wells,” Klemow said. More at this link

Breaking Up is hard to do

2012-01-12T08:53:00.001-05:00

At last night's Planning Board meeting, a resolution was passed to make a reccomendation to the Cape Vincent Town board that the the town of Cape Vincent sever all ties with the law firm Whiteman Osterman and Hanna .
During the discussion, concerning this resolution- Planning Board Chair Richard McSherry mentioned that there was no signature on the contract initiating the relationship between the town of Cape Vincent and Whiteman Osterman and Hanna.

The relationship between Whiteman Osterman, Hanna, and the Town of Cape Vincent officially
began in NOVEMBER of 2006, Cape Vincent planning Board Chair Richard Edsall told the Watertown Times, “we have the right to outside professional expertise, and we intend to use it.”
The Law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna (WO&H) has been providing their "professional expertise" to the Town of Cape Vincent ever since that time, assisting with the wind development site plan process.
Payment for the "professional expertise" of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna was arranged through two escrow accounts set up by the Town of Cape Vincent, Acciona and British petroleum. All expenditures from these escrow accounts are dependent upon approval By Acciona $ British Petroleum.

Additionally, July 8, 2008, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna rendered a developer friendly legal opinion about the Cape Vincent board members conflicts of interests.
However, there is no copy of this opinion on file with the Town of Cape Vincent and an invoice for this legal opinion does not exist.

If the Town of Cape Vincent commissioned this legal opinion, there should be a copy on file and an invoice for services rendered, but neither exists. Why isn’t there a copy on file? Did someone other than the Town of Cape Vincent commission this legal opinion? Did the developers commission this legal opinion?

In the legal opinion, Whiteman Osterman and Hanna wrote that for the Town Board, there appears to be no prohibited conflict of interest and the full town board may deliberate and vote concerning a draft law of general applicability to regulate wind projects in the town.

The Whiteman Osterman and Hanna opinion states that the law would affect all proposed and future wind development projects making it a law of general applicability.

Additionally, Michael Sterthous of Whiteman Osterman and Hanna Successfully defended respondents ~ WPEG v. Town of Cape Vincent, 60 A.D. 3d 1282 (4th Dep’t 2009) establishing wind power generating facilities as public utilities for zoning purposes.

This is what Supervisor Hirschey had to say about Whiteman Osterman & Hanna's accounting records.

Very soon after taking office I looked into the Escrow accounts which up to then were not available to the public. Over the course of the next few months, I took steps to make accounts more transparent and to have more than one signature approving the invoices. Nonetheless, the brevity of the documentation astounded me. There was neither a correspondence folder nor one piece of written correspondence pertaining to the expenditure of over 100000. Billed by lawyers and engineering Company on the SEQRA process! Upon making inquiries to Whiteman Osterman and Hanna, I was told that there was not much written communication and that it was mostly just talk. Nonetheless, they would send me what they had. To this date even after several reminders, I have not received any copies of emails or written correspondence.

Urban Hirschey
~~~~~~~

The escrow account payments were authorized by Rienbeck with no accounting of the specifics of what was done and the costs.

Link here for the legal opinion written By Whiteman Osterman & Hanna

Acciona ~SLW~ Escrow Account Document

British petroleum escrow account document

Cape Vincent A New Supervisor With New Ideas

2012-01-12T00:20:00.003-05:00

2010, brought change to Cape Vincent, with newly elected Town supervisor Urban Hirschey and town Councilman Brooks, Bragdon.
At the first Town Board meeting of the year supervisor Hirschey spoke of what he would like to accomplish.

His main goal was to encourage economic development to “grow" the community in ways that would be acceptable to everyone.
Additionally he stated that his administration would be one of open government. He would arrange with an independent, non- political body to tape the Board meetings for the public to view on the Town's updated website.

Ethics will be addressed as well .Supervisor Hirschey asked Councilman, Bragdon and Donald Mason to discuss forming a committee to develop an ethics code.

Developing a wind law was revisited by a committee comprised of members of the original wind law committee planning board and town board. With a goal of getting a wind law in place within two or three months. The first two sessions would be held at the fire hall January 30, 2010 February 6, 2010.

( I will be doing a seperate post about the wind committee).

Additionally, Supervisor Hirschey proposed a six-month moratorium on wind
development. Marty Mason voted with Donnie Mason and Mickey Orvis to kill Supervisor Hirschey’s moratorium initiative. Council members Mickey W. Orvis, Donald J. Mason and Marty T. Mason also objected to an audit requested by Supervisor Hirschey, but Supervisor Hirschey hired a firm to conduct a surface level audit anyway.

Town Clerk Jeri Ann Mason, sister to TB member Marty Mason, resigned abruptly after the audit report exposed discrepancies in the town's finances and revealed that a substantial amount of money was missing. The audit also revealed that two escrow accounts from British Petroleum Alternative Energy and Acciona Wind Energy totaling $2,211.70 were not included in the town's financial report, nor were they recorded in monthly financial statements.

August 13, 2010 the New York State Att. Gen.'s office notified town Attorney Mark Gebo via facsimile that they had received allegations of misconduct by certain officials of the Town of Cape Vincent in connection with the development of wind farm's . Accordingly , the OAG has commenced an investigation. In response to this investigation Supervisor Hirschey called a special Town Board meeting for the purpose of a temporary halt on all discussion and further forward movement on the wind turbine projects. However, Town Council members Mickey Orvis and Marty Mason were absent from the meeting . Supervisor Hirschey and Councilman Brooks Bragdon were in favor of the resolution to halt further wind discussions , Councilman Donald Mason , abstained stating that he wished to consult a lawyer before voting because he holds a wind contract.

Aug.17, 2010, Cape Vincent’s newly formed wind economic committee released their preliminary report as to the economic impact from the proposed wind projects. This report was prepared and mailed to the PB in time to be considered before Acciona’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was accepted, but Edsall refused to read the PB mail prior to the PB meeting Aug 18, 2010. Chairman Edsall and his planning board accepted Acciona’s FEIS, against the recommendations of the Lyme PB and ignored the noise recommendations of their own consultant, Cavanaugh Tocci.

At the TB meeting of Oct. 14, 2010, Supervisor Urban Hirschey proposed that the Town of Cape Vincent commission an independent sound study to protect the citizens of Cape Vincent. Marty T. Mason and Donald J. Mason recused themselves. Orvis voted NAY thereby defeating the resolution even after it was determined that the study would cost the town nothing. Cape Vincent’s current sound study is flawed, a fact that recently came out with the release of FOILED documents pertaining to Cape Vincent’s sound study.

At the January 2011 Town Board meeting, Acciona's leaseholders attacked Supervisor Hirschey and try to bring him down. Marty Mason, leaseholder and co-chair of the Republican Party, led the charge making a motion to have the town's attorney contact Jefferson County and NY Attorney Generals office to pursue an investigation of Supervisor Hirschey. Donald Mason stated Hirschey has done a “bad thing.” Later, the NY Attorney General notifies the town that the charges are baseless and Hirschey will not be investigated.

The road to subjugation

2012-01-10T23:21:00.002-05:00

April 7, 2007, the WDT reported that Town Supervisor Thomas K. Reinbeck defended town official’s actions including the members of the ZBA. Mr. Reinbeck said town Attorney Mark G. Gebo advised the ZBA that turbines could be considered utilities. The WDT also reported that Mr. Gebo declined to comment, citing attorney-client privilege. He said he would argue the Zoning Board of Appeals decision is correct unless the town directs him not to. “They made a decision they expect me to support, and I will support it,” Gebo said.

Dec.19, 2007, BP’s DEIS was accepted by the PB.
March 13, 2008, at the Town Board meeting ,Edsall announced that he has been, “Buying an ounce of protection,” by hiring an Albany law firm, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, who specialize in litigation especially when you get to the site plan review process and pilot programs. Edsall, on the advice of newly hired legal counsel, finally made it official when he wrote a letter May 15, 2008, and disclosed his contracts with British Petroleum and conflicts of interest.

Aug. 14, 2008, Reinbeck announced that a committee will be formed to revise a draft wind law developed by the Town’s new the wind lawyers. The committee met frequently throughout the fall and winter completing a draft law in January 2008.Reinbeck told the committee he would forward the draft to the Whiteman legal team for their review. During this same period ,Reinbeck became irritated by an ad printed in the Watertown Daily Times describing Cape Vincent as an ethical black hole. In March, the finding of the appellate court confirming the lower court decision that the Cape ZBA acted within its jurisdiction to declare wind turbines utilities buoyed him in his actions.

March 25, 2009, the PB accepts the Acciona supplemental environmental impact statement and this marked the first recusal for conflicted board member Karen Bourcy.

A citizen at the April 2009, TB meeting asked, “Do you see any value in Attorney General Cuomo’s code of Conduct for Wind Development.”

The TB agreed that there is no value in the AG’s wind code of conduct. Reinbeck replied that if we haven’t been investigated I guess we are all right. Marty Mason said that the code is a “waste of time” and Donny Mason agreed with the other board members and added it does not apply to small towns. Conflicted Councilman Joe Wood said, “Basically you say we should adopt a wind law, but on the other hand you are saying three of us have conflicts of interest and you are going to call us on it.” “How can I adopt a wind law if in your second breath there is a conflict of interest and you are going to nail us?”

Feb 2, 2008, the Thousand Islands Sun quoted Reinbeck’s response to citizen’s questions about Board members voting with conflicts of interest. Reinbeck stated that while he didn’t have anything legal to back up his assumption, he thought that once someone accused of having a conflict of interest was re-elected to the same position, the conflict of interest was void. “Mind you I’m not one hundred percent about that, but I speak for the board when I say that if we had not folded under the threats of lawsuits, we’d have zoning laws right now.” Their responses suggested that the TB derailed the wind law process in 2006, and passed it on to the PB strictly to avoid voting and avoiding conflicts of interest. Rather than adopting a protective wind law, they opted for more control over the process through the PB, even though it meant exposing riverfront and lakefront zoning districts to wind development.

The board members resented the recording of the TB and PB meetings and at the planning board meeting Aug.12, 2009, Binsley said to the citizen taping the meeting “take your camera and shove it right where it belongs… And you can’t bring that thing to a meeting.” At the TB meeting Aug.13, 2009, Reinbeck called the police to stop the videotaping, which was unsuccessful since it was a legal activity.
At this same Aug. 13, 2009, meeting a petition, asking for a wind development moratorium with over 650 signatures on it, was submitted. The TB had decided that they would support a moratorium to protect the River and Lake District, two areas that were never intended for wind power development. The Jefferson county planning board said that a partial moratorium did not make sense and recommended a full moratorium. Reinbeck and Donny Mason’s position on a town wide moratorium was quoted in the WDT. "Currently we have two projects under review in the Ag district and we're not going to suspend those," Mr. Reinbeck said. "One is almost complete." Councilman Donald J. Mason agreed saying, "Those projects are too far along and it's not fair to the wind companies, to begin with, to suspend them now." Previously Reinbeck had made other statements to the WDT about his position on turbine setbacks "I think we're over regulating on these setbacks," Mr. Reinbeck said. "I'm always on the lookout for being sued for something, Supervisor Thomas K. Reinbeck said. “I can only see this being a very controversial issue if we eliminate turbines that are planned as part of an ongoing project."

Nov. 12, 2009, the now lame-duck Tom Reinbeck proposed the adoption of a draft wind law prepared by Rienbeck’s wind committee earlier in the year. This version of the law, however, was missing the detailed noise section developed under the guidance of the town’s engineering consultants, Bernier Carr Associates and Cavanaugh Tocci Associates. Reinbeck explained that noise portion was taken out because it was too restrictive and would have prohibited development rather than regulate it the conflicted council voted .

Councilmen Donald Mason, Acciona leaseholder, Marty Mason, Acciona and BP leaseholder, and Joe Wood, Acciona leaseholder all vote AYE for Resolution #17 to enact a wind law . Additionally, resolution #17 was not included in the minutes. Resolution #17 is on file in the clerk's office.

Check out links in the body of text to read related documents and newspaper articles.

Ethical Void

2012-01-09T23:30:00.006-05:00

After an opinion was given by the Jefferson County Board of ethics advising conflicted Town Board members Marty Mason and Joe Wood to recuse themselves from any votes or discussions of wind development issues Assemblyman Darrel Aubertine wrote a letter to the Town Board urging the conflicted board members to vote on wind issues . Aubertine wrote that it was their duty to vote, adding that governing by referendum (popular vote) is not wise.
The vote in question for protective setbacks would have eliminated 12 turbines from Aubertine's neighborhood resulting in financial consequences for both Acciona and the leaseholders.
June 15, 2006, at the Town Board meeting ( Darrel's letter was passed around at this meeting) Supervisor Rinebeck and Town Council member Mickey Orvis changed their mind about the restrictive setbacks.

In defense of his writing this letter to the town board, Aubertine said that he was just writing as a citizen of Cape Vincent, and not in any official capacity. However, in this letter Aubertine wrote as elected representatives. We are responsible to make decisions for the benefit of our constituents and community and governing by referendum is unwise.
In his letter Aubertine clearly identifies himself as an elected official and outlines what he thinks are the responsibilities that come with the task of making decisions as an elected official.

2/22/2008 When asked by a Syracuse Post Standard reporter if it was appropriate to write the letter in question to the Cape Vincent Town Board, Senator Aubertine responded, “if it was me alone, no” but, he said, “it’s not me, it’s the town and dozens of other landowners.”
This is the same response that Aubertine gave when questioned about using his position with the Standing Committee on Agriculture for potential personal gain by helping to develop and pass a law that eliminated tax penalties for farmers that host turbines on their land. Just three weeks before this vote May 25, 2003 Assemblyman Darrel J. Aubertine told a Watertown Times reporter that a company had approached him about installing wind-powered generators on his property and the properties belonging to three of his neighbors.

Additionally, Darrel Aubertine kept quiet about signing two lease agreements with Acciona in May of 2004 moreover; he did not make the required financial disclosures.

2008 during his bid for State Senator the Renzie campaign started questioning Mr. Aubertine’s ethics and the letter that he wrote to the town board in June of 2006.

October 23, 2008 Senator Darrel Aubertine told a Watertown Times reporter , "that his position was in a line with the separate council that the Town of Cape Vincent had, ( Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, WOH) and there was absolutely no conflict of interest that the "Town Board certainly had every right to vote on these issues”. There were excerpts from the WOH opinion included in the WDT article as well.
The only problem with Darrel Aubertine's using the WO&H ethics opinion to support his actions is that this Ethics opinion from the Albany law firm, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna. Was given in July of 2008, and Assemblyman Aubertine wrote his letter in June of 2006.

Assemblyman, Aubertine's letter to The Cape Vincent Town Board was an attempted to influence voting on a draft local law that would have direct consequences for St. Lawrence Wind. The Town Board members would stand to gain from this particular vote by ensuring that the project was viable, and there were financial interests that were of concern to Aubertine as well. At one point, he had told the Editorial board at the post Standard that if the wind project is developed, his farm could host turbines that could bring in 50,000 to 100,000 a year.

DARREL AUBERTINE EXPLAINS ~ PODCAST WHY HE URGED CONFLICTED BOARD TO VOTE.

A quote from Senator Aubertine concerning Wind Turbines and his land

“Who are you to tell me what I can do with my land"?

2012 Defense Act Liberalizes Section 1603 Grant Rules for Regulated Public Utility Property

2012-01-09T13:52:00.003-05:00

by:Travis L. Blais ~

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. - Boston Office

December 16, 2011 Congress sent the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA) to the president to sign into law. The 2012 NDAA section 1096 amended a key energy tax provision for renewable energy project developers –

More here

Cape Vincent Zoning Who? What? When? Where? Why?

2012-01-08T23:22:00.006-05:00

Cape Vincent

What is the truth ? How did we get here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In early 2006, a secretive wind campaign began to emerge and it became open to public scrutiny. Initially the big point of contention was the setbacks, the distance between the wind turbines and riverfront properties.

As the setback, issue heated up Edsall began to make statements that reflect his ambitions: "If we don't pass a law one way or another, they're still coming. People have already signed contracts." As the public involvement and discontent grew Edsall attempted to gain control over the turbine setbacks making the statement, “I arbitrarily make a recommendation to go back to the River Front and Lake Front zones as setbacks.” Citizens in the community wanted a protective setback of 2 miles and Edsall openly responded by saying, "Two miles would wipe out both projects."
In response to Edsalls zoning amendment process, Jefferson County Planner Mike Bourcy expressed his concerns in a fax dated April 7, 2006,~ writing, “Anytime an amendment to a zoning law is proposed it must be in compliance with a comprehensive plan. Article 2, of the proposed amendment, states that the purpose of the amendment is to mitigate potential negative impacts on the Seaway Trail, St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.” “I have not heard anyone on the Committee talk specifically that these impacts are mitigated by the proposed setbacks. The discussion has always been who will or will not benefit depending on which setback is used.”
I also wanted to point out that you want to be careful saying that an issue will be taken care of during site plan review. If a requirement is not in the Zoning Law, then the planning Board must have a good basis for requiring it.” “The Town should not depend on Department of Environmental Conservation requiring a setback from the shore in the area of the AR. (Agricultural Residential) district by the lake.” Cape Vincent’s comprehensive plan, clearly defines its goals of discouraging commercial development i.e. utilities where the impact would have a negative impact on scenic vistas and tourism assets.”

Desperate to cut the public out of the zoning process, PB Chairman Edsall wrote a letter June 14, 2006, to the town board informing them that the PB passed a resolution declaring that current zoning is sufficient to regulate wind development in Cape Vincent and that the TB should abandon its efforts to amend current zoning law. Of course, current law did not include anything to regulate wind projects, other than site plan review process, which gives a great deal of discretionary control to the PB, particularly Chairman Edsall.

The very next day, June 15, 2006, Aubertine also wrote a letter to the TB urging the lease holding conflicted board members to vote on wind issues by telling them that it is their duty to vote even though they are conflicted and he also stated that governing by referendum (popular vote) is unwise.
The same day of the Aubertine letter, at the TB meeting of June 15, 2006, Reinbeck and Orvis changed their minds about the restrictive setbacks, setbacks that would eliminate 12 turbines from Aubertine’s neighborhood. The revised boundary allowed turbines as close as 1,600 feet from the centerline of Route 12 E. Reinbeck gave the following quote to the Watertown Daily Times as to his reasoning behind his change of course. “There’s been overwhelming support for total use of the AG district, to begin with,” “And furthermore, I see no reason other than visual impacts for anything other than that.” Orvis followed with “I can’t justify taking another 1,000 feet, whether it’s a farmer or just a regular land owner, of their property.”

August 10,2006 the TB moved forward with the adoption of zoning regulations for wind power development and issued a positive declaration that required an environmental impact study to determine the impacts from the new law.

It was discovered that the environmental reviews required would cost $40,000+. This cost became an issue at the TB meeting of Aug.28,2006, where Councilman Orvis told the board that he was not comfortable spending $40,000 + of the taxpayer’s money to have a SEQR done and end up not having turbines. Supervisor Reinbeck said he felt the same way. Supervisor Reinbeck resolved to, “Discontinue the process of amending the Town of Cape Vincent Zoning Law to regulate wind towers.” This resolution is what Edsall hoped to accomplish with his letter of July 14, 2006. Marty Mason and Joe Wood abstained from this vote and the resolution did not pass.

Sept. 13, 2006, Chairman Edsall’s Planning Board overstepped their authority by approving a motion to adopt the Town’s guidelines to regulate wind development. This quote in the Watertown Times by Reinbeck demonstrates that he was supportive of Edsalls maneuver. "They certainly can't sue us if we don't go through with the zoning amendments," "No one says we have to change our zoning." Mr. Reinbeck said. This left them with the option of declaring that turbines were utilities under the choice of approved uses in the town’s guidelines.
This opened the door for Edsall to have complete control over the process through site plan review. Acciona submitted an application for a wind power project in Cape Vincent at the PB meeting of Nov. 8, 2006.

Edsall’s board voted unanimously to be lead agency in the State Environmental Quality Review process. This gave Chairman Edsall and his PB complete control over the environmental review process.

To resolve the issue over the decision to call turbines utilities, CV Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) decided that turbines could be designated as utilities under CV current zoning law. This allowed Edsall complete control over wind development by using the site plan review process, avoiding any new zoning regulations that might restrict the wind developments, including noise regulations. ZBA member John Wiley voted in favor of this measure without disclosing his brother had a wind contract thereby creating a conflict of interest. Wind Power Ethics Group filed suit challenging the ZBA decision to classify turbines as utilities. One unintended consequence of using existing law without a specific amendment for wind was that utilities are permitted not only in the town’s agricultural and residential district, but also in the river and lakefront districts as well.

BP'S CHUMP CHANGE Part 2

2012-01-08T00:00:00.008-05:00

The following comment came in to yesterdays post ( BP's Chump Change)

That’s the cover letter. I wonder what the contract looks like?

Wonder no more

Below are excerpts from a BP good neighbor agreement also known as an easement following the excerpts is a BP good neighbor agreement contract.

Would you sign a contract like this? This Good neighbor contract makes for very bad neighbors.
~~~

Good Neighbor
Although Grantee (BP)adheres to generally recognized wind industry practices and applies commercially reasonable measures to minimize effects of its wind farm activities on neighboring properties, will acknowledges the grantee's wind power facilities may still impact the owner's property. Owner has agreed to grant certain rights and easements to accommodate any impact that Grantee's (BP’s) wind power facilities they have on owners property.

This clause is an acknowledgement disclosure the landowner acknowledges that they are aware that there are impacts and they are giving informed consent.

Wind farm operations easement.
Owner grants Grantee (BP) an exclusive easement in, on, over, across and through owners property, for the purpose of allowing any audio, visual, view, light, noise, vibration, shadow flicker, air turbulence, wake, ice, electromagnetic, electric and radio interference, ice throw or other, whether created hazards, or other effect of any kind whatsoever resulting, directly or indirectly from any construction, development, repair, maintenance, replacement, or operation of grantee's wind power facilities or other of grantee's activities on wind farm.

This clause allows broad unlimited surface and subsurface property uses.

Noise waiver.
Owner grants Grantee and easement for the right and privileges to generate and maintain audible noise levels in excess of 50 dBA(L 90) on and above the noise easement property at any times of the day or night(" noise easement"). The "noise easement property" shall mean owners property, except those portions within a two hundred (200) – foot radius circle (or lesser distance with owner's prior consent). Centered on the inside of each presently existing, occupied residents on the owner's property. If noise levels produced by the turbines exceed 50 dBA (L90), as measured within (200) feet (or lesser agreed distance) from inside of a presently existing, occupied residents on owners property by an independent, professional applying commonly accepted measurement instruments and standards, grantee shall reduce the noise levels produced by the turbines to 50 dBA (L 90) at two hundred (200) feet (or lesser agreed distance) from the residence. Said noise easement shall further permit the grantee to generate and maintain audible noise levels, emitting from grantee's wind turbines installed on property adjacent to owner’s property, up to 55 dBA at the property boundaries.

This noise waiver allows Grantee (BP) to maintain audible noise levels day and night exceeding 50 dBA (L90). Noise may affect wildlife, as well as other landowners and the quiet enjoyment of the Owner’s Property.)
Owner understands and acknowledges that by ordinance, and otherwise, Jefferson County and other governmental entities may now and in the future require, unless waived, certain setbacks of wind turbine generators from property boundaries based on their noise levels. Owner for itself and it's successors and assigns, as owner of the property, waives any and all claims that it may now or hereafter have against Grantee or against Jefferson County, New York, in connection with noise levels that may be generated on owners property by the wind farm.

Setback waiver
Grantee(BP) or any affiliate of Grantee (BP) owns, leases or holds an easement in other land concerning or contiguous to the owner's property and has installed or constructed or desires to install construct wind power facilities such adjacent land at or near, the boundary with owners property, owner hereby waives any and all setbacks and setback requirements, whether now or hereafter imposed by applicable law, or by any person or entity, including, without limitation, any setback requirements described in current or future zoning ordinances. In Jefferson County, New York, or in any governmental entitlement or permit heretofore or hereafter issued to Grantee (BP) or such affiliate provided, however, Grantee (BP) agrees that no generating unit shall be located closer than 500 feet from owner’s property line or 1200 feet from any occupied residence on the property, such measurements to be calculated from the center point- of the generating unit.

Upon Grantee (BP) or an affiliates request, owner shall at no additional cost to Grantee (BP)execute(and if appropriate cause to be acknowledged) any setback waiver, setback elimination or other document or instrument reasonably requested by Grantee(BP), its members, or lenders, Jefferson County real estate of New York or any applicable governmental authorities in connection there were, – return the same for any applicable governmental authorities in connection there with – return the same thereto within 10 days after such request, and – provide such public support as Grantee(BP) may reasonably request in connection with any related zoning variance or other government applications by grantee(BP).

This clause seemingly overrides without limitation, any setback requirements described in current or future zoning ordinances of Jefferson County.

Additionally the Owner agrees to execute a setback waiver as requested by BP or their lenders. and the owner will publicly support BP's request.

Link here to read entire Good Neighbor agreement

BP'S ~ CHUMP CHANGE

2012-01-07T00:02:00.004-05:00

What is a good neighbor agreement?
A device used by wind developers that allows them to take advantage of people that live near industrial wind plants.
Developers buy the rights of people living in close proximity to turbines for a small payment. By signing a good neighbor contract you agree to accept the noise, shadow flicker or any other issue that may degrade the quality of your life.

BP’s good-neighbor agreement requires residents to accept the noise (for an annual payment of up to $1,500), additionally if the developer requests that a noise easement on the land be recorded with the county clerk this creates a burden on the land for all subsequent buyers. If a landowner finds the noise is intolerable, it will be difficult to sell and move.

Below is a transcript of a BP Good neighbor recruitment letter. For the protection of the landowner, I have removed the name.
The original is at the end of this post

December 11, 2007
A.Chump
2B Duped Lane
Cape Vincent , NY 13618

Dear Mr. Chump

As you may be aware, BP alternative energy has been working to develop a wind farm. The agricultural district of Cape Vincent. Over the past 2 years, we've worked with landowners, county and state officials preliminary technical studies are currently concluding detailed environmental studies as part of the New York State environmental quality review(SEQR) process. While there has been a lot of recent activity, we are still at least 18 months from construction of the proposed project and have not yet applied for the required town, county and state permits.

At this time, we are contacting landowners whose property is within our site area to discuss whether they would be interested in participating in our project through good neighbor agreement. Our good neighbor agreement provides income to landowners whose house or property is near a wind turbine. In return, the landowners would agree to waive the standard setbacks adopted by the town of Cape Vincent.

The town recently adopted guidelines that require us to set turbines back at least 1,250 feet from the dwellings in at least 1,000 feet from property lines of any non-– participating landowner. The good neighbor agreement would allow us to place turbines as close as 750 feet from residences or 400 feet from property lines, whichever is most restrictive. By agreeing to these reduced setbacks, you would receive a signing payment of $500 in annual payments of up to $1,500 per year during the operational life of the project.

The good neighbor agreements are completely voluntary, so if you want us to use setbacks in the town guidelines. Then we will abide by those restrictions. If you are interested in learning more about our project and the good neighbor agreements, then please call us at 866 – 359 – 8807 to request an informational package. I hope that you will consider participating in our wind project.

Regards,
Jim Madden.
Business developer

ACCIONA ~ EXPOSED Methods Used by Acciona's Sound Consultant

2012-01-05T23:30:00.009-05:00

Because there were concerns early on among local citizens that the developers noise report was misleading, the Wind Power Ethics Group (WPEG) contracted Schomer and associates to conduct an independent background sound survey of Cape Vincent.

The photos below show some of the creative methods used by Acciona's sound consultant.

Acciona's sound consultant knows where to place microphones to get the desired results...
Acciona's Sound Study Exposed

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

The picture at the Top shows Hessler's “Quiet” view of where he placed the microphone .The other picture at the Bottom is of the same site but viewed from the opposite direction showing Monitor area was actually situated near noisy farm machinery and sheds, and not near the home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#3

Hessler described position #3 in the sound study as “representative of a typical residence along NYS 12E.”However, he failed to show that the trailer in the photograph was a field office for a construction company installing a new Town of Cape Vincent water district.

Furthermore at the back of the trailer, out of view, was a marshaling yard for trucks, supplies and heavy equipment. The choice of this site and suggesting it is a typical residence was very misleading.

These are examples of the methods used by Hessler to get the desired results for Acciona & BP

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hessler ~ Versus ~ Schomer

Below are two photos depicting typical data collection sites for the sound studies conducted in Cape Vincent.
One study by Hessler, conducted for the wind companies.
One study by Schomer and associates, Schomer's study for the community of Cape Vincent.
It is obvious by looking at the location of the Hessler equipment in the lower photo that the noise level would be greater, the test equipment has been placed in a populated area ,near a road.
This seems to be a trend with Hessler.

Schomer
~~~~~~~

Hessler
~~~~~~~

Schomer Report.pdf

Link Here to Read Hesslers Sound Study for ACCIONA's FEIS

New beginnings

2012-01-05T09:43:00.003-05:00

CAPE VINCENT ELECTED

a Team who promised to
Provide:
GOOD JUDGEMENT
OPENNESS
SMART LEADERSHIP

Urban Hirschey ~ Town Supervisor
John Byrne ~ Town Councilman
Clif Schneider ~ Town Councilman

Below is the unified position statement that the newly elected candidates have promised to undertake after taking office.
Today they will be sworn into office
@3:30

followed by the organizational meeting.

Meeting to be held in the Town Office Building

```
Unified position statement

To read their Unified position statement link here

Once There Was A Great Grey Owl ...

2012-01-04T23:44:00.002-05:00

Photo~ Great Grey Owl
Cape Vincent, NY
Rex & Birgit Stanford
~~~~
This magnificent creature was first spotted Feb.23, 2005 by ornithologist Gerry Smith and North Country Public Radios' David Sommerstein while birding in the Town of Cape Vincent. Perched atop a hedgerow tree on the Lawrence Farm off Gosier road right in the heart of Acciona's proposed turbine footprint.

The users and takers also known as Acciona and British Petroleum will be taking from us things that they haven't any right to take . To sacrifice so much for so little is obscene.

Link here to view ---Raptor Migration Data for Proposed Wind Sites NYS

The story about Cape Vincents visitor as it was told in the Ithaca Journal
~~~~
By Karen L. Allaben-Confer
Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

What a winter for owls!

March stormed in on the back of a nor'easter that sucked up salty Atlantic moisture and swept up the Eastern Seaboard. It veered inland to meet a cold front plunging out of Canada. Snow fell on the Finger Lakes and eastward like sifting flour.

In a large farm field, bordered by an oak, hickory and maple forest in northwestern Jefferson County, about 130 miles NNE of Tompkins County, the snow-laden limbs of a monarch hickory that had grown old under full sun in the open field, offered a dramatic viewing perch for a large gray, round-headed owl.

Leaning nearly 45 degrees, the owl bent his broad flat face, revealing two white moustaches under large, gray-brown facial disks and arching white brows between glaring yellow eyes.

This young male Great Gray Owl migrated from his natal forest in Algonquin Provincial Park in Central Ontario to southern Ontario, then, wandered southeast to Amherst Island, west of Kingston.

Finding few rodents, he might have island-hopped to Wolfe Island, then across the narrows of the St. Lawrence River to Cape Vincent, New York -- a total flight of about 150 miles.

His keen hearing located a meadow vole running along its tunnel 12 inches under deepening snow. He lifted his nearly 5-foot wingspan, dropped majestically, flapped silently and sedately a foot above the snow, then plunged with legs and talons extended, nailing the rodent in mid-stride.

The imprint of outstretched wings on the billowing snow and "plunge mark" from feet and body impact may have earned this owl his Athabascan name, "heavy walker" -- sometimes, the only proof that a Great Gray Owl was present. Strix nebulosa nebulosa flapped back to his hickory limb - loose body feathers rippling gracefully beneath him.

The layers of long, fluffy feathers insulate a remarkably light, 1.75 to 3.19 pound body. Yet, including a long tail, great grays average between 24 and 33 inches tall, with a wingspan of up to 60 inches, the largest in size, but not weight, of any other North American owl.

Cape Vincent's rare visitor had hunted voles since Feb. 23, innocent of the historical significance of being the only Great Gray Owl to visit northern New York in nearly 10 years.

He would attract between 800 and 1,000 birders and photographers from nine states and two provinces before migrating back to Algonguin.

The Great Gray was not alone in making history. Due to harsh weather and a bust year for rodents in northern boreal forests, this was a notable "invasion" year of many owls all across the northern United States and southern Canada.

The Great Backyard Bird Count reported record numbers of Great Gray Owls, Northern Hawk Owls, and Boreal Owls in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and northern New England.

In Minnesota, Great Gray Owl populations increased from last year's 35 to almost 2,000! Last winter, only six Northern Hawk Owls and one Boreal Owl were seen in Minnesota. This winter there were 300 Northern Hawk Owls and 400 Boreal Owls!

The New York Times reported that a Boreal Owl even showed up in Central Park on Dec. 19, 2004 -- the first ever seen since records began of such sightings.

By early March this year, hundreds of normally reclusive Great Grey Owls wintered in rodent-rich woodlands and farm fields around Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario, and in southern Quebec.

Great Gray Owls nest in dense coniferous stands near muskeg, meadow or forest openings.

In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, they nest in mixed conifer and red spruce forests. Palearctic habitats include tamarack forests in Manitoba, tamarack and black spruce wetlands in Saskatchewan, black ash and basswood in Minnesota and balsam poplars and white spruce in Alaska. Estuaries, mountain meadows, and the edges of farm fields are prime hunting sites during migration.

Characteristically "sit and wait" hunters, the owls lean forward from a perch, watching and listening for movements of prey before pouncing. They also patrol through the forest, flying only a few feet above the ground.

This typical low-hunting flight has caused the death of nearly 500 Great Grays in Minnesota this winter, due to collisions with cars. They generally search for prey at dawn and dusk. However, during winter months, they can be seen hunting in daylight. Meadow voles breed all winter and can provide a constant food supply for birds of prey.

Cape Vincent's owl switched his hunting strategy from daytime to twilight once he mapped the "lay of the land" with the highest concentrations of voles.

About 80 percent of the Great Gray Owl diet is primarily small rodents, with voles being the most important food in Alaska, Canada and Oregon. In California, the owls prefer pocket gophers.

Otherwise, depending on their location, their eclectic menu choices consist of rats, mice, shrews, squirrels, snowshoe hare, chipmunks, moles, weasels, crows, small hawks, American robin, ducks and grouse. Frogs, toads, snakes and insects are taken infrequently.

Like other owls, they throw up, or "cast" compact, dark grayish-black pellets of indigestible bones and fur. These pellets measure 3 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches thick.

With lengthening days, the Great Gray Ghost of the North should soon feel the urge to migrate.

In two to three weeks, some lucky birder or the farmer, on whose land this owl has thrived, may witness his grand gray presence flapping solemnly across the field toward the St. Lawrence narrows, ignorant of the excitement more powerful than a spring nor'easter that he incited among bird watchers.

It may be years before we see the likes of such an avian wonder in New York's backyard again.

Karen Allaben-Confer, a well-known wildlife artist, is an Ithaca native. She lives in the Town of Caroline with her ornithologist husband, John Confer, and their American water spaniel, Jasmine. They all enjoy bird-watching. "Backyard Birding" is published monthly in House and Garden.

This article has been reproduced from http://www.theithacajournal.com

Complete audio of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State Address

2012-01-04T21:44:00.013-05:00

This is the complete audio of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State Address, given January 4, 2012 in Albany New York

Link here to read transcript of State of the State address

Cuomo~ State of the State “Energy Highway”~ tap into Upstate’s potential for renewable energy, like wind power

2012-01-04T14:51:00.013-05:00

Excerpts from transcript~
~~~
With an “Energy Highway” System to Power New York’s Economic Growth Another key to powering our economic growth is expanding our energy infrastructure. Just as President Eisenhower’s interstate highway project propelled the nation forward in the1950s, today the energy grid provides critical infrastructure and an opportunity for economic growth.

We have an excess of generation capacity and tremendous wind power potential in Upstate and Western New York and north of the border in Quebec. We have tremendous energy needs Downstate. Just as we built the New York State Thruway to unite distant parts of the state, we will develop an “Energy Highway” system that will bring excess fossil-fuel energy from Western New York downstate, and also tap into Upstate’s potential for renewable energy, like wind power.Just like we built the North way, we will develop an energy expressway down from Quebec. This will preserve Western New York’s current allocation of low cost hydropower and at the same time help address the energy needs of Downstate.

To make this happen, we will issue requests for proposals to implement a master plan to power our needs for the nexthalf-century. We believe private companies will finance and build $2 billion in infrastructure to complete the system and build the capacity to supply New Yorkers.

We will also work on repowering old and dirty plants so they stop polluting our urban neighborhoods and start increasing energy supply. The permanent Article X energy siting lawwe passed last year will be a critical tool to help with meeting our energy needs and protecting our environment in this effort. Not only will it fast-track much needed energy generation projects, but it will also be a model for including some of the strongest environmental protection regulations in the nation.

Invest in Solar While Protecting Ratepayers
New York is a national leader in renewable energy production and use. Not counting our large-scale hydropower resources, close to 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity have been built in New York — a number nearly three times greater than the combined total of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Moreover,we have one of the most cost-effective renewable resource development programs in the country.

New York is fortunate to have abundant water, wind, biomass, and solar resources. Over the decades, we have aggressively developed our hydroelectric resources and are making great progress in tapping our land-based wind resources. Now it is time to focus more attention on exploiting our solar potential.

But we need to do this in ways that protect the ratepayer —and certain approaches that have been proposed do notmeet both goals of expanding production of solar energyand protecting the ratepayer. Solar power is still more expensive per megawatt hour to develop than other renewables.

Therefore, we will greatly expand the state’s solar programs,but as we do so we will keep an eye firmly on costs. We will increase competitive procurement of large, commercial-sized solar projects. And we will expand rebate programs for residential and commercial small-to-medium systems.

In its first year, the NY-Sun Initiative will be capable of doubling the customer-sited photovoltaic capacity that was installed in 2011. By 2013, we estimate that NY-Sun will quadruple the 2011 capacity. We will continue to establish New York’s technology leadership in this important emerging market while balancing investments in other renewable resources and protecting the taxpayer. This approach will create jobs, expand solar power, and protect ratepayers — a win, win, win.

Hydraulic Fracturing
in the Southern Tier In 2011, the Department of Environmental Conservation(“DEC”) conducted a comprehensive review of the impact of proposed gas drilling using high-volume hydraulic fracturing.DEC presented for comment significantly improved measures to protect the state’s drinking water, air, land, and other natural resources, and completed a study of potential socioeconomic impacts. DEC released the revised draftSupplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement and comprehensive regulations governing all aspects of highvolume hydraulic fracturing. DEC also held four public hearings around the state, attended by a total of 6,000 people. The Department received more than 15,000 comments.

Complete Audio of The State of the state at this link

NY State of the State Address 2012

Wind Energy ~ another blow to investor confidence

2012-01-04T09:40:00.002-05:00

Vestas the biggest wind turbine maker announced that they are restructuring due to financial difficulties
Vestas and US rival general electric company are both suffering from slower demand growth in narrowing margins caused by subsidy cuts in Europe and rising competition from Asian turbine makers such as Chinas Sinovel Wind Group Co., the world’s second biggest turbine manufacturer .
The impact of this news may have far reaching consequences on an already depressed wind energy market
Acciona Spain announced last October that they were cutting investment spending by one third consequently they may reach their profit target two years later than planned because of the financial crisis. Acciona has frozen investment in the U.S. because utilities aren’t willing to pay enough to generate adequate returns on wind farms, and next year’s presidential election raises uncertainty about government support for clean energy.
“A significant amount of investment was going to go into the U.S., which is now being put on hold until we see what happens in their regulatory framework next year.” “There’s going to be permanent shifting in countries depending on regulation.” said Acciona’s Chairman & CEO. Entrecanales

VESTAS ~ world’s BIGGEST wind-turbine Maker SHARES PLUNGE

2012-01-04T08:41:00.002-05:00

Jan 4 2012
Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the world’s biggest wind-turbine maker, will announce a significant change to its corporate structure on Jan. 12 after cutting its revenue forecast for the second time since October.

A total of 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) of revenue expected in 2011 will be booked this year because of delays in connecting renewable energy projects to the electric grid and bad weather that stalled construction of several projects, the Aarhus, Denmark-based company said in a statement.

The announcement adds to a series of earnings misses that have depressed Vestas shares 90 percent from their peak in 2008. Vestas and its rival General Electric Co. are suffering from slower demand growth and narrowing margins caused by rising competition from Asian companies and subsidy cuts across Europe.

Continue reading Source~ Bloomberg

Docteur named Jefferson County legislature’s representative to JCIDA

2012-01-04T08:33:00.001-05:00

County legislature’s representative to JCIDA

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2012
Jefferson County Legislator Michael J. Docteur will add the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency to his list of responsibilities.

The legislator, R-Cape Vincent, was appointed by the board Tuesday night to replace the retired Kent D. Burto.

“A couple of other legislators talked to me about the position, but I chose Mike because he’s a quick learner, he’s involved in the community and he has a good perspective on things,” said Chairwoman Carolyn D. Fitzpatrick, R-Watertown. “The IDA is one of the more important boards that we serve on outside of our board, so I thought that since Mike and I work well together, this will bring good communication.”

Link to Source: Watertown daily Times

Wind turbine noise is a complicated issue

2012-01-04T07:29:00.000-05:00

picture of
~ wolfe Island ~

This is a letter to the editor written by Clif Schneider, a local expert on the topic of noise, in this letter he explains the concept of wind turbine noise and atmospheric stability something that needs to be considered carefully and is extremely important; Mr. Schneider has prepared a report in response to sound studies from commercial wind developers, (Acciona Spain) & (Bp British Petroleum), a series of background noise surveys were conducted , in Cape Vincent, NY between May and July 2008.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thousand Islands Sun, Letter to the Editor

~ By Clif Schneider ~

Some T.I. residents will be saying goodbye to those quiet summer evenings. There are now two wind turbine noise reports submitted by developers along the Thousand Islands corridor. One by AES-Acciona Energy concludes their project in Cape Vincent would not “create a significant noise impact.” PPM Atlantic Renewable, on the other hand, freely admits to Town of Clayton residents that their project “would be clearly audible.” In both cases, developers ignored the biggest potential noise threat from wind farm development — atmospheric stability.

First, we have to better understand wind and noise. When the wind blows, trees and shrubbery produce a lot of noise, enough to mask quieter sounds. When the wind subsides, other quiet sounds, like the sound of a cricket, can become more noticeable. This relates to wind turbine noise, too. Turbines are loudest when the wind is blowing hard. As wind subsides, turbines slow down making less noise. When the wind quits, turbines stop as well. However, there is a condition when turbines can still be noisy even after the wind stops blowing.

During clear, cloudless nights a process called radiation cooling takes place whereby the atmosphere next to the ground becomes stable — it decouples from the air mass just above the ground. What is significant about this decoupling is that there can be no wind at ground level, but the wind can be blowing quite hard at the height of a wind turbine. Here then is the worst-case scenario developers should be considering, turbines spinning loudly with no masking sounds close to the ground. Even worse, it can occur on summer nights with our bedroom windows wide open.

So, how frequent is atmospheric stability and how loud can the turbines get? From my review of Queens University survey, nearly forty percent of spring and summer nights could be associated with atmospheric stability. Therefore, atmospheric stability is notan infrequent occurance. In ground-breaking studies at a German wind park on the Dutch border, the Dutch physicist Dr G.P. van der Berg showed that “wind turbine noise could be up to 15-18 dBA higher than expected.” NYSDEC guidelines indicate that an increase of 15-20 dBA is “objectionable.”

In conclusion, we have the potential for a real problem. Participating landowners and local officials don’t know about this problem, but should. Developers know about the problem, but don’t want to deal with it. In any case, we should all discuss it before we make an unalterable decision that we might later regret, and if you don’t believe it can happen here, just visit Maple Ridge and talk to someone.

link here to Mr. Schneider's Report

Latest Wolfe Island Bird & Bat Wind turbine Mortality Report

2012-01-03T08:03:00.008-05:00

Stantec has just released their wind turbine bird and bat mortality report #5, for the first half of 2011 on Wolfe Island.
Here is the summary.
• Birds: 31 carcasses found, adjusted to 131, down from the report of a year ago.
• Raptors: 7 carcasses found, adjusted to 16, up a bit.
• Bats: 7 carcasses found, adjusted to 41, down from last year.
• Winter raptor density: improved from last year, at 0.54/km.
• Notifications: 6, half for raptors, half for Bobolinks.
Note that the mortality rates are generally down from the same period last year. From 1H2010 we had:
• Birds: 57 adjusted to 540.
• Raptors 10 adjusted to 11.
• Bats: 34 adjusted to 449.
The number of carcasses found down, the adjusting multipliers were also down, mostly because the snow pack was deeper and they could not search often or as thoroughly as they did in the previous year.
It is not clear why the numbers are down so much from 1H2010. There is not any data to compare this to the overall density of the bird population on the Island.
Environment Canada: EC is perplexed by the substantial decrease in mortality levels to both birds and bats during this reporting period (Jan to June) compared to the same reporting period one year ago. The results indicate that one-fifth the number of bat carcasses and half the number of bird carcasses were found in 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. The reasons for the large decrease from the mortality levels of the three previous reporting periods are unknown but merit further monitoring.
Wolfe’s densities may or may not be consistent with the general area’s densities is to look at the actual numbers, comparing the Kingston Christmas raptor count with the Wolfe Island raptor count. The units of measure are different, but when placed on the same graph normalized to the pre-construction points, it looks like this:

Both lines start at the same place (pre-construction), but notice where the red WI’s line goes compared with the black Kingston line. Stantec says that the red line “generally corresponds” to the black line.
~~~~
Sources:
Wolfe Island BIRD AND BAT mortality NO. 5, JANUARY - JUNE 2011 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY link here

Environmental Canada comments on report at this link

Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) comments on report
link here

Wind Farm Realities link here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additionally the bat carcasses collected within the designated areas may not give an accurate count many bat deaths are caused by barotrauma, the change in pressure between turbines causes the bats lungs to explode.
Barotrauma may not be immediately fatal and some bats may be able to fly away before dying.
Since the barotrauma, deaths are not the result of a direct contact with a turbine blade, but are associated with pressure impacts they most likely occur behind the blade, mortality would follow the same functional curve dependent on how close a bat came to the pressure zone. Those closest die on the spot and others fly away with varying degrees of trauma, again, dependent on how close for example. Those subjected to a much-reduced pressure might show a 10% mortality. The actual pressures encountered by an industrial grade wind turbine should be examined to estimate potential impacts of Barotrauma.

Acciona's wind turbine noise may exceed NYSDEC guidelines.

2012-01-02T23:02:00.001-05:00

Cape Vincent has a local sound expert Clif Schneider.
Mr. Schneider wrote a letter to Acciona questioning their noise report.
He points out in his letter to Acciona that the siting of wind turbines in Cape Vincent will be the biggest health and safety issue to face our community, ever. It is absolutely required that noise impacts be properly assessed prior to construction and installation.

The data that Mr. Schneider reviewed indicated that ~

Hessler may not have followed his stated protocol he described at our public meeting and in Acciona's SDEIS. More importantly, it may indicate many more non-participants will be subjected to wind turbine noise that exceeds NYSDEC.

~~~~~~~~
July 8, 2010
Clif Schneider wrote to Cape Vincents Planning Board raising concerns about Acciona and BP's noise consultant David Hessler's presentation on wind turbine noise impacts, among other things Mr. Schneider states that he is concerned Hessler omitted important information and misrepresented their own protocol for estimating background sound levels. As a result, Acciona/Hessler very likely used an elevated background sound level to design their wind farm.

Acciona's Project Development Manager Tim Conboy's suggested sound power levels for wind speeds below 6 m/s, which I requested, were available, but that reliable data were unavailable . How can turbine sound power levels be unreliable for wind speeds of 5 m/s, yet the data for 6 m/s is reliable enough to use in the design their entire wind project?

Tim Conboy's Response To Mr. Schneider,

We have gone to great measures to study the potential noise impacts of the St.Lawrence Wind Farm Project and minimize the probability of a significant adverse reaction to the project’s sounds.
We have received numerous comments and questions from interested parties and have addressed them, to the extent possible, in our environmental impact statements and project plans. With this in mind and due to the false accusations made in your letter, we will not respond to future inquiries from you ,if we feel the issues raised in them have already been satisfactorily addressed.

Sincerely,
St. Lawrence Windpower, LLC
Tim Conboy Project Development Manager

Unfortunately there are no do overs for the citizens of Cape Vincent once the turbines are constructed; Acciona's Conboy will be long gone. If the turbines turn in Cape Vincent we will be left twisting in the wind and Conboy will have slithered away on to his next...
~ Greasy Green Quest~

link here to read the communications between Mr. Schneider , The Cape Vincent Planning Board & Acciona ...

BP'S ~ Flim Flam Man ~

2012-01-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

I posted a letter today from a man who wanted to debate big wind.
This is an excerpt of a comment someone left about a debate.
~~~
The Comment~
Nice tactic, but I think nothing will be resolved. When the argument becomes technical, as much as the wind debate is, then each side will bring experts, reports and data to support their arguments. In the end, the public will likely align with whoever represents their personal interests. A debate at best will be a draw. However, the continued showing of Windfall would be a much more effective approach toward thwarting corporate lies.
~~~

In September 2009 there was a live presentation held at the TI high school, where the merits of big wind were debated.
The speakers were Steven Sullivan, managing director Geos, Global, and consultant to BP alternative energy, John Droz, scientists and environmental activist from Brantingham Lake, and Paul E. Carr, engineering professor at Cornell University, Ithaca, and a founder of Bernier, Carr & Associates.

Community organizer Marion Trieste was there as well in the front row cheering on Mr. Sullivan.

John Droz and Paul Carr gave an impressive presentation.
Mr. Droz focused on the ability of industrial wind developments to supply power to the grid.He said the grid relies on reliable, compact, economical electricity that is produced in large amounts, can be turned on and off by command and can respond during high demand.
Mr. Carr focused on the concerns of public safety and noise related to wind power development. He said that by using the speed of the blades and the angle of separation, calculations show that blade tips or ice can be thrown as far as 2.5 times the height of a turbine.
Instances of turbines collapsing or catching on fire are few, he said, "but you plan for the worst and hope for the best."

BPs representative Steve Sullivan was completely un- prepared , his presentation was disorganized and lacked scientific foundation .
He tried to project a popular image by insinuating that everyone who was informed was on the side of big wind
He told the audience that children are being born with birth effects because of coal additionally, he said something to the effect of, when I look my daughter in the eyes at night. I sleep better knowing that I have made the world a better place.

During this debate every time, Mr. Droz spoke and had a particular point about the efficiency of wind. Sullivan would look over at leaseholder and president of voters for wind, Beth White and roll his eyes. Sullivan’s was a grade school performance at best, at one point he even quoted Mark Twain,( a lie makes it halfway around the world before the truth has time to put its pants on.) This was Sullivan’s response to evidence presented showing the inefficiency of wind energy.

He used other arguments as well, such as we must save the earth. Sullivan’s arguments were not science or fact based . His presentation was a stunning display of immature and unprofessional behavior.
On the other hand, John Droz and Paul Carr gave a, factual science-based presentation covering the truth about the inefficiency and dangers of wind energy. This debate was not a draw. After Mr. Droz and Mr. Carr spoke, there was a huge round of applause, making Mr. Sullivan, very angry. He complained to organizers that he had been set up and he left in a huff.
The debate between Steve Sullivan, and John Droz did change the minds of some people, however, those that want to believe will continue to believe no matter what scientific evidence is put before them. Our political representation, is using our tax dollars at the behest of the wind lobbyists, to destroy our lives. This must stop.
The author of the comment is right, about the importance of the movie Windfall this film has brought our struggle to the forefront ,giving us a voice and an opportunity to change our nation’s energy policies.
~~~
Sources
Attendees of this presentation

Bring it on Big Wind

2012-01-01T22:38:00.002-05:00

Letter to the editor Burlington Free Press.
Dec. 28, 2011

The author of this letter Peter Romans takes umbrage with comments made by, Paul Burns the director of the Vermont Public interest research group
(VPIRG). Burns refers to those people who do not support wind energy development as NIMBYs .
~~~~
"NIMBY" wants debate against Big wind

Recently Paul Burns, director of VPIRG, referred to the resistance to the destruction of the Lowell Mountains as NIMBYs. If supporting a position with accurate scientific, statistical, economic and ecological data makes me a NIMBY, then so be it. In the past I have also been a commie, hippie, un-American, agitator, soft on terror, weak, tree-hugger, flatlander, liberal, radical, agitator, sympathizer and environmentalist. I’m OK with it, though, because responding by labeling reveals a desperation inherent in weak arguments. We, the people, usually prevail against the status quo, corporate wealth or the powers that be once the debate resorts to vilifying.

In an effort to resolve this debate once and for all, I’m throwing down a challenge to VPIRG, et al. I propose a debate, open to the public, between the NIMBYs and industrial wind advocates. Name your champion or panel of experts and we will provide our unvarnished data. As public advocates, we are driven to make knowledge the preemptive criteria in this discussion. Then the people can make an informed choice.

So, bring it on VPIRG. Bring anyone you like, including the governor, Conservation Law Foundation and global warming experts. More than anyone though, the NIMBYs want to debate Green Mountain Power. We want to hear how electricity from Lowell turbines will counter the “game over” destruction resulting from their Alberta tar sands investments. Mr. Burns, we the people await your response.

Peter Romans lives in Greensboro.

link here to the burlington free press

2012-01-01T08:05:00.003-05:00

Today brings the promise of a New Year, new beginnings and new challenges for our community as we move together into to the future we must remain ever vigilant.
~~~~~
"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”
Patrick Henry

Resolution # 17 to enact a Wind Law~ Document

2011-12-31T13:41:00.003-05:00

Correction ~ Not too long ago I did a post concerning a Watertown Times article where it was reported that Councilman ,Donald J Mason claimed that he had never voted on a wind matter. My post contained a video proving otherwise.
The vote in question, resolution number 17, to enact a wind law.
I have a correction. Resolution # 17 does exist
I found a copy of resolution number 17 in my files.

Link to my original post.

Link to the Watertown Times article

Bill Owens: "I would like to see a credit for wind extended for another year"

2011-12-31T09:01:00.009-05:00

During a town hall meeting in Watertown, N.Y. June 2010, Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, answered questions about wind power development and federal subsidies.
Bert Bowers Chairperson of the Coalition to Preserve the Golden Crescent spoke to Rep. Owens about the problems that we are experiencing with the proposed wind developments in our area. Mr. Bower spoke of the rampant corruption, the underhanded methods that these companies use, signing landowners up to long term lease agreements behind closed doors. He explained that our areas are financially dependent upon the seasonals tourism dollars. Moreover, our area just wasn’t the proper place for this type of large-scale industrial development.
Mr. Bowers also touched on the massive subsidies needed to sustain the wind industry.

Additionally, Mr. Bowers pointed out that our own government does not provide any substantive information about industrial wind development, they merely regurgitate propaganda that the wind industry pushes.

Rep. Owens began with, "In terms of wind turbine, siting it is largely a local issue."
And he also stated
"I think we need to look at all possibilities, as options to reduce dependence on foreign oil."

Mr. Bower, "If I may", "Dependence on foreign oil has very little to do with electrical energy production, because we don't use oil more than 1% of our electricity nationally."

Rep.Owens then said, "There's a lot of information out there. There's no doubt about it.
Sorting through all that information. "
" What troubled me most about what you said actually was the fact that when you speak to the government agencies. They are not giving you both sides of the coin. "

Rep. Owens ended with,"On the issues of the subsidies. Certainly, if that comes up. And I look at this information more. I'll certainly consider your position on that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~

DECEMBER 12, 2011
Watertown Times ~
Owens gives his opinion about subsidies

Rep. Owens: “I would like to see a credit for wind extended for another year, then considered as part of an entire package of tax code reform.”

Link here to read WDT story

Link here to watch video

Chaumount Dissaloution?

2011-12-31T08:34:00.002-05:00

CHAUMONT — Despite rumors surrounding the proposed dissolution of the 137-year-old village, the village isn’t broke, and it is the residents — not politicians — who have the final say on the matter, according to the head of the Dissolution Study Committee.

“There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the dissolution issue,” village Trustee William C. Borden said. “We are not broke. This is not about Chaumont being broke. Some people also think the dissolution is a done deal. This is not a done deal. It is the village residents that decide whether we dissolve or not.” Continue reading via this link
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chaumont merchants back dissolution ~ Link here to WDT article 1/11/11

Wolfe Island Turbines are noisy

2011-12-29T23:48:00.002-05:00

Those Wolfe Island giants aren't so quiet

From The Whig Standard Archives

By: Gail Kenney

I suggest that local media provide equal opportunity for Wolfe Island community members who are not employees or landowners under contract with the Canadian Renewable Energy Corporation when these media discuss the potential impacts of the Wolfe Island wind farm on residents.

If it is unwilling to engage residents not in the employ of the company, the K-Rock radio station should consider correcting some of the misconceptions that may have arisen from the station's recent interview with the site manager of the wind farm, Mike Jablonicky.

Jablonicky referred in the interview to the turbines as "silent giants." In fact, the turbines generate 40 A-weighted decibels (with allowance for 53 A-weighted decibels in certain wind conditions, according to the Ministry of Environment's regulations governing noise from wind developments). This does not constitute silence.

The Ontario Government, in the Green Energy Act, has admitted there is a need for greater setbacks for wind turbines due to noise. It has proposed a minimum 550-metre setback from residences, with greater setbacks -- up to 1,000 metres -- for projects of more than eight turbines. Wolfe Island's setbacks are 400 metres and there are 86 turbines.

Local MPP John Gerretsen stated in an interview with the CBC that the new setbacks are needed "to best protect the health and safety of Ontarians," and that where turbines are shown to cause negative health effects, "the towers will be moved." Ministry of Environment officials who attended the public forum on the Green Energy Act held on June 25 in Toronto proposed that 5% of Wolfe Island residents in close proximity to the turbines could experience such negative health effects as dizziness, tinnitus, headaches and sleep disorders due to noise and vibration.

There are many islanders who are now quietly coming to terms with the reality that their own provincial government has declared that their health and safety may be at risk from these structures.

Gail Kenney
Chair
Wolfe Island Residents for the Environment

Acciona cashes in on our tax dollars!

2011-12-29T16:41:00.001-05:00

The Daily Outrage: Too many greenbacks paid to Spanish energy firm

The Treasury Department’s inspector general found that Treasury overpaid four green energy companies participating in a federal grant program.

One of the companies, the Spain-based Acciona SA, received more than $2 million more than it should…

All things being equal... or not.

2011-12-29T09:44:00.005-05:00

Map from the Town of Cape Vincents zoning law of 1989

I recently discovered this Anonymous letter in my files
~~~~~~

I live in the agriculture zoned part of Cape Vincent and am concerned with the impact of the wind farm right in our backyards.

In the river and lake front zoned areas there is concern for keeping the water front areas up to a high standard as not to impact the beauty of the lake and river. However in the agricultural area the town sees our area as unimportant to maintain the beauty of the waterfront, by lowering the setbacks for the windfarm from huff road south along bedford corners road.

Why is our area of the lake any different from the lake and riverfront? We pay the same tax base as the rest of the town however they don't allow us the same privileges as the other areas. There are full time residential homes along the lake and we have no more farm or commercially zoned areas as the other two districts. I don't see where the setbacks should be any different for us, our area is as important to me than anywhere else in this town and feel that the agricultural area from Huff road to Valley road to Foxcreek road should be preserved and afford the same setbacks as the lake and riverfront areas.

Anyone who doesn't think that we aren't as important as the other two waterfront areas needs to take a ride down Bedford Corners, down onto Morrison Loop to Fox View Lane, get out and take a good look at the view and talk to the waterfront people who are paying the same taxes as everyon else. One look and you to will wonder why would we allow the windfarm to be right in there backyards?

from the Other Cape Vincent

PS maybe we could get city water also when we are discovered!

CAPE VINCENT A Windy Year in Review

2011-12-27T23:44:00.020-05:00

January 13: The Town Board meeting marked the beginning of a tumultuous year for Cape Vincent and wind development. Acciona, Voters for Wind and Town Board Members, Marty Mason, Donny Mason & Mickey Orvis formed an alliance , calling for an investigation in retaliation for Urban Hirschey’s release of FOILED documents that exposed Acciona’s sound study as fraudulent. Additionally, EX Supervisor Reinbeck called for Hirschey’s immediate dismissal. Their plan backfired, bringing attention to the content of Acciona’s fraudulent sound study. The Attorney General dismissed their request to investigate.

February 9: Even though the Planning Board meeting was canceled, BP’s SDEIS was submitted to the planning board behind closed doors somewhere around Feb. 10, 2011. By chance, a citizen discovered the existence of the documents in the Lyme Library, however the board had not formally accepted it. BP’s former senior project manager, Jim Madden, said in a newspaper interview that he expected the SDEIS to be accepted by the end of March.

February 10: At the Town Board meeting Supervisor Hirschey proposed that a community wide Zogby survey be conducted to gain a better understanding of what direction to lead the community. Additionally, Supervisor Hirschey Called for a resolution for a property Valuation Assurance Policy as a condition for the Town Planning Board's approval of Cape Vincent’s wind turbine site plan applications. Marty Mason said, "I'd like to table it for a moment.” In addition, Donny Mason said, "I agree with Marty." In anticipation of the ZOGBY poll’s results Voters for wind conducted their own scientific telephone poll, the results of which were never made public.

March 16: Michael G. Sterthous, from Whiteman Osterman and Hanna,(WOH) sent a letter to BP advising them that the Cape Vincent’s Planning Board review of their project is “ongoing” and that comments on the status of the completeness of the SDEIS will be delivered to BP Wind Energy‘s technical consultants over the coming months and ultimately lead to iteration of the document.

March 22: Jim Madden, BP’s project developer, left Bp for an opportunity with a smaller company . Madden had been with the Cape Vincent wind project from its inception under Greenlight Energy. At the same time, Todd Mathis departed from Whiteman Osterman & Hanna this left questions concerning the nonexistent documentation regarding expenditures from the Developers escrow accounts (Over 100,000 was billed by the lawyers and engineering company on the SEQRA process.) Supervisor Hirschey is still waiting for WOH to fulfill their promise of sending the accounting records or the minutes that Todd Mathis kept.

March 23: The PB meeting was cancelled. Planning Board members were to consider the supplemental draft environmental impact statement for British Petroleum's Cape Vincent industrial wind complex at this meeting.

May 30: The results of the Zogby poll were published. The poll revealed that Sixty three percent of those surveyed were seasonal, the feelings of those who opposed wind development were becoming stronger and dissatisfaction with the board’s actions concerning wind development was high. Additionally, fifty-nine percent of those surveyed wanted a moratorium on wind development.

June 3: Urban Hirschey, John Byrne and Clif Schneider committed to run as Republicans for positions as Supervisor and Councilmen on Cape Vincent's Town Board. The three candidates released a final unified position statement outlining issues and actions they collectively would undertake if they were successful in the upcoming election one of which was a moratorium on wind development.

June 8: At the Planning Board meeting BP’s new project manager, Peter Gross, was introduced to the community. This was the first meeting that Voters for Wind (VFW) attended without wearing their green shirts. It was at this meeting that Mr. Gross mentioned that BP might be using larger 3-megawatt turbines, thus requiring a smaller number of turbines in the array plan.

June 11: Marked the beginning of the voter registration drive.

June 27: The results of the McCann Appraisal were in and it indicated those homes within 2miles of wind turbines would suffer a 40 % decrease in value.

June 29: Voter for Wind and leaseholder Harvey White announced that he would be challenging Supervisor Hirschey in the republican primary.

June 30: Planning Board Chairman Richard Edsall abruptly resigned without explanation. Additionally, he did not leave behind any records of the planning boards activities.

July:5 McCarthy resigned as well without explanation.

July 6: Reinbeck followed suit telling the media he was leaving due to harassment and threats over the wind power controversy. These resignations left the planning board without a quorum.

July 6: In light of all the negativity, surrounding their project Acciona issued a press release which was a public relations move to introduce a newly prepared brochure extolling the virtues of their proposed wind development, Additionally,
the Watertown Times did a story giving Acciona’s Wind project a positive spin.

August 2: British Petroleum’s project manager Peter Gross sent a letter to planning Board member Richard MacSherry explaining that they were anxiously awaiting the anticipated comments from the Planning Board on their Cape Wind SDEIS. Additionally, Gross stated that BP would like to advance their project in a timely, efficient manner. Mr. Gross also requested that the Planning Board schedule a review of the SDEIS by the Planning Board and asked for a schedule.

August 4: Article X is signed into law making siting of large power plants a state-run process.

August 8: Planning Board member Richard MacSherry sent a letter to Mr. Peter Gross, Project manager Bp Wind Energy, telling Mr. Gross “I have no knowledge of any dialogue that Mr. Edsall could have possibly had with Whiteman Osterman and Hanna, which would have led
them to indicate that any review was active and that comments regarding the SDEIS would be forthcoming under any period.” Additionally, Mr. MacSherry stated that, “The primary obstacles which I (as the board's acting chair ) face are: 1.) the time it will take for the Town Board to fill Planning Board vacancies, 2.) a reasonable period for all members to become familiar with BP draft and supplemental EIS documents
and 3.) an opportunity for the Planning Board to meet with our consultants to share and compare our findings. I have spoken with the Town Supervisor, Mr. Hirschey, and he is aware of the situation. At this juncture, I cannot speculate as to when all of the above-mentioned matters will be concluded: I will commit only to keeping you informed as to our progress.”

August 5:Voters for Wind devised a plan to prevent the seasonal population from voting. They would become champions against Voter Fraud. Their scheme began with a petition asking the Town Board to take action to stop the illegal, unethical and immoral voting methods that
were being used to manipulate the outcome of the election.

August 12: Harold Wiley presented a 200-signature petition to the Board Donny Mason who was prepared in advance with a resolution to stop voter fraud by requiring voters to show a current New York state driver's license with a Cape Vincent address to prove residency. Donny Mason, Marty Mason and Mickey Orvis all voted in favor and the resolution carried.

August 16: at a press conference in Watertown, the Attorney General dismissed the Mason law as unconstitutional.

August 18: Supervisor Hirschey took action to repeal the Mason’s illegal law. Donny and Marty Mason voted against rescinding their unconstitutional law while Mickey Orvis voted in favor of repealing the voter fraud law citing concern for the community. The resolution to rescind passed. Additionally, Orvis had prepared his own resolution proposing that the Town Board actively solicit the State to take over the development process under the statutes of Article 10. Orvis discovered prior to the board meeting that this was something that is not within the scope of the Town Board’s authority, however he read his resolution any way. Moreover, he said it would resolve the conflicts before the election.

Voters for Wind’s Petition drive and resolution strategy failed ; apparently,
the petition carriers had been deceptive in obtaining signatures turning
some of their supporters against them.

AUGUST 25: Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the indictment and arrest of Jeri Mason, the former Town Clerk, who was charged with stealing up to $50,000 from the Town of Cape Vincent.

Sept 1: As the Republican primary drew near ,BP arranged to have a group of pseudo scientists, (New York Wind Education Collaborative, a conglomeration of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, Albany; Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Climate Center at Pace Law School,
Westchester.) Carol Murphy & Marion Trieste were center stage touting the virtues of wind development for our community.

Sept 13: MetalCraft Marine announced that they were opening a new design and manufacturing facility in Cape Vincent.

Sept 13: Supervisor Hirschey won the republican primary, 277 votes to 99 for challenger, wind leaseholder Harvey White.

Sept 19: Harold Wiley chair of the Cape Vincent Democrat party in Cape Vincent
was too preoccupied circulating petitions and assisting the Mason’s with their illegal Jim Crow resolution that he dropped the ball and failed to meet the filing date requirements for the Democrat Caucus. Consequently, there was no Democrat line on the Ballot.

October 13: Harold C. Wiley, Chairman Cape Vincent Democratic Party, teamed up with Gary King ,Chairman of a new group (Citizens for Fair Government). Their next tactic appeared to be intimidation or exacting retribution against those people that had either registered to vote in Cape Vincent or changed their primary residence in order to vote in Cape Vincent. Harold Wiley and Gary King collected a hit list of names of each new voter in Cape Vincent and sent letters to the assessors of those communities where these residents own another home. Alerting the
assessor that these people have registered to vote, the letter stated, “We provide you with this information in the event that there are implications for your community's implementation of the STAR program.”

October 17: The Citizens for Fair Government conducted another letter, writing campaign. They wrote letters to all the newly registered, unethical and immoral, voters in Cape Vincent asking them to consider voting for the very men that wanted to take their voting rights away.

October 19: Gusty winds prevailed and suddenly the safety of personal wind turbines became an issue when Rodger Alexander’s personal turbine was visibly broken and was spinning wildly out of control. Eventually it ceased spinning and it was reported that it was
a test.
November 8: The elections arrive and Hirschey, Byrne, Schneider & Knuth win their respective positions.

November 29: Former Cape Vincent Town Clerk, Jerry Mason, admitted in court that she took nearly $15,000 from the town while working there. Sentencing was scheduled for January 20, where she is expected to pay full restitution and will be sentenced to five years’ probation. If she fails to pay restitution, she will be ordered to serve six months in jail in addition to the five-year probation.

December 8: Marked the last Town Board meeting for Town Board members Donny and Marty Mason.

December 21: Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman requested that the state’s 932 towns send his office their codes of ethics, a major point of contention in towns including Cape Vincent.

December 24: The Watertown Times begins a series of stories devoid of in-depth reporting and factual content, fanning the flames of controversy over Cape Vincent’s election process and ethics problems.

Words of Wisdom From Donny Mason

2011-12-26T00:16:00.002-05:00

Donny Mason ~ Past Quotes and comments~

Dates link to original articles
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watertown Daily Times
Oct.12,2007
Councilman Donald Mason ,said he has a turbine proposed on his property
and is considering whether he will vote on wind power issues.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watertown Daily Times
Oct. 28,2007

Donald Mason , has a contract with St. Lawrence windfarm . He says he will vote on windfarm issues if he can.
"I will vote if it is something I can vote on. We will talk to our lawyerabout it," he said. "I can keep personal business away from town business."

Donny Mason said that wind power is not the only issue in the election. He said creating new water districts , especially in the lakefront district , is important.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thousands Islands Sun
January 26 ,2008

The Cape Vincent Planning Board held a public hearing on BP Alternative Energy’s Cape Vincent Wind Farm DEIS report on Jan. 26.
At this meeting citizens took control , and the TB and PB did not like it one bit, this is reflected in their comments.

Councilman Donald Mason said that he had many complaints from people over the way it was organized. “People were giving their three minutes to friends or other speakers. The gentlemen from Lowville didn’t say anything about the DEIS. He only talked about his problems. A lot of people didn’t talk about the DEIS and I think that should be addressed if they do this again, “he said. The board felt that the public hearing was supposed to be specifically about the DEIS and not personal feelings about the wind project itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thousand Islands Sun
~ Jan of 2010
Marty and Donny Mason took exception to a portion of Supervisor Hirschey’s letter to the Attorney General asking for an opinion about board members with conflicts.
What they objected to was the portion of the letter that read,” It is my understanding that the Town Board members with contracts will abide by your opinion.” The two said that they do not agree to this term.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Syracuse Post standard
February 14 2010
Donny Mason
Cape Vincent Councilman Donald Mason, a former dairy farmer who has a wind company lease, said he’s not influenced by it.

“At far as I’m concerned, I’m just doing what I think is best for the town,” Mason said. “It’s tough to have anything in this little town. There’s one way in — one way out. This is the best thing that’s come along that I can see in my lifetime.”

“There’s a lot of money to be made from it for the town, county, school, landowners,” said Mason, the town councilman. “We have no industry here at all. We have summer people, thank God we have them, but our town has dropped right down. There’s one grocery store, one gas station, one bank, a couple of restaurants and that’s it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Watertown Daily Times
July 10, 2009

Donny Mason’s position on a town wide moratorium was quoted in the WDT. "Currently we have two projects under review in the Ag district and we're not going to suspend those," Mr. Reinbeck said. "One is almost complete." Councilman Donald J. Mason agreed saying, "Those projects are too far along and it's not fair to the wind companies, to begin with, to suspend them now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the video below Donny says if you don't like the way its done go to a lawyer, go to the AG's
office. Don't beat up on the board.

In the Video below
Cape Vincent Town Board member and wind contract holder Donny Mason gives his version of a commercial for the wind companies. Donny says that a wind development forum presented at the Thousand Islands ,High School Aug. of 2009 was unethical
because they did not show the pro's about wind

Who wrote Donny Mason's Voter Fraud law?

2011-12-24T22:24:00.003-05:00

Who wrote Donny's "voter fraud" resolution?
Who wrote the petition?

When Donny Mason introduced his resolution He said I am glad Harold Wiley spoke up with his resolution …ah petition, I saw the petition 4 or 5 days ago and I ah agree. I agree with it 100% ,that there’s stuff going on, whether it’s illegal, not illegal who knows. The county says there’s a lot a grey areas umm so I drew up a resolution, this would stop voter fraud if there’s any happening.

Umm… the one thing we do have in this country is the right ta vote, so let’s do it right, do it legal and ah, so I got a resolution here. I will move it. And when Michelle reads it we’ll ask for a second and go from there. I can’t believe anybody would be against not taking care of voter fraud, if it’s happening. Everybody ought to be in favor of non-voter fraud.

When Donny Mason introduced his resolution to the Town Board August 11, 2011, he said that he saw Harold Wiley’s petition and that because he agreed 100% drew up a resolution to stop voter fraud.
If you compare the Petition to the Resolution, the language is identical. Which came first the resolution or the petition? Donny said he wrote the resolution , did he write the petition too?

~~~~~~
RESOLUTION
Whereas: The Town Board of the Town of cape Vincent has been presented with a petition signed by residents of Cape Vincent stating that it is their
firm belief that unethical if not illegal voting methods were implemented which pre - determined the outcome of the local elections held in Cape Vincent, New York in 2009 and that those same methods are being utilized once again in order to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming November elections. They have subsequently requested that the Town Board of the Town of Cape Vincent, New York take action to resolve this issue.
~~~~~~
PETITION:
it is our firm belief that unethical if not illegal voting methods were implemented which pre- determined the outcome of the local elections held in Cape Vincent, New York in 2009 and that those same methods are being utilized once again in order to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming November elections.
Therefore, we the undersigned concerned residents of Cape Vincent, New York respectfully request that the Town Board of the Town of Cape Vincent, New York takes action to resolve this issue.

Donny's Law

link here to read the signed petition

Cape Ballot Complaints Continue?

2011-12-24T08:44:00.006-05:00

SEARCH ARCHIVES

24 , December 2011

Page: A1

Edition: all

Local

By BRIAN AMARAL

Times Staff Writer

Donny Mason "I may have voted on that (wind law), I don't know I vote on lots of things."

Update 2:51 PM this article has been added to the Watertown Times website ~ link Here

New South Wales Australia Neighbors have Wind Turbine VETO POWER!

2011-12-23T23:04:00.007-05:00

New South Wales Australia gives wind Complex Veto power to neighbors.
Australia's most populous state has proposed the world's toughest laws on wind turbines, with a plan to give all residents within 1.25 miles a veto over new projects.

The New South Wales Government proposed the new rules following controversial rural wind farms, which angered residents over noise and raised claims the vibrations cause stress and illness. Under the proposals, turbines will be subject to a noise limit of 35 decibels, five decibels less than in the state of Victoria, which has similar guidelines.

The NSW planning minister, Brad Hazzard, said the measures were "some of the toughest wind-farm guidelines in the country, possibly the world".

"One hundred per cent of neighbours have to be happy within that two-kilometer zone," he said.
New South Wales is home to Acciona's Gunning wind complex .

The Gunning Wind Farm a 46.5 MW wind farm consisting of 31 Acciona Windpower AW -70/1500 wind turbines.

Additionally, Acciona has The Waubra Wind complex located in Victoria Australia with
128 AW - 82/1500 wind turbines of 1.5 MW.

Acciona has been openly denying that there is a noise problem with their AW-1500 series wind turbines. At the same time they have been buying up homes of residents complaining of health Aroblems from their noisy turbines, and then they slap the homeowner with gag orders to suppress the story.
Additionally, the AW - 82/ 1500 is the same noisy Turbine that is slated for Cape Vincent (Acciona’s St. Lawrence Wind Complex )

The Waubra wind complex website , note 192MW rated capacity with 128 turbines. This indicates each turbine is 1.5 MW: link here

Waubra ~turbine fact sheet note the 82 m diameter of the blades used on some of their turbines
Link --->here <--- this document was downloaded from the same website into scribd for easy viewing

From the brochure for Acciona AW-1500 (1500 kwh = 1.5 MW) note the 82/1500 model which has 82 m diameter rotor. to look at Acciona's brochure link -->here<---

From all of this information one can concluded the specific turbine model at Waubra include the Acciona AW-82/1500

Acciona's St. Lawrence Wind Farm SDEIS Narrative note on line one reference to Acciona AW-82/1500 turbines.

To read the SDEIS document link -->here <-- From all this documentation one can conclude the turbines Acciona is proposing for our town are the same model as used at the Waubra Wind Farm in Victoria, Australia, which have a sordid history of adverse noise impacts.

The lone Ranger ~~~

Link--- >here<--- to read the Dean Waubra noise impact assessment report

link here to read more from ~ the Telegraph ,UK

The Justice Department sheds light on The Grey Area of ~ Donny Mason's "Voter Fraud Law"

2011-12-23T19:04:00.000-05:00

Last August, three of our Town Board members passed a resolution. The “Voter Fraud Law” a law that would require voters to show their driver’s licenses, with a Cape Vincent addresses, in order to vote in a town election. The basis for this law was a petition submitted to the Town Board by Harold Wiley. This petition was a request for the Town of Cape Vincent; Town Board to take action and impose requirements on Certain People, to limit voter’s rights in order to prevent what Harold Wiley called "Voter fraud."
At a special board meeting Aug. 26, 2011, the “Jim Crow voting law” was rescinded by three members of the town board, Supervisor Hirschey, Councilmen Bragdon & Councilmen Orvis. Marty Mason & Donny Mason voted against rescinding the “Voter Fraud Law” .
Donny Mason and Marty Mason both agreed that they wanted to hear something back from the county or state Election board or preferably Albany. Additionally, Marty said it’s not black & white. Donny Mason added, “Marty and I are asking for is a letter from them saying that they're superseding this.”
~~~~
How about a clear stated answer from the Justice Department?
December 23, 2011

From the Washington Post.
The Justice Department has blocked a new South Carolina voting law, saying it violates the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The state law requires voters to present a photo ID in order to vote. The Justice Department says the law disenfranchises minorities.

OOPS, Video of Donny Mason Voting on Wind Law

2011-12-23T00:20:00.003-05:00

Recently in a Watertown Times (WDT) article, it was reported that
Donald J. Mason, a Democratic town council member who was voted out of office this year, said that he followed ethics rules when he was in office. He didn’t vote on wind matters, but spoke about them publicly, he said.
And the ethics charges have two sides. Mr. Mason said that Mr. Hirschey behaved unethically when he released documents pertaining to a wind-power study. “I like Urban and all, don’t get me wrong,” Mr. Mason said. “But what he did was wrong”.

Listen to the video below , recorded at the of the November 12, 2009 Town Board meeting ,Councilmen Donald Mason, Acciona leaseholder, Marty Mason, Acciona and BP leaseholder, and Joe Wood, Acciona leaseholder all vote AYE for Resolution #17 to enact a wind law .
Additionally, resolution #17 was not included in the minutes. The Nov.13, 2009 minutes refer to Resolution #17 being on file in the clerk's office.

Thanks to John Byrne for video taping the board meetings.

When Donny Mason was interviewed for this WDT article, did he forget that he voted on "wind matters”?
Additionally,did Donny Mason forget that the Attorney General is investigating "certain" wind lease holding municipal officers and not Supervisor Hirschey?

Perhaps, a Roving Reporter could do a follow up and ask Donny Mason these important questions.

Inquiring minds want to know...

Link here to the DECEMBER 21, 2011
WDT story

Link here to read resolution # 17

The Town of Cape Vincent ~ Unveils...

2011-12-22T23:27:00.003-05:00

A Fresh New Look

The Town of Cape Vincent has recently updated their website with a fresh new look, Just in time for the New Year. This information packed website is easy to use, easy to navigate, and the information it provides is easy to find. Additionally, this new website is beautifully designed, using an aerial view of Cape Vincent as a background image.

Link Here to check it out!

Supervisor's Message
Those of us who live in the Cape or visit frequently are aware of the wonderful assets of the community which include it's location, ambiance, and people. In short, it is a wonderful place to work, play and bring up a family.
As Supervisor I view it a responsibility to protect these assets and to build upon them;
1. The town and village comprehensive plan.
2. The Zoning Codes which guide present and future land use.
3. Preservation and better utilization of the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse property
4. job creation through support of Metalcraft Marine and encouragement of additional related manufacturing.
5. Encouragement of cross border commerce through participation in the efforts of the Kingston/Wolfe Island/Cape Vincent joint efforts.
6.Continue our Openness in government.

Rush Limbaugh weighs in on wind ~

2011-12-22T09:44:00.005-05:00

Photo: Falmouth Mass
~~~
Rush Limbaugh weighs in on the Falmouth Mass, wind folly, March, 2011

Falmouth Mass : A study was launched with the mission of identifying the presence or the lack of low frequency and infrasonic sound. Conducted in a home in Falmouth Massachusetts this study confirmed that Industrial wind Turbines cause adverse health effects .

Recently the results of this study were made available.

Link here to read more about this study

The Truth about Green Energy

2011-12-21T23:14:00.003-05:00

In the U.S., public discussion of alternative energy has been largely monopolized by two energy sources: solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind power. But the high-profile bankruptcy of solar power company Solyndra — shortly after the firm received a $535 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Dept of Energy — reveals the dangers of the nation’s unhealthy obsession with green energy.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that the total cost of solar PV energy by 2016 will be about $211 per megawatt-hour, compared to $63 for an advanced, combined-cycle power plant fueled by natural gas

More from GURU FOCUS.com...

Solar Millennium files for insolvency

2011-12-21T23:10:00.001-05:00

Solar Millennium, which has its U.S. headquarters in downtown Oakland, filed for insolvency in a German court, the company said Wednesday.
In May, Solar Millennium was awarded a $2.1 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy. The money would have been used to underpin the company's construction of a solar energy complex in the California desert community of Blythe, using its solar trough technology More...

Wolfe Island WindThe Good? The Bad & The Ugly

2011-12-21T13:55:00.015-05:00

North Country Public radio is one of a group of public radio stations around the Great lakes, collaborating on a special reporting project called front & center, the series looks at the Great Lakes from a variety of views. Todays audio report covers Wolfe Island Wind.

The audio collage, below was produced by Chris Trimmer and Aleksandra Bragoszewska of Kingston, Ontario for Front and Center, captures the low roar of the turbines and the dissonance they've spread in the community.

Link here to North Country Public radio
~~~

Ethics? Stick to the Facts!

2011-12-21T09:00:00.031-05:00

Update : 11:38, 2011
There are a couple of excerpts from a Watertown time’s article, concerning Cape Vincent and ethics, which may need clarification.
I have provided FOILED documentation, that may clarify a few of the issues mentioned in this article.
link~ below to read the WDT story~
(State AG Requests Town Ethics Codes)

Excerpts: From WDT story

In Cape Vincent, those who don’t want wind-power development in town have accused certain Town Council members of being conflicted pawns of the alternative energy industry with whom they hold leases.
Those who support wind power, on the other hand, complained when the anti-wind-power town supervisor, Urban C. Hirschey, leaked confidential documents to an anti-wind-power group.While both matters were referred to the attorney general’s office — during the tenure of Andrew M. Cuomo, who is now governor — neither seemed to have a state-mandated resolution in the offing.
That’s because such matters are resolved more easily at the local level — as long as the town has a well-defined and enforceable ethics code.

Clarification:

No, there does not seem to be a state mandated resolution in the offing.
However, the complaints about conflicted officials had enough merit for the AG to launch an investigation into the matter, August 13, 2010.

Additionally, there has been no formal announcement of a conclusion to their investigation.

I have posted a letter from the AG at the end of this post, announcing this investigation and requesting documents and records for their investigation.

On the other hand, the Accusations, made by Acciona and their lease holders, (including Board members, Mason & Mason, January 13, 2011 ~ (after Cuomo was elected Governor) , against Supervisor Urban Hirschey ,were put to rest by the AG’s office, under the reign of Eric Schneiderman .

Below is a letter from Town Attorney Mark Gebo to Supervisor Urban Hirschey concerning this matter .

Update: there were a few technical issues with the link below; it has been revised to show the complete HX. of the FOILED engineering documents.

( new link)
Link here ~ google docs ~ to read original FOIL request for the documents in question

Link here to
Watertown Times article~ State won't pursue official

Below is the letter RE: AG investigation into Supervisor Hirschey's Misconduct

Below is the letter from Attorney Generals office announcing their investigation

Letter: Confession of a former wind turbine supporter

2011-12-20T21:34:00.001-05:00

Editor:

They say that confession is good for the soul, so here is my confession:

A few years ago I thought like so many other people in this country, in particular in this town of Orangeville, that wind must be good, after all it's free. I even went so far as to have a "green energy" sign on my lawn. Free works for me, but it didn't take a lot of research to discover that like the lunch, nothing is free!

I began to ask questions such as: Why does each industrial wind turbine contain 400-plus gallons of oil? Why are the employees of the industrial wind turbines told to not get within 1,300 feet of a working turbine? Why have the issues of wind shear noise and blade flicker not been resolved? And the questions kept coming. So many unanswered questions and no real answers were coming from the industrial wind turbine people or my elected town board.

For instance, I discovered that if the wind isn't blowing or is blowing too strong, the turbines are shut down, hence, where is the reliability in this? I do not believe we could do a load of laundry or dishes, or even take a shower with this undependable energy source.

The current grid is ancient and when energy is sent into it, the grid is unable to handle the overload and the energy cannot be stored. Hence, all this free energy is now costing us the taxpayer money. I started to wonder exactly how many coal cars have been saved and how many barrels of oil have not been used by the use of the industrial wind turbines? And, my research revealed that the industrial wind turbines that we are seeing are actually antiques themselves. Since they were purchased by the wind company, new models which are more reliable and efficient are now available. But the wind company that wants to put up industrial wind turbines have already purchased these antiques and they want to pawn them off on us, the unsuspecting landowner.

Something else that I discovered while researching industrial wind turbines is that there is now an industrial wind turbine heart condition, which is caused by the adverse affects of having an industrial wind turbine near one's home.

Additionally, I learned that the industrial wind turbine investors are just that. They have no real interest in providing accessible wind energy to this country, New York State, or the town of Orangeville. Instead they are more interested in the tax benefits that they will gain from New York State and the federal government. Plus, when they receive too much in tax credits they can actually sell the excess tax credits, as they are fully transferable. We then end up with non-resident owners who really don't care that the current machinery is antiquated and outdated before it is erected.

Needless to say, all this acquired knowledge left my head spinning so I went to the supervisor of one of the wind companies and was told that yes I too could be an investor if I had the amount of money needed to purchase an industrial wind turbine. Further, because of the tax benefits, the profitability of investing in an industrial wind turbine is very lucrative. Thus, I began to wonder how is it that the investors and the industrial wind turbine companies do not pay their fair share in taxes but instead are allowed to pay a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) which amounts to several hundred thousand dollars for each town. But again, against the millions generated by tax benefits and credits received by the investors, this amount seems incredibly small and nearly insulting to the towns that accept this PILOT payment.

Now the town of Orangeville wants to put the industrial wind turbine within 700 feet of a property line, not the 1,300 feet recommended by the company.

The industrial wind turbine companies have done to Orangeville what they did in Sheldon, Bliss and all the other towns and counties where they have signed people up for leases or land variances. The industrial wind turbine companies have successfully split these towns and pitted neighbor against neighbor. There is a better way to do business, but the industrial wind turbine company has chosen to come into each town with no information about them and sign unsuspecting landowners up without giving the land owner any knowledge at all about the hazards of these turbines.

Now that you've read my confession I urge you to also look into these industrial monsters before you are swayed by a slick talker from out of town, into signing your property away. Know what your rights are, know what you are signing and know the end results.

Soon an election will take place in Orangeville which gives you, the voter, a genuine opportunity for change, real change. The opportunity to vote for folks who are not anti-industrial wind turbine and indeed support them in non-residential areas. Steve Moultrup, Mary Jo Hopkins and Darryl Dickinson each want what is best for Orangeville, not their own personal pocketbooks.

Here ends my confession. I feel relieved knowing that you, the reader, now have information that you can discern and are the wiser for having received it.

L . M.

Warsaw

MITIGATION

2011-12-20T07:02:00.001-05:00

Wind turbine tax promise lacks substance

2011-12-19T22:27:00.002-05:00

This article should be read by those who believe wind development will create a tax windfall for the town. We can be certain the owners and developers of wind facilities will do everything possible to reduce their local taxes. In addition, remember the effect on local property values and consequent lowering of assessed values that will result from wind development.

Why are the towns granting PILOTs to these developers? What is the justification to giving further tax breaks at the local level to these developers who only exist because of tax breaks and incentives given at the federal and state level as a result of bad or misinformed public policy?

Another question to ponder - why do we permit development based on secret lease agreements? Shouldn't we require the leases to be made public. Otherwise, we may find the developer doing things that might be harmful to the public, but offering the defense that the lease agreement allows this action. It seems to me that if we are to create adequate zoning laws to protect citizens from the developers, we must be familiar with the terms of the land leases involved.

Signed
Anon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Larry Gerdes
Atlanta, Ga.

Letter to the Editor
Bureau County Republican

Wind turbine tax promise lacks substance

A well-rehearsed claim repeatedly trumpeted by wind project
developers, and those wanting to join with them, promises substantial new property tax revenues as a windfall for our schools and counties.
This argument becomes a tool used to disarm those neighbors who are opposed to these mammoth towers and the disruption to this agricultural community. As I have investigated these claims of promised new tax revenues, I was struck by what is not shared:
Subsequent appeals of the taxes; attempts to claim the turbines are not real property and effects of accelerated depreciation on these turbines thereby rapidly reducing the taxable value. Once the projects are built (and all of the exceptions to the zoning ordinances are repeatedly granted), the taxing jurisdictions have lost any leverage over these developers.
Almost certainly, the recent legal action involving a developer’s dispute under a road agreement is revealing of what the county should expect soon after projects are built.
Most of all, however, it was surprising to learn the current tax law pertaining to wind projects expires in 2011; with no guarantee, it will be extended.
In light of what may have been little understood by many of us, my lawyer, Richard S. Porter, has delivered a letter (see excerpts below) to Roger Craine, chairman of the board at Bureau Valley School District.
My attorney’s intent is to identify the flaw in the claim advanced by advocates for these projects as most recently reported in an article in the Bureau County Republican regarding the promised tax revenues from the Walnut Ridge project south of Walnut and the newly proposed project (the Green River project) north of Walnut.
“My client, Larry Gerdes, asked me to send you this quick note regarding the current statutory provisions for taxation of Industrial Wind Turbines such as being proposed in your area.
I am an attorney who has represented citizen groups and local governmental bodies concerning zoning requests by turbine companies.
I have learned that the tax revenue is far from assured. Please take a few minutes to digest this information while you decide whether this is a project, you should really be supporting.
“The law which governs the taxation of wind energy devices is found at 35 ILCS 200/10-600 through 10-620 …
This law provides there will be a $360,000 assessed value per megawatt of nameplate capacity of a wind turbine. Depending on your local tax rate, I have been told this usually equates to somewhere around $9,000 of taxation for a 1.5 to 2 megawatt turbine at least in the first year.
However, what the statute goes on to state is that the turbine company is entitled to depreciate those turbines down to as low as 30 percent of the trended real property cost basis. I have been told in another county that the tax revenue will be reduced every year and be 42 percent less by year 2018.
“The turbine companies also often fail to mention this statute has A”sundown provision” of 2011. Therefore, by its own terms, the statute does not apply after 2011. In the past, turbine companies have often argued wind turbines are personal property rather than real estate, and are therefore, not subject to real estate taxation at all.
This argument is actually very viable as the wind turbines themselves are merely bolted to a cement pad and can be removed in a matter of hours. The turbine companies will be free to argue after 2011 that only the cement pad (which is virtually valueless) is real estate.
Similar arguments have been successful by nuclear power companies in Illinois. Experts in the industry have also confided that there is also the very real risk that turbines will become exempted from taxation altogether as pollution control devices.
“Finally, as a school board member I am sure you are very concerned about the welfare of the kids in the area.
I urge you to educate yourself to the physical and mental complaints that many
children endure from living in close proximity to the noise and visual disturbances that accompany industrial wind turbines including sleep deprivation which severely impacts health and concentration.”

I hope you consider all of this information as you decide whether to support this dramatic change to your local community and its
landscape.

Larry Gerdes
Atlanta, Ga.
Bureau County Republican

~~~~~~~~~~

Surplus Energy ~

2011-12-19T15:02:00.003-05:00

WASHINGTON — A federal power agency discriminated against wind operators in the Pacific Northwest when it unplugged their generators to cope with a surplus of renewable energy on its transmission system this year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered the agency, the Bonneville Power Administration, to rewrite its rules.
Read full story here ~ NY Times Energy & Environment

Read the complaint here

link to FERC~ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

GLOBAL ~ WARMING

2011-12-19T07:59:00.000-05:00

Controversy surrounds proposed wind development in Minnesota

2011-12-19T00:08:00.001-05:00

The proposed turbine Array footprint of a controversial wind farm under development in Goodhue County Minnesota, is frequented by large numbers of eagles, according to a wildlife survey the developer AWS Goodhue Wind,LLC conducted this fall under orders from state regulators.

In response to the high eagle counts that resulted from this survey, AWA Goodhue Wind, LLC is accusing project opponents of baiting the area to distort the bird surveys.

In their report, AWA Goodhue claims that Point Count Surveys conducted to date during the fall of 2011 have been seriously compromised by an active baiting program being conducted by project opponents.
Additionally, they are asserting that the full extent of the baiting program is unknown but data from at least two of the six observation points has been compromised by baiting activity. Both livestock carcasses and relocated road killed wildlife have been used in this effort. The Minnesota Board and Animal Health (BAH) has confirmed that baiting with livestock carcasses is occurring.

However, the reality is that these allegations are unsubstantiated.
Carl Denkinger, an agricultural specialist with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, has investigated six complaints of eagle baiting in the past month within the 32,000-acre wind project footprint.

While some dead farm animals have been found in Denkinger's investigations, such as baby pigs and a calf carcass, none has resulted in a violation; by state law, farmers have 72 hours to dispose of dead livestock.

"To make the blanket statement that this is being done to bait eagles, I'm not ready to make that statement," Denkinger said.

In their report to the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) AWA Goodhue’s inclusion of unsubstantiated accusations, that opponents baited the survey area speaks volumes about their ethical practices…

Sources: AWA Goodhue Bird & Bat protection plan

Post bulletin

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1478899

The Star Tribune

Massachusetts ~ Wind energy siting reform act dead

2011-12-18T18:58:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately for us in New York Siting turbines is no longer a local issue we had this right taken away with very little public input, The state Legislature passed the power NY Act of 2011 in June, late at night behind closed doors and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law in August .

However, in Massachusetts the story is entirely different, the Wind energy siting reform act is all but dead in committee and is unlikely to be resuscitated during the current legislative session.

Read more from the Berkshire Eagle

AWEA gets a LUMP of COAL from American taxpayers·

2011-12-18T08:26:00.010-05:00

AWEA gets a LUMP of COAL from American taxpayers·

Ms. Linowes
Executive Director and spokesperson for the Industrial Wind Action (IWA) Group, a national advocacy focused on the impact/benefits analysis and policy issues associated with industrial wind energy development.

Lisa Linnows had this to say about our a multi-state campaign to send one letter per state on 1603 to members of the House of Representatives --

Hi Everyone --Special thanks to all of you for the fantastic response received on the letter sent to Congress. Over 1600 names were collected from 25 different states. The list of participating states is below. My contact on Capitol Hill has informed me that the letters were impacting arriving at the right time.
The message was clear that regular people were watching the House and that a price would be paid if they supported any extension to the Section 1603 cash grant program.Participating States: Arizona California Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia WisconsinAnd for the very good news ...
The Senate was UNABLE to attach an extension of Section 1603 or the production tax credit to the version of the payroll tax bill voted on today. The bill goes back to the House on Monday where it will almost certainly pass.We know the House and Senate will be back at this after the new year. So we must remain vigilant.But for now, AWEA gets a lump of coal from the American Taxpayers.
I will be back in touch in the coming weeks with information on how to approach the next round.Thank you everyone! Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Please email if you have questions or wish to have a copy of the letter sent from your state or any of the others.

Kind regards,--Lisa

Towers, towers everywhere ~ WDT ~ Editorial

2011-12-16T11:46:00.002-05:00

Towers, towers everywhere
SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010

The news last week that the Ontario Power Authority has awarded a contract for a 300-megawatt wind farm in the shallow Lake Ontario waters west of Wolfe Island further complicates the work of Cape Vincent and Clayton and Lyme municipal governments that are already struggling to determine how to treat commercial wind proposals in their towns.

Wind Stream Wolfe Island Shoals Inc. is owned by the same developers who built the Wolfe Island wind farm. That 86-windmill farm could be dwarfed by the new proposal; a 300-megawatt farm using generators of 1.6- to 2-megawatt capacity could add between 150 and 187 new towers to a Thousand Islands landscape that is already pretty full when you look north.

Link here to the Watertown Times to read the full letter
Towers, towers everywhere

Acciona Uses Wrong Approach

2011-12-15T22:59:00.002-05:00

Editorial from the Watertown Daily Times

Wind developer should open meetings
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010
Acciona Wind Energy USA has a strange way of reaching out to the public. They'll do it behind closed doors.

The developer of St. Lawrence Wind Farm in Cape Vincent plans to set up a community relations group of 10 to 15 town and county officials as well as residents on both sides of the issue to provide a variety of viewpoints.

Project Manager Peter E. Zedick said it will help them share "all the information we can with the community." They expect to meet next month with several other meetings planned this year under the direction of a moderator from Jefferson Community College's Center for Community Center.

But there's a catch...

Link here to read full story in the Watertown Daily Times
~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Relations Group letter

American Bird Conservancy Formally Petitions Feds to Regulate Wind Industry

2011-12-15T10:07:00.004-05:00

Leading bird conservation group formally petitions feds to regulate wind industry
The nearly 100-page petition for rulemaking, prepared by ABC and the Washington, D.C.-based public interest law firm of Meyer, Glitzenstein & Crystal (MGC), urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to issue regulations establishing a mandatory permitting system for the operation of wind energy projects and mitigation of their impacts on migratory birds.
Source:
Ted Williams ~ Fly Rod and Reel
Read more here ~ http://www.flyrodreel.com/blogs/tedwilliams/2011/december/conservation-petitions

Congressman Bill Owens owes his allegiance to constituents

2011-12-15T08:27:00.002-05:00

Watertown Daily Times Owens owes his allegiance to constituents

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011

Letter to the Editor Watertown Daily Times

On some issues, it seems Rep. Bill Owens has difficulty sorting out his allegiance to local district constituents or the national Democratic party line. The recent article showing the difference between Mr. Owens and Matt Doheny on wind subsidies is a case in point. Similar to the position he’s taken regarding federal ballast rules versus those proffered by New York state, Mr. Owens’s position to support wind subsidies is counter to the position taken by many in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties who have faced the predatory strategies of the wind industry.

Mr. Owens is concerned that a vote against subsidies for renewables will include not only wind but, “biomass and other renewable energy projects.” He goes on to talk about his concerns that siting of wind projects should be “a local issue, and not something the federal government should be involved in.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Article X has essentially taken the siting of wind projects out of the hands of local municipalities and provided a cursory seat at the table for local participation in name only and not substance.

A principled stand by Mr. Owens for the renewables that he supports, while rejecting specifically the wind industry, would be a far more nuanced posture that constituents could understand.

Instead of clearly stating his position regarding the wind industry in the north country, it appears to me he abides the national Democratic support of renewables unquestioningly while his constituents continue to attempt to ward off the predatory advances of multinational wind developers.

Which master will Mr. Owens serve, his local constituents or the national party in Washington? Those of us who have dealt with the wind industry would love to have a frank conversation with Mr. Owens regarding wind development in the north country. Perhaps he could, as a result, educate some of his colleagues who only hear from K Street lobbyists.

David Duff

Macomb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Owens works hard Spreading....

Dead geese seen on roads near turbines

2011-12-15T07:46:00.007-05:00

Cartoon ~ Compliments of Wind Toons
~~~

Geese Fall Victim to Spinning Blades of Wind Turbines
Letter to the Editor Watertown Daily Times

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011

On the night of Dec. 7, I drove through some very thick fog. As I traveled state Route 190 from Ellenburg to Brainardsville my fog lights illuminated one of the grizzliest scenes I have experienced. I counted 15 bloody, mutilated corpses of snow geese spread out over several miles.

I counted only those on the road because those were the only ones I could see due to the heavy fog. I do not know how many more were spread across the yards and crossroads.

Shortly after passing state Route 374, I noticed there were no more dead birds. I only saw the dead birds as I drove near the wind turbines.

The big corporation and landowners who stand to make large sums of money putting up wind towers of monstrous heights in the towns of Hopkinton and Parishville keep telling us that the towers are safe.

The wind industry propaganda says that windows kill more birds than wind turbines. How many geese have flown into your windows? I can’t say I have ever known that to happen.

But I do know that last night a whole flock of geese flying over the woods and farms their ancestors have always traveled were smashed, battered and thrown to their death.

I can only pray that no humans were injured when the falling dead geese struck them or their vehicles.

Kelly Johnson-Eilola

St. Regis falls

Cape Vincent Voter ID Requirement an Illegal Act

2011-12-14T23:15:00.003-05:00

Watertown Daily Times Illegal act

Editorial
Repeal voter ID requirement
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

The illegal attempt by a three-member majority of the Cape Vincent Town Council to limit voting is reminiscent of the literacy tests and poll taxes used to keep black people and other minorities from exercising their constitutional right to vote.

In a town bitterly divided over wind power, the three members of the board supporting a controversial wind-power development rammed through without any prior legal consultation a resolution requiring voters to show their state driver’s licenses with a Cape Vincent address to vote in next month’s primary and the Nov. 8 election. A provision permits election officials to waive the identification requirement for someone they know. The resolution is aimed at blocking seasonal residents from changing their addresses in order to have a voice in the dispute through the ballot.

Read the complete editorial at this link

Watertown Daily Times Illegal act

GET OVER IT !

2011-12-14T09:34:00.001-05:00

The Controversy in Cape Vincent over the incumbents Mason and Mason losing the election seems to be a sore spot with some people.
Donny Mason and Marty Mason were in office for many years , they had the opportunity to do many things that were beneficial for our community, however as Richard Nixon is only remembered for his actions concerning “Watergate”, so too will the Mason’s be forever remembered for their actions concerning wind development in Cape Vincent. They did not lose the election because of a blog or because of the “antis”,
they just went too far, they became power hungry and the citizens had the last word.
Get over it!
It was legal ethical and moral for the citizens of our community to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

Rethinking Wind Tower Safety

2011-12-13T11:06:00.002-05:00

December 28, 2009
Perry White, Watertown Daily Times City Editor

Another wind tower has collapsed, this one in the Madison County Wind Farm in the town of Fenner. The nine-year-old tower collapsed Saturday night, apparently when power was lost to the tower. This is the second such collapse in upstate New York this year; in March, a tower collapsed in Altona, Franklin County, when it, too, lost power. Clearly, this issue is one that needs further study and one that should be giving pause to towns in the north country that are rushing to get permissive laws on the books for commercial wind farm development.

These two collapses are far from the only ones, however. In Denmark in 2008, a tower collapsed when the braking system failed and the blades spun out of control, eventually shattering the nacelle and sending debris well beyond the collapse range of one and a half times the tower height. In Oldenburg, Germany, a tower collapsed in November 2006 when a rotor shattered, bringing the entire tower down; large chunks of blade debris landed more than 200 meters – 660 feet – from the tower.

Link here to the Watertown Daily Times to read more...

Acciona's ~ Wind Turbine HOP SCOTCH

2011-12-12T22:54:00.003-05:00

An important part of the WPEG lawsuit that stands out is the noise issue the planning board ignored their consultant’s recommendations. In Edsalls affidavit # 59. The planning board stated with respect to operational noise, that impacts had successfully been minimized through project design (reduction of total number of turbines from 96 to 53). However, there was a further reduction in the number of wind turbines in the project, two more turbines have been eliminated from the array plan, now the project is scheduled for 51 turbines.

Why has SLW eliminated two extra turbines?
An insightful reader sent me a story that may answer the question as to why these turbines have been eliminated and in the process, they have opened the door to many more questions...

Acciona Gives Special Treatment to Cape Vincent Town Councilman
Donald Mason, but screws the Bells
Donald Mason is a leaseholder who had SLW's turbine T-11 on his property Immediately behind his home in the March 2009 SDEIS (map below). Turbine T-11, however, was dropped from the FEIS along with T-38. Reasons given by SLW were noise And wetland impacts. Mason's turbine would have been located in the middle of Agricultural land (corn field) and therefore should not have disturbed any wetlands. The Nearest non-participating property owner at NNE was 2,286 ft. from T-11. Mason's House was would have been located 1,200 ft. from his turbine.

Mason's house)

In the SDEIS version above Mason also had a “Temporary Construction Work Area” Designated for his property (purple rectangle with number 3). The map excerpt below From the FEIS in 2010, represents the final project layout and we see how Mason

No longer is there T-11, but the purple outline with the number 2 designates “Collector Substation/O&M Building.” Mason now has the permanent office of SLW on his land along with their substation along with electrical interconnecting lines.

His payday may be even bigger for swapping noise impacts for a substation. Below left is a section of the SDEIS sound study (CR2949) and shows estimated turbine sound levels of approximately 43 dBA at Mason's home and less than 42 dBA for nonparticipants across the Favret Road (red squares).

Map excerpt on the right is from a section of the FEIS (CR4696) sound study showing the reduction in sound impacts by removing turbine No. 11. Mason managed to have SLW reduce projected sound levels at his home, probably by at least 4 dBA, to about 39 dBA.
Remarkably, he never made any comment during the SDEIS, but was nevertheless given relief by SLW. He was also the individual who advocated at the May 5, 2010 wind committee meeting that he supported maximum number of turbines and also a 50 dBA sound limit for non-participants. Turbine No. 38 was also removed by SLW from their final project layout. Although SLW indicated they removed two turbines in their FEIS for reasons related to noise and wetlands, the map excerpts below for turbine No. 38 show the location to be in an agricultural field and not near any protected wetland. Perhaps by examining the sound level contours it may provide some specific reason why turbine No. 38 was eliminated from the final project plan.

It appears that a possible explanation for the removal of T-38 was the potential for adversely affecting a large number of non-participating landowners (red squares) around the Millen's Bay area. Whereas the 42 dBA contour in the SDEIS map (CR2949) on the above left encroaches close to NYS Rte 12E, by eliminating T-38 the 42 dBA contour in the FEIS map (CR4696) is moved all the way back to the CR 8 map designation (right above, second dotted line beyond 40 dBA contour). If SLW has any concerns about potential turbine noise complaints, particularly a location where the noise would have affected many homeowners, this was a responsible decision. Unfortunately, SLW appears to have less concern if only one family and landowner is affected. Michael and Dolores Bell's home and property will be surrounded by SLW's wind turbines. They wrote the town during the SDEIS comment period concerned that turbine sound levels would be too great. The following sound maps outline SLW turbine noise impacts.

For the Bell's, estimated sound level in the SDEIS (left map excerpt CR2949) was 42 dBA, similar to the estimated sound level in the FEIS (right map excerpt CR4696). However, the 42 dBA contour is closer in the FEIS arrangement due to the additional turbine placed directly east (right) of the Bell home. In spite of Bell's comments that turbine noise would be too loud SLW added another turbine close to their home thereby raising sound levels by a small, but significant amount (note the how the shape of the 42 dBA contour plots in each map excerpt).

Owens ~ Proponent of Corporate Welfare Versus Doheny ~ Proponent of Business

2011-12-12T07:07:00.012-05:00

Updated:12/12/2011, 2:53 PM

“Photo/Image from: Bill Owens Campaign video

~~~
Matt Doheny Republican candidate for New York’s 23rd Congressional District Versus . Democrat Bill Owens who currently holds the seat.

The choice is clear.

Owens believes that corporate welfare is a good thing; he believes that the federal Production Tax Credit should be extended on wind-generated electricity, for at least one more year to match the subsidy for other renewable sources.

“That’s part of an overall package of tax credits, which also go to biomass and other renewable energy projects, so in general, I think that has to be part of the next package,” he said. “I would like to see a credit for wind extended for another year, then considered as part of an entire package of tax code reform. ”
Over a year ago while visiting Watertown, Mr. Owens said he understands the acrimony in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties over turbine placement, but that siting turbines is a “local issue” and not something, the federal government should be involved in.

Unfortunately, for us in New York Siting turbines is no longer a local issue we had this right taken away with very little public input, The state Legislature passed the power NY Act of 2011 in June, late at night behind closed doors and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law in August .

Click here to tell Bill Owens what you believe should be the main focus of Congress as we move forward into 2012.

Matt Doheny opposes the wind power subsidy.
“I would be against extending the tax credit,” he said. “This is the type of corporate welfare we’ve got to start getting away from. I want to create a flatter and fair tax code.”
“People are saying, ‘Enough!’” Mr. Doheny said. “This is a land of opportunity and we want a level playing field, but we don’t think governments should be picking winners and losers, particularly winners who wouldn’t make it otherwise.”

If government subsidizes “anything enough, people will produce it,” he said.
In addition, for the North Country, he said wind subsidies are a bad deal.
“In areas like the Golden Crescent and the Thousand Islands, there are huge potential negative local impacts in terms of local economies and tourism,” he said. “I’m a pro-business guy and focused like a laser on bringing this country, our region, the North Country, good businesses.”

Source: The Watertown Times two candidates running for the 23 congressional seat link here for full story.

“Photo/Image from: Bill Owens Campaign video

With the renewal of the production Tax Credit we will be expected to pay without a say!

Source: Watertown Daily Times ~ Wind tax credit separates Owens, Doheny
Future development: Republican challenger calls it corporate welfare; Democrat wants reform
By NANCY MADSEN

Owens talks to Burt Bauer about Wind power.

"LET THEM EAT (SEMI-HOMEMADE) CAKE"

2011-12-11T23:19:00.004-05:00

Hood-winked at the Article X Banquet

The definition of hood-winked is: “To take in by deceptive means; to deceive.”
Come along with me and imagine that four of us from Cape Vincent were invited to attend a banquet at the Roxy Hotel. We are told that some Big-Shots from Albany are interested in what we have to say about our community. Exciting, huh? Can't wait, huh?
We arrive the night of the banquet and head for the door when two big ushers tell us only two can enter and sit at the table. We begin to decide who among us will enter when the usher interrupts and tells us he decides, not the four of us. Hmm? We are beginning to wonder about this banquet.
The Roxy is humming with noise. Lots of people, mostly men, running around in suits and ties, typical Albany political types. We see a banner on the wall ARTICLE X SITING BANQUET.

We begin to get the drift of why we are here. Some smiley, ex-high school valedictorian leads us to the banquet table that seats seven. We are introduced to the other five sitting at the table – Mr. NYSERDA, Mr. PSC, Mr. DEC, Mr. DOH and Mr. DED. They all smile, shake our hands, tell us we are welcome, and thank us for coming. “Glad to have you share our banquet,” said Mr. PSC at the head of the table.
Then the food begins to arrive. Waiters fill the table with a wide assortment of great food. The five Big-Shots ask us what we'd like for dinner. We respond, “The turkey looks delicious and the prime rib is my favorite.” More smiles. “How about some fixings,” Mr. NYSERDA asks. “Thank you,” we respond and we are beginning to think this is really nice. They are all so friendly and solicitous – they really seem to be interested in us.
After all the food has been served, the Big-Shots pick up the knives and forks, still smiling, and begin to eat. As we move to do the same, the Big-Shots stop eating, stop smiling and tell us to stop. “You two can't eat,” they shout! “You are ad hoc invitees to the banquet, you don't get to eat,” they continued. We dropped our forks and they began to eat, began to smile and even asked us what we thought of the food. Can you imagine their nerve?
How would you feel if you were invited to the table, asked what you would like to eat, but then were denied the opportunity to eat? This is exactly what is written into Governor Cuomo's Article X “Power NY Act 2011.” The law takes away home rule in siting power projects, but allows two, token locals to sit at the table with the Big-Shots as ad hoc member. Ad hoc means no voting rights. They take away our home-rule rights and throw us a few crumbs, but then tell us we can't eat the crumbs.

If you are madder than hell at the nerve of Albany then cut and paste this piece in an email to your local representatives and tell them that the Little-Shots from the North Country want to eat too! The legislature needs to revise the law so that local representatives on the Article X siting board get to vote along with the Big-Shots. With the current law the deck is stacked in favor of Albany 5 to 0. We aren't even asking for fair representation, just some representation. We'd settle with 5 to 2 odds in favor of Albany? Let us vote.

Lone Ranger

Senator Patti Richie - ritchie@nysenate.gov

Assemblywoman Addie Russell - russella@assembly.state.ny.us

NO to Industrial Wind/Solar Renewable Tax Credits thru 2016

2011-12-11T13:04:00.002-05:00

Contact your Representative TODAY. Please send this to everyone in the U.S. who opposes any more turbines – all wind opposition groups, friends, whomever.

Urge your Representative to oppose the Production Tax Credit Extension Act H.R. 3307 (Subsidies for “green” energy projects)

If you follow this link you will be taken to govtrack. There you will see the referenced H.R. 3307. Next to it you will see a box which says SPEAK UP AT POPVOX. This is one of the very few letter forwarding sites that I recommend. When you click on that box you will be taken to popvox where you can support or oppose a bill. You can also add comments. You will need to register an account but it is well worth the time since you may very well start using this site to express your opinion on other bills in Congress. If you comment you will not need to put your name at the bottom of the comment section, they will add that in for you. Here is the link:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-3307

H.R. 3307: American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act of 2011
A bill in the U.S. Congress: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the renewable energy credit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More about the Bill

Bill to extend U.S. wind energy tax credit goes to committee
U.S. Representatives Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) have introduced a bill to extend the current wind production tax credit, which expires at the end of 2012, through 2016.
Composites World
Posted on: 11/7/2011
U.S. Representatives Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), members of the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means, on Nov. 2 introduced the American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act (H.R. 3307). This bipartisan bill extends the tax incentive for the production of wind power, geothermal power, hydropower, and other forms of renewable energy through 2016. The bill is currently in the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.R. 3307 provides a clean, 4-year extension of the existing production tax credit for wind, biomass, geothermal, small irrigation, landfill gas, trash, and hydropower. It was created in the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and has frequently been extended in year-end packages of expiring tax provisions, as well as in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The current incentive is set to expire next year for wind and in 2013 for other renewable energy forms. Advocates note that historically, at least six to eight months before the tax credit expires, financial lenders hesitate in providing capital for projects because of the uncertainty created by the pending expiration of the credit, stalling projects from coming online. The rush to complete projects as the PTC nears expiration also reduces projects and adds costs, resulting in higher electricity prices.
“Extending this long-standing tax incentive will leverage private investment to bring proven energy projects online, bolster domestic manufacturing, and reduce electricity costs for businesses and families,” said Reichert. “Renewable energy resources play an important and increasing role in America’s total energy supply and reducing our reliance on foreign energy resources controlled by hostile nations. The certainty this bipartisan bill will provide can further spur growth in this vital sector, increase economic development, and create jobs.”
“Tax credits for renewable energy development are an essential part of powering America’s clean energy future,” said Blumenauer. Investing in the renewable energy industry is vitally important for the American economy, creates jobs, and moves us towards energy independence.”
"American wind energy jobs are something that we can all agree are vital for our economic well-being and energy security," said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (Washington, D.C.). "The recent stability of production tax credit (PTC) has provided the foundation of wind energy's transformation of a new manufacturing sector based on American ingenuity. Over the last six years, U.S. domestic production of wind turbine components has grown 12-fold to more than 400 facilities in 43 states. Extending the PTC will keep growing U.S. wind energy manufacturing jobs, rather than losing them to other countries."
Originated from Friends of Mojave and Friends of Sand Canyon, Tehachapi, CA
Oppose Wind/Solar Factories

Broadcast by Penny Melko, Sand Canyon –No one hates turbines more than me.
11/23/11

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-3307

Galloo ~ Editorial ~ Watertown Daily Times ~A dose of raw hypocrisy

2011-12-10T22:14:00.002-05:00

Watertown Daily Times A dose of raw hypocrisy

A dose of raw hypocrisy
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010

For raw, undisguised political pandering, you're going to have to search for awhile before you can top the Jefferson County Legislature, which will consider a resolution at its next meeting to oppose the New York Power Authority's proposal to seek wind developers for offshore locations in a wide strip roughly from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to Mexico Bay.

This is the legislature, led by Ken Blankenbush's public salivation over a 20-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, that bent over backwards (some would say they bent the other way) to get the Galloo Island Wind Farm on the way to reality. Apparently that project, which will be visible from shore, will be much prettier than any as yet unproposed projects in the lake – since one of the Legislature's objections to the NYPA proposal is the aesthetics of the projects and the potential adverse effects on property values.

Read more at this link~ Watertown Daily Times A dose of raw hypocrisy