Grossly Incommunicado

This post is a series of letters between Whiteman Osterman and Hanna lawyer Michael Sterthous , British Petroleum’s project manager Peter Gross and Planning Board member Richard MacSherry.

At last nights Planning Board(PB) meeting PB co -Chair Richard MacSherry spoke about this series of letters
Additionally, Mr. MacSherry stated that as of yet he has not received a response to his letter, from BP's Project Peter Gross

Letter number one ,is from Whiteman Osterman and Hanna (WOH) to BP lawyer John S. Harris, Esq.Regarding the BP wind project in Cape Vincent.

Michael G. Sterthous from Whiteman Osterman and Hanna advised Bp that the Cape Vincent’s Planning Board review of their project is “ongoing”.
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.

The planning board’s technical consultants have already issued a letter to BP Wind Energy advising it that the noise analysis presented in the SDEIS should be conformed to the noise analysis presented by St. Lawrence Windpower, LLC as part of its most recent submissions to the Planning Board.
Since an iteration of the current version of the SDEIS is expected, the planning Board has cancelled next week’s meeting…
It may be helpful for BP Wind Energy’s representative to schedule a time to present the project and the reports and analysis contained in the SDEIS to the Planning Board, as many members are new to the board.
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Sterthous assured BP that things are going along smoothly. However,it was right around this time that Todd Mathis was removed from the Cape Vincent project additionally BP’s senior project manager Jim Madden left the scene as well.

The SDEIS was submitted to the planning board Feb. 10, 2011 however, it has not been formally accepted by the board. In late February of 2011, BP’s former senior project manager Madden said in a newspaper interview that he expected the SDEIS to be accepted by the end of March. Then a public comment period would begin followed by a hearing.
However, the Cape Vincent Town Planning Board meeting scheduled for March 23, 2011 was canceled. Planning Board members were to consider the supplemental draft environmental impact statement for British Petroleum's Cape Vincent industrial wind complex.
Additionally, By July 6, 2011 the Planning Board had lost its quorum with the abrupt resignation of three members — board Chairman Richard J. Edsall, Patrick W. McCarthy and Thomas K. Rienbeck. Leaving two remaining Planning Board members Karen Bourcy and Richard MacSherry.

July 13, 2011 Cyril C. "Butch" Cullen, past chairman of the town Planning Board, stepped in as co-chairman of the board.
These events put BP's proposed project in wind limbo.



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Letter number two, is from British Petroleum’s project manager Peter Gross to planning Board member Richard MacSherry.
This letter explains to Mr. MacSherry that they are anxiously awaiting the anticipated comments from the Planning Board on their Cape Wind SDEIS.
Additionally, Gross states that BP would like to advance their project in a timely efficient manner.
Gross also requested that the Planning Board schedule a review of the SDEIS with the Planning Board and asks for a schedule ( deadline?) for the submission of any further comments so BP can receive a determination from the Planning Board that the doc is complete as soon as reasonably possible.
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In other words, we have waited long enough hurry up with your positive determination.

The third and final letter in this series, is a letter from Planning Board member Richard MacSherry to Mr. Peter Gross Project manager Bp Wind Energy. Mr. MacSherry informs Mr. Gross that he has 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 time frame.
Additionally, Mr. MacSherry states that the primary obstacles are the time it will take to fill the Planning Board vacancies and a reasonable period for all members to become familiar with BP draft and supplemental EIS documents.And an opportunity for the Planning Board to meet with our consultants to share and compare our findings
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.