HOW WIND TURBINES BECAME UTILITIES in CAPE VINCENT

A friend sent me this it is an accurate account of the events that unfolded in Cape Vincent.
These events ultimately led to the wind turbines being designated as utilities.

This is the Truth and there is documentation to support it.
Additionally Certain Planning Board $ Town Board members in Cape Vincent are self serving liars, the planning board of Cape Vincent is not even following their own comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan is a means to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people in the community and give due consideration to the needs of the people in the region of which the community is a part.
K.M.

THE STORY OF HOW WIND TURBINES BECAME UTILITIES


THE BEGINNING
Nov. 8, 2006 Planning Board meeting:

Planning Board Chairman, Mr.Edsall and the planning board (PB) are asked the critical question that sparks the controversy.

“Is a wind farm an acceptable site plan review use in the agricultural district?”

Is this question asked by Acciona? The minutes are not clear.
The Planning board chairman, Mr. Edsall asks his board for a vote on the question. They vote 5-0 . (With 3 conflicted votes) Note that the question is NOT are wind turbines a utility.
That is where the confusion starts. The question is about a wind farm being a proper site plan review use. This is a very important point.

The Problem:

There is no discussion on why a wind farm is acceptable as a site plan use in the Agricultural district by the PB. They give NO explanation as to why it is allowed or under what category it might fall. There are 12 site plan review uses allowed in the AG district. A wind farm is not listed as a use. Utilities, light industrial, and commercial ARE listed uses, but the planning board never says which use a wind farm is. They just say it is acceptable and move on.

So they must have had some reason in their heads. They never clearly define why wind turbines are allowed and why.Did they think that they are a utility because that is what the wind company told them? And that was what SLW listed on their permit application?

There is also the problem that it is out of the jurisdiction of the PB to make this determination or answer this question.
NY Town Law does not give the PB the power to interpret zoning law.
That is for the Zoning Enforcement Officer Alan Wood, and if there is a question it goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals. So even though everyone blames WPEG, it is the planning board that screwed up 1st.


Dec 2006: VERY IMPORTANT

WPEG challenges the planning board’s decision before the CV Zoning Board of Appeal.

It is critical to understand that… WPEG did not challenge whether turbines are utilities. They only asked for a determination, that if a wind farm is an acceptable site plan review use, which use is it, because wind farms are not listed?

The problem starts here because

SLW AND THEIR LAWYERS SWEEP IN AND SAY…”OH OUR PROJECT IS OK IN THE AG DISTRICT BECAUSE IT IS A UTILITY UNDER YOUR CURRENT ZONING AND UTILITIES DEFINITION”.

WPEG never said a word about utilities…it was SLW who defined turbines as utilities. Then WPEG challenged that as well, saying a wind farm is not a utility as defined by Cape Vincent’s zoning law. This is important…how did WPEG get blamed for turbines being utilities if they were fighting that turbines are not utilities…this makes no sense at all.

It is also very important to note that SLW’s application for a permit, and site plan review that was turned in to the town, also says their wind farm should be considered a utility.

WPEG didn’t write that on their application for them. The important thing is that even if WPEG didn’t challenge the PB decision these projects would have moved forward as utilities ANYHOW because that is what SLW put on their application. If nobody challenged it, it would have moved forward as a utility anyhow.

Now the other thing that is being lied about is they are saying WPEG is at fault for killing the 2006 wind law.

At the end of this post, I have included the minutes of an Aug 2006 meeting where [ Supervisor Reinbeck stated that on behalf of the board, he will request the planning board to adopt our proposed wind tower regulations as a guideline during their site plan review process]. So that is a lie too.
Also at the bottom of this post, is a letter from Richard Edsall: June 14, 2006. We propose that the town board abandon its efforts to amend the current zoning law.

Why does Reinbeck start a wind law committee, spend $20,000 on the law, and spend 5 months on it, when he knows he can’t pass it anyhow because of the conflicts of interest on his board? The answer is because he never wanted a wind law to begin with unless it was very weak and favored the wind company.

The wind law was finished in Jan…it is now almost May.
He is not going to pass a wind law because he and Edsall and the board and the lease holders do not want one.

No matter what they say, they want turbines as utilities so they can put as many of them in as possible and as close to the river and lake as possible!!!! THEY ARE LIARS!!!!
But to do this and create a public diversion they will blame WPEG for all the points above.

You have to have something for cover when you recklessly waste $20,000 of tax payer money.
Unsigned

CAPE VINCENT~ HOW WIND TURBINES BECAME UTILITIES

HOW TURBINES BECAME UTILITIES IN CAPE VINCENT
Preface

A reader sent me this; it is a good chronological progression of the events that unfolded in Cape Vincent.
These events ultimately led to the wind turbines being designated as utilities. This is the Truth and there is documentation to support it. Additionally the planning board and Town board in Cape Vincent are self serving liars, the planning board of Cape Vincent isn’t even following its own comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan is a means to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people in the community and give due consideration to the needs of the people in the region of which the community is a part.

K.M.

THE STORY OF HOW WIND TURBINES BECAME UTILITIES


THE BEGINNING
Nov. 8, 2006 Planning Board meeting:

Planning Board Chairman, Mr.Edsall and the planning board (PB) are asked the critical question that sparks the controversy.

“Is a wind farm an acceptable site plan review use in the agricultural district?”

Is this question asked by Acciona? The minutes aren’t clear.
The Planning board chairman, Mr. Edsall asks his board for a vote on the question. They vote 5-0 yes. (With 3 conflicted votes) Note that the question is NOT are wind turbines a utility.
That is where the confusion starts. The question is about a wind farm being a proper site plan review use. This is a very important point.

The Problem:

There is no discussion on why a wind farm is acceptable as a site plan use in the AG district by the PB. They give NO rational as to why it is allowed or under what category it might fall. There are 12 site plan review uses allowed in the AG district. A wind farm is not listed as a use. Utilities, light industrial, and commercial ARE listed uses, but the planning board never says which use a wind farm is. They just say it is acceptable and move on.

So they must have had some reason in their heads. They never clearly define why wind turbines are allowed and why.
Did they think that they are a utility because that is what the wind company told them? And that was what SLW listed on their permit application?

There is also the problem that it is out of the jurisdiction of the PB to make this determination or answer this question.
NY Town Law does not give the PB the power to interpret zoning law.
That is for the Zoning Enforcement Officer Alan Wood, and if there is a question it goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals. So even though everyone blames WPEG, it is the planning board that screwed up 1st.


Dec 2006: VERY IMPORTANT

WPEG challenges the planning board’s decision before the CV Zoning Board of Appeal.

It is critical to understand that… WPEG did not challenge whether turbines are utilities. They only asked for a determination, that if a wind farm is an acceptable site plan review use, which use is it, because wind farms are not listed?

The problem starts here because

SLW AND THEIR LAWYERS SWEEP IN AND SAY…”OH OUR PROJECT IS OK IN THE AG DISTRICT BECAUSE IT IS A UTILITY UNDER YOUR CURRENT ZONING AND UTILITIES DEFINITION”.

WPEG never said a word about utilities…it was SLW who defined turbines as utilities. Then WPEG challenged that as well, saying a wind farm is not a utility as defined by Cape Vincent’s zoning law. This is important…how did WPEG get blamed for turbines being utilities if they were fighting that turbines are not utilities…this makes no sense at all.

It is also very important to note that SLW’s application for a permit, and site plan review that was turned in to the town, also says their wind farm should be considered a utility.

WPEG didn’t write that on their application for them. The important thing is that even if WPEG didn’t challenge the PB decision these projects would have moved forward as utilities ANYHOW because that is what SLW put on their application. If nobody challenged it, it would have moved forward as a utility anyhow.

Now the other thing that is being lied about is they are saying WPEG is at fault for killing the 2006 wind law.

At the end of this post, I have included the minutes of an Aug 2006 meeting where [ Supervisor Reinbeck stated that on behalf of the board, he will request the planning board to adopt our proposed wind tower regulations as a guideline during their site plan review process]. So that is a lie too.
Also at the bottom of this post, is a letter from Richard Edsall: dated June 14, 2006informing the Town Board, We propose that the town board abandon its efforts to amend the current zoning law.Why does Reinbeck start a wind law committee, spend $20,000 on the law, and spend 5 months on it, when he knows he can’t pass it anyhow because of the conflicts of interest on his board? The answer is because he never wanted a wind law to begin with unless it was very weak and favored the wind company.

The wind law was finished in Jan…it is now almost May.
He is not going to pass a wind law because he and Edsall and the board and the lease holders do not want one.

No matter what they say, they want turbines as utilities so they can put as many of them in as possible and as close to the river and lake as possible!!!! THEY ARE LIARS!!!!
But to do this and create a public diversion they will blame WPEG for all the points above.

You have to have something for cover when you recklessly waste $20,000 of tax payer money.

Unsigned

Thousand Islands District Halts Turbine Plan

Watertown Daily Times District halts plan to install wind turbine


District halts plan to install wind turbine

As reported by the Watertown Daily Times
NOT MADE IN USA: Purchase of Canadian system did not meet requirements of federal stimulus grant
By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011

CLAYTON — The Thousand Islands Central School District's plan to install a wind turbine on school grounds is a no-go.

Instead, the district will spend the federal grant money it received last year to install a photovoltaic system.

The district was set to buy a 20-kilowatt turbine from a Canadian firm, but the project came to a halt because the structure did not meet one of the stimulus grant's requirements: the product must be made in the United States.

"Because of issues with the government over where we could purchase it, that plan has fallen through," district Board of Education member John P. Warneck said. "So we're changing it to a 35 kw photovoltaic system that converts sunlight into electricity."
Read full WDT article and comments -->here<-- Below are the financial details of the Alice in Wonderland Economics ~ for the Wind turbine that the Thousand islands School District had been set to participate in .

AWARDEES FOR ARRA STATE ENERGY PROGRAM - ROUND 2 AWARDS FEBRUARY 2010
Amount awarded, $163,760 to the Thousand Island central School district, for the installation of a 20 KW wind turbine ~ estimated yearly savings = $7,474. At this rate it will take approximately 21 years for it to pay for itself. A 20 KW wind turbine has an approximate life cycle of twenty years so it will be a close call. It is worth a look at the NYSERDA website to see what our fiscally bankrupt State sees as necessary to spend tax dollars on, money that we do not have. People keep applying for grants using the rational if we don’t apply it will go somewhere else. This needs to stop! We do not have this money to waste on these rationalizations. This unnecessary spending has to stop. Total awards for ARRA STATE ENERGY PROGRAM - ROUND 1 AWARDS October 2009 were $ 24,030,700 WITH AN ESTIMATED SAVINGS OF 6,507,683
The ARRA STATE ENERGY PROGRAM - ROUND 2 AWARDS for FEBRUARY 2010 were $39,375,845 with an estimated savings of $6,980,700. Granted perhaps some of these upgrades may have been necessary, however in these times of financial upheaval in New York most of these projects probably could have been at least delayed until our state was in better fiscal shape.

What will the fiscally responsible idiots have on the horizon for 2011 that they think is absolutely necessary to spend our tax dollars on?

the answer is......

A 35 kw photovoltaic system that converts sunlight into electricity."

Let’s hope that the math works out better on this scheme than the snake oil turbine deal.

Talk about pulling a rabbit out of your hat ...

Acciona is heavily involved in photolatic systems maybe they could be of assistance in the project, oops aren't they foreign too - I forgot they have been in town so long I thought they were “one of us”!!!

Aubertine said he planned on calling Hooker on Friday

As reported By The Syracuse Post Standard ~
Aubertine lands state ag and markets job
Published: Thursday, January 06, 2011, 11:09 PM
By Charles McChesney

Albany, NY -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo nominated former North Country state Sen. Darrel Aubertine to head the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, the agency that oversees, among other things, the state fair.

Aubertine, 57, said he was pleased to be offered the position and was looking forward to carrying out the mission the governor laid out in his state of the state message Tuesday, including looking at possible cuts.

“There really is no department in state government that is perfect, no department or agency that doesn’t deserve a hard look,” Aubertine said. “We have limited resources to work with.”

A sixth-generation farmer and past member of the Assembly and state Senate agriculture committees, Aubertine is familiar with the state fair. He has attended several times.


“I won the milking contest last year,” he said.

However, Aubertine said he had not read the indictment against former state fair Director Peter Cappuccilli who was arrested last month on grand larceny and fraud charges. Cappuccilli is accused of using his position to benefit himself and his family.

Aubertine said he hadn’t read the inspector general’s report that criticized top Department of Agriculture & Markets officials and current fair Director Dan O’Hara for failing to seek bids on a $700,000 contract to produce the fair’s 2008 concerts and a $127,500 contract for a boxing event at the 2009 fair.

“I’m not that familiar with it,” Aubertine said. He said he expected to get up to speed on the matter in a month or so, after first dealing with the department’s budget.


The commissioner position, which requires confirmation by the state Senate, pays $120,800 a year.

The current commissioner, Patrick Hooker, was appointed in 2007 by then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Hooker appeared at a news conference Thursday in Salina with Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, where they announced an energy efficiency program for farmers.

Aubertine said he he planned on calling Hooker Friday to discuss the transition.More...

DEC Notice of ST. Lawrence Wind Complete Application

Please be advised that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has determined that the applications listed in the attached notice are complete for purposes of initiating DEC review of the proposed action
State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination
A final environmental impact statement has been prepared on this project and is on file.
SEQR Lead Agency Cape Vincent Town Planning Board
State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination
A cultural resources survey has been completed. Based on information provided in the
survey report, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
(OPRHP) has determined that the proposed activity will have an impact on registered or
eligible archaeological sites or historic structures. The department must consult further
with OPRHP before making a final decision regarding the issuance of the permit.
DEC Commissioner Policy 29, Environmental Justice and Permitting (CP-29)
It has been determined that the proposed action is not subject to CP-29.
Availability For Public Comment Contact Person
Comments on this project must be STEPHEN M TOMASIK
submitted in writing to the Contact NYSDEC
Person no later than 01/20/2011 625 BROADWAY
or 15 days after the publication date ALBANY, NY 12233
of this notice, whichever is later. (518) 402-9167
__________________________________________________

ST LAWRENCE WINDPOWER LLC~ NYS DEC Notice of Complete Application

What made Cape Vincent great will be gone

Watertown Daily Times What made Cape Vincent great will be gone

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2009


Cape Vincent is where I grew up, and has always been my favorite place. I don't think I am alone in this sentiment. However, the proposed wind farm will certainly ruin the reason that Cape Vincent is so sacred and unique to people. More importantly, our future generations will never experience the natural beauty that this area is known for. It will be changed to an industrial nightmare. Many will not want to live or retire here as a result, and hence the legacy of families that settled and built this town will be lost forever. I have tried to remain neutral regarding the turbines, but there comes a time when you have to stand up for your rights.

Why do our town officials value the wind companies more than the citizens they represent? Furthermore, it's hard to understand why so many people are indifferent about the issue. Many people say, "I don't care one way or another because I won't see them from my house or from the village. They won't affect me." To me this translated to I don't care what happens to my neighbors or my community.[Watertown Daily Times What made Cape Vincent great will be gone]