BP's Community Outreach ~ Intention To Proceed under Article 10 in a letter to Supervisor Hirschey

Transcript Below

Urban Hirschey
Town Supervisor
Town of Cape Vincent
1964 NYS Route 12 E
Cape Vincent NY 13618

Dear Mr. Hirschey:
BP is in receipt of the town of Cape Vincent, planning boards letter dated September 6,
2012. We appreciate the board taking the time to follow – up on BP’s plans to construct an
alternative energy project within the township.
As you may know, in Summer 2011, the New York State Legislature passed, and the
Governor signed into law, a new Article 10 of the Public Service law governing siding of
electric generating facilities in excess of 25 Megawatts (MW) . For the first time in ten years.
New York has a centralized “one stop shopping" for him at the state level for permitting of
generating facilities such as that proposed by BP,article 10 provides a unique opportunity
for BP to certified proposed project me a proceeding that maximizes stakeholder and agency participation, guarantees thorough environmental review, results in a project that
mitigates any impacts to the maximum extent practicable. Article 10 certification will help
ensure that BP proposed facility fairly balances the interests of all parties. Accordingly, BP
is taking advantage of the option offered in article acts to transition the review process from
SEQRA to Article X.

BP has spent the last 6 years working with local officials, stakeholders, a community
groups in Cape Vincent and throughout Jefferson County. We look forward to continuing to
build on this effort as we move through the newly enacted Article 10 state permitting process.
We are optimistic that the article 10 process will result in the approval of our project which
will deliver approximately 200 – 285 MW of renewable energy to the residents of New York
and much-needed revenue to the region, local landowners, and the residents of the greater
Cape Vincent community.

As a first step in the process, on Monday, September 17, we will be submitting the Cape
Vincent wind farm public information plan(PIP) to the state of New York Board On
Electric Generation Siting and the Environment(Siting Board) as required under the pre-
application process of article 10. The PIP details ministry today of the public
involvement that has been undertaken by BP to inform, engage, and solicit input from the
local community, elected officials, general public, and other stakeholders in the development
of the wind farm. It also details the future activities the company will taking continuing to
build on its strong record of close community outreach and engagement.

At a size of approximately 200 – 285 MW, development of the Cape Vincent wind farm will
require BP to invest in excess of $300 million. In the first year of operation, the wind farm is
estimated to deliver $1.7 million of new tax revenue to be divided between the school
district the town of Cape Vincent and the County based on a previously approved
payment of taxes structure in Jefferson County. In addition, annual royalty payments
in excess of $1.2 million will be paid to local landowners once the wind farm is in
commercial operation. This substantial tax revenue and personal income will enable a
significant number of landowners to remain stewards of their land and drastically offset
the local tax burden on this community.

Please find enclosed a Cape Vincent where our newsletter that has been sent to all our
stakeholders. It will be up dated on a regular basis as the project moves through the
development and permitting process.

I look forward to updating you on the status of the project and to bring renewable power,
jobs, and economic development to the community of Cape Vincent and the state of New York.